In September 2019, my family and I embarked on a journey to the beautiful city of Vijayawada, situated in the heart of Andhra Pradesh, India. Our visit was marked by a stay at the Bhavani Island Resort, run by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC), which offered a tranquil retreat in the midst of nature. One of the highlights of our trip was the exploration of the Undavalli Caves, a remarkable rock-cut temple complex perched on a hillside. Undavalli caves – History The caves, believed to have their construction initiated in the 6th or 7th century AD, have a rich history of royal patronage that continued until the 16th…

We travelled to Gandikota from Chennai with a stopover at Nellore. The drive from Nellore to Gandikota is especially scenic. We stayed at the Haritha resort in Gandikota which was also close to the points-of-interest there. Gandikota is a small village which has seen the rule of different dynasties such as the Chalukyas, the Vijayanagara empire’s vassals and Golconda Sultanate before passing into British control over time. The first structure that you come upon is the barracks which open up on the Charminar. However, we could find no steps that led to the three tiers above the ground level and so it seems to be a more ornamental structure than…