Gooty is a small town, known for embracing one of the
oldest forts of Andhra Pradesh. At a distance of 52 kms from Anantapur
city, the fort is a prime attraction for tourists. Above the plains in
Gooty, the impregnable fort is perched at a height of 300 meters amidst
hills. The Fort has been granted the title of 'World Heritage Site' by
UNESCO. The massive fort complex houses at least fifteen forts in it.
Gooty Fort's castle has been erected on the westernmost loop of the
hummocks.
Though the exact construction date of the citadel is not known, some
chronological events throw light on the times of yore. Written in
Kannada and Sanskrit, the earliest inscriptions found in the structure
date back to the 7th century. One inscription of 'Bukka' refers to the
Vijayanagar kings as the 'Kings of Forts'. The historical accounts
record that the fort was captured by Mir Jumla and then came under the
sway of Qutub Shahi chiefs. In 1773, it was captured by Haider Ali and
fell into the British hands in the long run.
Built in the shape of a shell, Gooty Fort has fifteen gateways known as
'Mukhadwaralu'. The fort is approached through a paved path, which heads
towards the first and foremost fortification, identified as 'Mar Gooty'
in the earlier days. The ramparts consist of a series of walls, which
are allied by 14 gateways having numerous bastions. After crossing the
fortification, the pathway further leads to round steep sides of massive
rock and eventually takes to the summit, where the citadel is to be
found.
No structure inside the fort has any architectural magnitude. Most of
the forts have not withstood the ravages of times. Out of the few, one
structure appears to be a gymnasium and another is powder magazine. On
the edge of the cliff, a small pavilion made in polished lime stone is
identified as Morari Rao's seat. It offers a panoramic view of the town
below and is believed to be the favorite resort of Morari Rao. Gooty
Fort has numerous temples, including Nageswara Swamy Temple,
Lakshminarasimhaswamy Temple and Ramaswamy Temple.
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