Gagan Mahal Palace Of Krishnadevaraya — Attraction in Andhra Pradesh

Walked to Gagan Mahal. It was locked. I found the caretaker and he opened it. He gets one visitor every 4 days.

Gagan Mahal palace was built by Krishnadevaraya as his summer palace.

After the fall of Hampi in 1565, it became the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire.

The British put up a plaque, 350 years later. With their own spellings. "Palace of Kistna Deva Raj. The King of Vijiya Nagar. Circa 1575.".

There is a portrait of Krishnadevaraya in the palace.

The palace is maintained by the Archeological Survey of India.

By one caretaker Venkataswamy, who nicely explained everything to me. He knows only Telugu.

The Palace is a three storeyed structure.

You can see the Durbar (court) of Krishnadevaraya. The throne was here.

Next to it is the Queen's office.

She could enter the Durbar whenever she wanted from the side entrance.

On the other side is the Maha Mantri (Prime Minister) Saluva Timmarusu's office. Unlike the Queen, the Prime Minister could not enter the Durbar whenever he wanted. There is no side entrance.

There was an escape tunnel with a winch and a pulley to the top of the hill. The tunnel is closed now since it has become unsafe. You can stand on top of the tunnel.

On the top, there are lookouts for the soldiers. You could see outside, but from outside you could not see inside. There were no guns, only...

Sadly the great monument lies in despair. Thanks to the governments and the so called tourism promotion boards whose job is to install boards and locks right outside the entrances of these magnificent structures. The palace of Krishna deva raya looks like a later addition to the penukonda fort up above as there is more refinement in the whole structure. It is said that after the battle of talikota the royal family stayed here for some time before moving further south to chandragiri. The monument was shut on a weekday and I understand that that’s how it is. The structure seems to be constructed with indo Islamic architecture with more inclination towards the Vijayanagara style of architecture. The road to this place is from the city, and one can reach through google maps easily. Parking it right at the date which remains closed and one can only see it from outside and click pictures through the iron bars of the main gate. The road leading to this place isn’t in a good shape and there is gutter water flowing right in the middle of the road. The view of the fort and its reminiscent can be seen from the base that is by standing here easily. Around are the other famous structures like the jail of timarassu, a gopuram, a water tank...

During the days of Vijayanagara kings, notably Emperor Sri Krishna Devaraya, Gagan Mahal was used as the royal residence in Penukonda, the empire’s second capital after the fall of Hampi. It features a grand hall, stucco-coated walls, recessed arches, and a lookout tower. Surrounded by temples, mosques, and water tanks, it offers a glimpse into the grandeur of the Vijayanagara empire. Some even believe that Gagan Mahal was constructed without using a single rafter. Later, this 16th-century palace was repurposed into an office by British rulers, because of this, freedom fighters like Lakshmi Narasappa, Narayana Reddy, K Ramachandraiah and P Seshashayanam, who played an integral role in the Quit India movement, set it ablaze as an act of protest.

Owing to these historical narratives, Gagan Mahal has been restored and preserved by the Department of Archeology and Museums for future generations.

[Source: Indian Culture Portal]

This Palace was found locked when we visited here. After some time, the caretaker Venkataswamy arrived and opened the gate. He, however, doesn't know any other language except Telugu. This is a nice historical place that one should visit, if they come to...