AMMAPALLI - KHILLA GHANPUR (FROM HYDERABAD)

At a distance of 30 km from Hyderabad and 5 km from Shamshabad Bus Stop, Sri Rama Chandra Swamy Temple of Ammapally is a very ancient Temple and famous for film shootings. This is also one of the most visited among Hyderabad tourist places.

The Rama temple was built by Vengi kings in 13th century but the idol was 1000 years old. The temple is adorned with a large seven-story tower which is quite famous among Telugu movie fans. There is a large image of Lord Vishnu is sleeping posture above the gateway of the tower.

The tower is followed by the main temple with a large corridor around the temple. The Idols of Rama, Sita and Laxmana and its Makara Thoranam are beautifully formed from single black rock. Anjaneya, usually accompanying Lord Rama, is not seen in the garbhagriha. Instead, Anjaneya Swamy idol is placed near the Dwaja Sthambam facing Sri Rama.

There is a large temple pond which is .....

At a distance of 2 km from Khilla Ghanpur Bus Stand, 25 km from Mahabubnagar and 109 km from Hyderabad, Khilla Ghanpur Fort is located near Khilla Ghanpur village in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. This is an ideal weekend getaway from Hyderabad to spend full day.

The Ghanpur Fort is a hill fort built on a rocky hill by King Gona Ganapa Reddy in early 13th century. He ruled this area as a feudatory to Kakatiya rulers. Gona Ganapa Reddy is son of Gona Budda Reddy who was famous as the poet of Ranganatha Ramayana, a pioneering Telugu Literature. The name of Ghanapuram Killa came into existence from the name of Kakatiya Ruler Sri Ganapathi Deva. The fort is spread on rocky and hilly area of 4 Sq kilometers and there are fort buildings spread across the top most part of the hill.

The fort was well built with cannons on the upper side of the fort. There are several remains of the walls and building blocks inside the fort. .....