Siddhavattam Fort

 

Siddhavattam Fort

 https://ramamohanraocheruku.blogspot.com/2021/04/siddhavattam.html

Siddhavattam Fort is a 684 years old riverside fortress located in Siddhavattam Taluk Headquarters, but for all practical purposes it is diminished to the level of a village, belonging to Kadapa district of Andra Pradesh in South India. It is also known as “Gateway of Srisailam”. Once  it was being called as “Dakshina Kashi”. This fort has a vast history of struggle for protecting its culture and social values from local and foreign invaders.

At the outset I would like to tell about what the name Siddhavattam denotes. The name of the place is first associated with ‘Siddha’.  So let us first know what Siddha means.

Siddha in Sanskrit means "perfected one”. This is a term that is used widely in Indian religions and culture. It means "one who is accomplished". It refers to perfected masters who have achieved a high degree of physical as well as spiritual perfection or enlightenment.  The term is used to refer to the liberated souls. To attain Siddhi is to Siddha may also refer to one who has attained a siddhi. That means union of ones Atma with Paramaatma. If they are in the processes of attaining Siddhi they use Yoga, and certain medicines particularly attached to chemicals, which are extractions from the natural resources. But unfortunately, now-a-days the term is widely affiliated to medicine only. The processes of attaining Siddhi is Sadhana.

“Vata’ in Sanskrit is Banyan Tree, and ‘Vattam’ means ‘Habitation’.

People by and large say as follows:

The name of this fort has historic significance. Since this region had many Siddhas, who were yogic people known for their natural remedies with herbs. These Siddhas used to sit on a round platform built around the banyan trees. Hence this place was called as Siddhavatam. To my knowledge, the above information does not justify the name of the place ‘Vattam’ means an establishment of Siddhas, where they will have all the minimum requirements to attend to their day-to-day needs and a serene atmosphere for their penance.

In fact the place also might have been named after the prime deity ‘Siddheswara’, to whom my father with all of us did Abhishekamb some 45 years back.

In this connection I would like to share with you another fact which I came across. Some 50 years back I happened to travel in a lorry from Rajampet to Kadapa, in the good’s carrier. There was already a Muslim boy therein with public address system taking back to Kadapa. H was a native of Siddhavattam then aged about 16, 17 years. Being a Muslim, that too illiterate he was unaware of our Hindu culture. While he was playing with other children in the Siddhavattam fort, he missed the team and entered into a cave. Out of curiosity he moved forward and after sometime though he wanted to return he could not turn as the path was so narrow. He continued his journey forward but, for how many days, only God Knows. When he opened his eyes he found a Rhishi before him. He sprinkled some water on him and gave some serene water to drink. The moment the boy drank water he totally came into conscious and found the place with full of scenic beauty. The Rhishi signed him to close the eyes. The moment he closed his eyes and opened them he was on the Bahuda riverside of Nandalur. This incident, taking for granted, confirms two things. 1. There are still Siddhas at Siddhavattam in an unseen place by a common man and 2. There is a passage between Siddhavattam and Bahuda river bed of Nandalur. This gives strength to my argument.

Coming back to know about the history this fort was built by Matli Raja’s in the year 1303 A.D of Tuluva dynasty. Matli Raja’s were the Nayakas under Vijayanagar dynasty. The fort is built on the banks of the Penna River. This fort was gifted by Vijayanagar emperor Araveeeti Venkatapathi Rayulu II in 1605 to Yellamaraju, for the victory in Utukuru war. The fort here was much developed under the rule of King Varada Raju, who is the son-in-law of Sri Krishna Deva Raya.

Later, this fort came under the control of Mayana Nawabs of Kadapa in 17th Century. Hyder Ali, the then Mysore king, captured the fort during 1779 – 1780 A.D. In the year 1792 this fort came under the control of Nizams of Hyderabad, who captured this fort from Tippu Sultan of Mysore.

In the year 1800, the British took over the fort from the Hyderabad Nawabs. This is a defensive fort which was under the British East India Company for more than 150 years. East India Company made this as their capital to run their administration. From 1807-1812 Sidhout was the district headquarters for Kadapa district. Later the administration was moved to Kadapa as this place will be isolated whenever Penna river floods.This fort was later administered by the Archaeology Department of India in 1956.

Once this fort went under the Nizams rule, they built a lot of Islamic Structures and Mosques inside the fort.

You can find a life size Nandi deity with severed head in the fort, which is subjected to Muslim Vandalism.

This fort extends over an area of 30 acres. Visitors can view the gateways and decorated pillars at the two ends of the fort. It is noteworthy that the 17 bastions which once used to protect the region are still visible in the fort. The fort houses an ancillary passage which allows the visitors to gain access even after the closure of the main gates. The temples present inside its premise include the Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Siddheswara Temple, Durga Temple and the Bala Brahma Temple. Rama Temple etc.

These are some of the best stone carved temples found in this area. Many of their pillars are made of a single stone. The roofs of these temples are covered with stone slabs. The deities’ sculptures are made of single stone carvings, which are very fascinating.

Inside this fort there are many complexes. The main structure of this first area is totally built of granite stones.

In the medieval Era when the Udayagiri Kingdom ruled here, this fort saw much local aggression.

While Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was on his South Indian tour, he visited this place. We can find it mentioned in the Chaitanya Charitamrita as follows:

nṛsiṁha dekhiyā tāṅre kaila nati-stuti
siddhavaṭa gelā yāhāṅ mūrti sītāpati

“Upon seeing the Ahovala-nrisiṁha Deity, Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered many prayers unto the Lord. He then went to Siddhavaṭa, where He saw the Deity of Rāmacandra, the Lord of Sītādevī.” (Madhya Lila, 9.17)

Once patronized by kings of 18 dynasties and having more than 120 temples, this place is now on the brink of vanishing. It has turned in to a refuge for unscrupulous elements.

All that I can do is to pay God Siddheswara to open the eyes of all those concerned for renovation and keep-up of the structure.

Swasthi.