ADILABAD: For over six centuries—from 1308 CE until Indian Independence — the Gondwana kings ruled a vast tribal kingdom stretching across present-day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, northern Telangana, western Odisha and parts of southern Uttar Pradesh. Now, their legacy is getting a modern makeover.
The Utnoor Fort, once the seat of Gond power, is undergoing a Rs 3.9 crore renovation, with plans for a museum, architectural lighting, landscaped greenery, a children’s play area and open spaces for cultural celebrations.
The Telangana government has sanctioned Rs 3.9 crore for the restoration of the historic fort, with renovation work currently under way. Besides conserving the fort, officials plan to transform it into a heritage destination showcasing the history, culture and traditions of the Gond community.
During a recent inspection, District Collector Rajarshi Shah and Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Utnoor Project Officer Manda Makarand directed officials to prepare proposals for a state-of-the-art museum that will preserve the history of the Gond kingdom, its rulers and tribal heritage for future generations.
The collector also asked engineering officials to prepare plans for decorative lighting, greenery, a children’s play area and open spaces to host small cultural and community events within the fort premises, which spread across nearly 15 acres.
Officials say the Archaeology department and ITDA are jointly executing the restoration works, ensuring that conservation does not compromise the fort’s historical character.
Speaking to TNIE, Kumra Vittal Rao, adviser to the Gondwana Panchayat Raj Centre and a member of the Gond royal family, says the Gondwana kingdom ruled the region from 1308 AD until Indian Independence. The first ruler was Raja Hanumanth Rao, while the last ruler was Attram Dev Shah.
The Gond rulers governed the region from their capital at Chandrapur, in present-day Maharashtra, with their influence extending across Utnoor, Kanchanpelli and Mahoor. After Independence, the kingdom merged with the Indian Union during the integration of princely states under the Nizam’s rule.
Vittal Rao says descendants of the Gond royal family continue to live at Lakkaram in Utnoor and still visit the fort every Dasara to perform traditional prayers observed by their ancestors. He adds that Attram Dev Shah later contested and won the Boath Assembly constituency after the merger of the kingdom.
Welcoming the government’s restoration initiative, Vittal Rao suggests that once the renovation is completed, a committee comprising members of the tribal community should be constituted to maintain the fort, as it remains a place of deep historical and cultural significance for the Gond people.