Simhagiri: A Hilltop Fort with the Face of a Lion

Waheeda Bi khan

Simhagiri: A Hilltop Fort with the Face of a Lion

When sage Madavya's hermitage bestowed its blessings upon a Deccan village, and Lord Rama dedicated one of its hilltops to Rameshvara, the Shiva lingam commemorating the slaying of Ravana, the village began to flourish and became known as Mandavya-palle. It grew around the Shiva temple constructed by a Chola king, with the Mandaka potters as its inhabitants. Over time, the village evolved into Mandakasira. Little did they know that the hilltop would one day bear the honour of a fort, fiercely contested by many, and eventually become a monument of national importance in this subcontinent.

Aerial View of Madakasira Fort; Source: Wikimedia

Overlooking the entire landscape and capturing attention is a pinnacle with four pillars and a massive bell known as the singe-mooti or the face of the lion. Perched at a high and seemingly unreachable point on the hilltop, it challenges visitors to dare and enjoy the thrill of pseudo-mountaineering to reach and ring the bell.

When Sage Madavya's hermitage bestowed its blessings upon a Deccan village, and Lord Rama dedicated one of its hilltops to Rameshvara, the Shiva Lingam, commemorating the defeat of Ravana, little did the village know that it would flourish into Mandavya-palle around the Shiva temple built by a Chola king. The temple attracted the Mandaka potters, who became its inhabitants, and the village eventually evolved into Mandakasira. Unbeknownst to them, this hilltop would one day bear the honour of a fort that would be fought over by many and become a monument of national importance in this sub-continent.

In the village of Sage Mandavya, a cluster of massive rocks forms a shape reminiscent of a sleeping lion, and it was appropriately named Simhagiri. The inspiration to construct a fort on this hill came from a remarkable sight—a huge rock perched atop another, creating a cavernous niche where approximately forty people could rest or sleep. The most astonishing aspect is the set of depressions or impressions on the cave's ceiling as if they were formed by a hand carrying the enormous boulder. According to local folklore, these impressions were left by Anjanayya Swamy, the Pavan Putra, when he carried or shifted the rock during Lord Rama's installation of the Shiva Lingam on the hilltop. This natural wonder seems to incorporate the mythologies associated with the hill, which stands at a height of 894.89 metres above sea level. Due to its cooler climate compared to the surrounding region, it has earned the title of the "Ooty of Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra." The hill also boasts awe-inspiring rock formations that balance in unique postures, seemingly defying gravity.

During the 18th to 19th centuries, the Kaifiyat of Madakasira was recorded, drawing information from older village accounts known as dandakavile or kavile. These records were maintained by indigenous kingdoms or the Karanam offices of the Kakatiya rulers. They not only documented the demographics and history of Madakasira in different eras but also incorporated the surrounding mythologies. British officer Colin Mackenzie, while observing the Madakasira fort, discovered its history intertwined with legends from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Recognising the value of these local records, mostly written in Telugu, he referred to the region by different names such as Marcassira, Marke Sira, and Merg Sera.

The historical accounts preserved in the pages of Kaifiyat reveal that a person named Siruda Rangappa Nayaka, possibly a chieftain of the Vijayanagara Empire, established a village of potters near the old village of Mandavyapalle, renaming it Matakpalle. In 1492, he initiated the construction of a small fort overlooking the village to administer its affairs. However, the fort was soon captured by Muslim chiefs from the Deccan Sultanates, who ruled from the nearby fort of Ratnagiri. These chiefs likely expanded the fortifications on the hilltop. Like many forts in South India, the crumbling walls of the Madakasira fort narrate tales of victories and defeats. The current name suggests that the Bijapur Sultanate granted Matakapalle and the neighbouring Ratnagiri to the chiefs of Sira, who settled around this fort during the 17th century. The relationship between the Sira chiefs and the Bijapur rulers can be likened to a parody of the Tom and Jerry cartoon, with intermittent disputes over the administration of the region.

The later additions to the fort are credited to the Maratha chief Murari Rao, who gained dominion over the surrounding areas of the Deccan plateau. He constructed notable structures such as the seven gateways or dwaras, the Hinduraya temple, the stable, and a gymnasium. The hidden chambers within the rocks were repurposed as food or ammunition storage areas, and some even served as prison cells fortified with additional pillars. These feats of engineering and the dedicated workforce behind them continue to baffle historians and archaeologists. The Rani Mahal, of which only the outer walls remain, stands as a testament that the fort not only housed defence personnel and their commanders but also served as a royal residence. The fort's gateways are adorned with temples, with the oldest being the Sri Ramalingeshwara temple, flanked by two ponds. Another notable temple is the Venkateshwara temple, along with several smaller ones.

The towering walls of the Madakasira fort make one wonder about the possibility of their construction in such steep and challenging terrain. The circular bastions, strategically built in seemingly impossible positions, and the paths etched along sheer drops that could lead to certain death, demand a reverence befitting the rustic yet courageous engineering and workforce involved. Local legends passed down through generations speak of escape tunnels supposedly dug from the Rani Mahal, stretching around 5 km to reach a haven. However, due to collapsed walls, overgrown vegetation, and lack of confirmation, the existence of these tunnels remains uncertain.

The fort continued to be a prize in the game of political supremacy throughout the centuries, contested by different dynasties. It changed hands from Murari Rao to Hyder Ali, back to Murari, and then claimed by Hyder Ali again before being passed on to Tipu Sultan. Eventually, it was ceded to the Nizam of Hyderabad as part of the Seringapatnam Treaty, who, in turn, handed it over to the British in 1800. Unfortunately, the British showed little interest in preserving the fort, allowing it to fall into ruins. However, some temples, including the Garuda temple, were consecrated during the 1900s.

Though the echoes of roaring battles have faded, the Simhagiri rocks and the singe-mooti continue to honour the brave souls who defended, lived, and died within the fort's walls. The medieval storms have subsided, and the gentle breeze passing through the gateways and the miraculously balanced boulders narrate the fort's history at every turn, reverberating within the caves, waiting for visitors to heed their call, dare to ring the bell, and embrace the fort's silent roar for generations to come.