My Mackenna's Gold - Gandikota. AP

Gandikota is a small village on the right bank of the river Pennar, 15 km from Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district founded in 1123 by Kapa Raja.

The fort of Gandikota acquired its name due to the 'gorge' (in Telugu it is called 'gandi'), formed between the Erramala range of hills, also known as Gandikota hills and the river Pennar that flows at its foot, reducing its width to a mere 300 ft (see the river image below). Situated amidst beautiful landscape and wild forests, it is endowed with vast natural resources.

The fort was made more impregnable by Pemmasani Thimma Nayudu. The fort was under the control of Pemmasani Nayaks for over 300 years.

It was late in the evening when I reached the APTDC Hotel, Haritha. I breathed a sigh of relief since the 10 km drive from Jammalamadugu to Gandikota was one of the scariest drives of my life. Pitch dark, an eerie chill, inconsistent zig-zag roads, no warning signs, no signs whatsoever, tiny turning points and a horizon that felt like abyss. I really thought I am going nowhere.

Belum Caves

The first light was not rising sooner than I wanted, unfortunately for me; the clouds were holding it back. I needed this light and sky to be clear for my shoot and it wasn’t looking good.

The Jamia Masjid

I wasn’t too far from my hypothesis about the horizon…far, till really far, far, away from my vintage point all I could see only a small patch of grey-green texture between the blank sky and very solidly and widely spread fort bastions. 

Remains of the Raghunathaswamy temple

The fort entrance literally stopped me. I just looked up to it and started and stared. I just couldn’t gather what was happening to me. I was listening to sounds of horse hooves and elephant trumpets. Clanging of steel and iron. Orders being shouted and echoed. Marching feet and hosted flags. The camps were clearly visible now. Soldiers standing, waiting, anticipating, praying. Those bastions still look occupied.

Entrance to the fort

The scene and smell of war is so intense and alive that the obvious life that exists even now n Gandikota village can go unnoticed. I watched people go out and return in their cycles, vehicles, herd from the mighty fort entrance which once entertained only serious business. The mood is lighter now as old women play kavadeaata (local dice game), children chase parrots, and white-haired men indulge in their daily conference while the younger men take a royal nap. The activity distracts me from conversing with the fort, and further opens it up for me. 

Pigeon Tower

A pigeon tower, a jail (right next to the pigeon tower), rayalacheruvu (royal water tank), Madhavrayaswamy and Raghunathaswamy temples dissected by a Qutubshahi mosque, a humungous granary, a local pond form such an integrate part of the fort/village that even their current static existence breathes life if you breather with it. They all lead me to the one place, which blows me away, literally. I sit amidst red sandstones, becoming a part of it, and peer down the300-feet drop in to the Pennar gorge.

Penna Gorge and the fort bastions

Till far, far, really far away, I see nothing but a clear sky and the river flowing, I ridicule myself that while I rest myself on these stones, contemplate and reflect my entire life and its meaning, in minutes, my earlier avatars would have sat here to look and identify what’s approaching them from far, far, really far away. And I do no different as I promise myself to return to this very stone and start my new year seeing the sunrise from this view.

River Penna and it's flow