Places to visit in Vikarabad District

Vikarabad district has been carved out of the erstwhile Rangareddy district. The district shares boundaries with Sangareddy, Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar and the state of Karnataka. The district comprises of 18 mandals and 2 revenue divisions while the district headquarters is located at Vikarabad town. Tandur, one of the important towns in the district, is the industrial hub of the district. The district is spread over an area of 3,386.00 square kilometres and according to 2011 Census of India; the district has a population of 9, 27,140.

Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple

One of the Hindu temples called the Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple is located in the beautiful hilly region of the Ananthagiri hills in Vikarabad district of Telangana, India. This temple on Ananthagiri hills is dedicated to worship Lord Vishnu. Sri Nalapur Sitaram is the head priest of this temple. According to Hindu Mythology, Skanda Purana, it is believed that this Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple was constructed by the rishi Markandeya in the dwapara yuga on Ananthagiri hills. The rishi Markandeya came here for yoga sadhana every day because the splendid and pleasant atmosphere of Ananthagiri hills attracted him. After his Yoga and meditation, Rishi Markandeya used to go to Kasi to take a holy bath in the river Ganges through a cave. During the dwadasi season, Markandeya couldn't make it to Kasi in the early hours of the day. He was very upset with this and after seeing the rishi's concerns, Lord Vishnu himself appeared in Markandeya's dreams and arranged water from the river Ganges for the rishi's bath. Markandeya was blessed to take a permanent place in the world as a river by lord Krishna who disguised himself as Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy. This river which is now popularly known as the river Moosi flows through Hyderabad. Markandeya initially took dharshanam of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy and converted a charka into Swamy. It is said that for the past four hundred years the Nizam Nawabs visited Ananthagiri hills for its peaceful atmosphere and would rest there. The main temple of Lord Padmanabha Swamy was built by the Hyderabad Nawab as Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy appeared in his dreams and asked him to build a temple for him. This temple is situated in the village of Ananthagiri at a distance of seventy-five kilometers from Hyderabad and five kilometers from Vikarabad. There are regular private transport operators and frequent buses between Vikarabad and Ananthagiri hills.

Ananthagiri Hills

Ananthagiri hills, one of the most attractive hill stations in Telangana is considered the pride of Vikarabad district. The hill range is the origin of river Musi that flows through the city of Hyderabad. The salubrious climate here attracts many nature lovers and tourists, who are enthralled by the mesmerizing beauty of the hills.

Vikarabad Adventure

Vikarabad is a charming place where one can derive pleasure in trekking. In fact, it is one of the favourite trekking spots for people who crave for adventure close to Hyderabad city. This place is covered with red soil, containing a mixture of rock and loose soil; therefore, it is a thrilling place for Rappelling and Rock Climbing.

There are two different trails for the people coming here to have an adrenaline rush. The forest is an ideal place even for beginners. Vikarabad is surrounded by many small hills, making it convenient for trekking and apart from this; one can also enjoy some wild adventures in the Vikarabad forest. Tourists enjoy forest trails by traversing some of the interior regions of the forest where they enjoy photographing the panoramic views and wildlife, fresh water streams and the verdant greenery.

Source: Telangana Tourism