Penukonda Fort

The fort of Penukonda is one of Anantapur’s major attractions. It is located nearly 70 kilometers from Anantapur district in the Indian province of Andhra Pradesh. This fort acquired its name from the word Penukonda, which means a “big hill”. This fort also serves as a sacred place for the Jainism followers.

After the collapse of Hampi, Penukonda once served in as Vijayanagar Kingdom’s second capital and was previously called Ghanagiri or Ghanadri. This post was working on Virupanna’s season. Among other defensive structures of the Vijayanagara empire, this fortress had been a standout.

With the downturn of the Vijayanagara Kingdom, this fort was captured by the Golconda’s Sultan. Later on, this power base was conquered by the Mysore Kingdom and ultimately got to the point when the British exceeded after Tipu Sultan’s fall.

This massive and compelling fortification, constructed on a large hill slope, offers tremendous views of the city underneath it. The dividers, bastions, and doors in the fort’s storm cellar were made of mortar, stone, and lime. Vault of this lobby became planned in the development style of the Hindu, although the pavement has the mark of the Islamic engineering style.

Archaeologists have concluded, after examining the ancient inscriptions of the Penukonda Fort, that the fort was built under the rule of Vira Virupanna Udaiyar who was the son of King-Bukka I of Vijayanagar. Inside the fort, there is a massive idol of Lord Hanuman. It’s about 11 feet tall. There are also several mosques within the fort. One among them is the ‘ Sher Khan Mosque. ‘ Back in the 16th century, the Gagan Mahal, a palace inside the fort, was built. Another fortress, ‘ Babayya Darga, ‘ is designed to symbolize the unity between Hindus and Muslims.