News and Updates
The latest from the Deccan Heritage Foundation
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Unveiling the Secrets of India's Medieval Cities
As the festive season unfolds and the end-of-year holidays draw near, there’s no better time to plan your next journey across the Deccan. From temple towns to ancient stepwells and royal pavilions, the region offers endless possibilities, especially for those who seek the road less travelled.
Banner image: Janapada folk festival at Gagan Mahal, restored by the Deccan Heritage Foundation in Anegundi, Karnataka.
Travel Notes: Badami
Bhutanatha Temple, 7th to 12th century Hindu temples to the east of Agastya lake in Badami, Karnataka. Photograph by John Weaver.
This month, we are delighted to share a new four-part blog series by John Weaver, a young art historian whose writings take us through the dramatic cliffs and sacred waters of Badami, one of the great capitals of the Early Chalukyas.
Deities carved directly into a freestanding rock at the Bhutanatha Temple, Badami, Karnataka. Photograph by John Weaver.
Explore more Travel Notes on Badami and discover a suggested one-week itinerary that includes Hampi. You can also purchase our comprehensive guidebook to Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakal, written by Dr. George Michell. This is available in print and as a digital e-book for instant download via the DHF Bookstore, along with other publications on Karnataka.
The Medieval City of Warangal, Telangana
Warangal, view from Ekashila Hill across the lake. Photograph by Surendra Kumar.
First mentioned in a 1195 CE inscription as Orugallu (“One Rock City,” in Telugu), the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty is today remembered as Warangal. A remarkable proposition suggests that the medieval city was conceived as a reflection of traditional Indian cosmograms, where the city plan mirrors Jambudweepa, the circular cosmic continent, with Mount Meru at its centre – represented by the temple of Swayambhuva Shiva and its towering shikhara. From this symbolic centre, four great roads radiated outward like cosmic rivers, linking the central plaza to the city’s monumental cardinal gateways.
Temple at the summit of Ekashila hill, Warangal, Telangana. Photograph by Surendra Kumar.
To explore this extraordinary city’s architecture, symbolism, and history in greater depth, consult our Telangana guidebook bundle, available via the DHF Bookstore.
Aurangabad’s Taj Mahal of the Deccan
Bibi-ka-Maqbara, Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Photograph by Clare Arni & Selvaprakash Lakshmanan.
Usually dismissed as a lesser copy of the Taj Mahal, the Bibi-ka-Maqbara in Aurangabad is actually an original design and is by far the grandest Mughal period building in the Deccan. It is credited to Aurangzeb’s son Azam Shah, who is supposed to have built it for his mother Rabia’ Durrani, Aurangzeb’s first wife and chief queen. However, construction on the tomb began in 1657, when Aurangzeb was still viceroy in the Deccan, so it is possible that Aurangzeb himself commissioned the project as an expression of his imperial aspirations to the Mughal throne.
Garden walkway at Bibi-ka-Maqbara, Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Photograph by Clare Arni & Selvaprakash Lakshmanan.
Discover more of Maharashtra’s architectural heritage, including Aurangabad, Ellora, and beyond, in our Maharashtra guidebook bundle, available at the DHF Bookstore.
We look forward to bringing you the latest updates about our ongoing projects, initiatives and publications across the Deccan region of India.
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