History of Medak

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give

Medak District, located in the western region of Telangana, is home to a remarkable concentration of heritage monuments, religious sites, ecological reserves and cultural assets representing over a thousand years of civilisational continuity. This portfolio has been prepared by the District Administration, Medak, to present a comprehensive, GIS-validated inventory of the district's tourism and heritage resources to the Principal Secretary, Tourism, Culture & Heritage Department, Government of Telangana.

The present Medak District, constituted on 11 October 2016, comprises 21 Revenue Mandals organised across 3 Revenue Divisions (Medak, Narsapur and Toopran), with a total geographical area of 2,757.37 sq.km and a population of 7,67,428 (Census 2011). The district headquarters is Medak town.

The district's heritage landscape spans the architectural traditions of the Kalyani Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Qutb Shahis and the Nizams. The iconic Medak Cathedral — one of the largest dioceses in Asia — and the commanding Medak Fort are the district's flagship hepritage assets. The Barahkaman (1905), an extraordinary Nizam-era hydraulic engineering structure and the Kakatiya Toranam at Yeldurthy are among the most unique heritage monuments in Telangana.

Religious tourism is anchored by the Sri Edupayala Vana Durga Bhavani Temple (Papannapet Mandal) — which attracts approximately 30 lakh devotees annually — and the ancient Sri Kuchadri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple (Medak Mandal), a protected monument. Eco-tourism is centred on the Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary (130 sq.km, established 1952), located 15 km from Medak town.