Gandikota

Kondaveedu Fort

The massive forts of granite and lime mortar,sat on the top of the hills rising like giants, from the plains, with their stony cliff faces. As their sprawling ramparts crawled around the rocky ledges, hugging the narrow ranges. 

Kondaveedu, a name that echoed like a drumbeat in the hearts of people, symbolizing bravery and courage. A fort that was considered the toughest to conquer, due to it's  sheer cliff edges, and the thick forest at the foothills, that stood like a formidable obstacle to many an invading army.

 Believed to have been established in 1115 CE, as a fortified township by Gopanna, a commander of Buddhavarma, a ruler of the Telugu Choda dynasty. It later came under the Kakatiyas, before Warangal was invaded and devastated by the Muslim invasions from the north. The glory days of the fort, began with Prolaya Vema Reddy,a feudatory of the Kakatiyas, who under the leadership of Musunuri Prolaya Nayaka, had allied with other nobles and chieftains, to expel the occupying Tughlaq governor Ulugh Khan. 

 Vema Reddy, who ruled till 1353, had shifted the capital of the Reddy Kings from Addanki to Kondavidu, strengthened the defenses of the fort. In 1516, Krishnadeva Raya, had captured the fort, from the Gajapati rulers, after a long drawn siege, that was broken only when Appaji, bribed the guards to show a secret route into the fort.  

 Veerabhadra Gajapati, who had put up a long resistance to that siege, looked out of the window, over what was once his fiefdom. Of which he was the master, with a retinue of attendants, nobles, awaiting him. Where he would sit upon the ramparts every morning taking in the sights around. Before that siege ruined it all, he could never forget the sight of the fort's residents dying of starvation, the food stocks in the granary going up in flames. And all those men who had perished fighting to the end rather than surrender.

The flame of vengenance burned too strong in his heart, he could never forgive the Raya.He had spent sleepless nights,plotting his revenge , but the  Raya was not someone who could be overthrown in a palace coup, unlike the earlier rulers. He himself was formidable enough, and add to it, he had Appaji and Ramalinga Nayaka, standing like a barrier, that made it even more harder to surmount. 

Would he have to pass away with his thirst for vengenance, not quenched? Would he have to live all his life with the pain of humiliation and being tricked? 

"Sadashiva Nayaka is here sir"

His thoughts were interrupted, by the guard bowing to him, as he beckoned to let them inside. There were two of them,  one was Sadashiva with his well built physique, standing tall and proud, broad shoulders, a white tunic made of muslin covering his upper torso, his head adorned by a green and gold turban, white feathers adorning it.

It was the other person, of a short and pudgy build who repelled him. A red hued tunic, that could barely hold, a pot belly, that seemed to have resulted from years of just eating and lazing. Thick, pudgy fingers, that he licked in a disgusting manner, and  a face that was malevoently ugly.  The thick beard, could barely conceal the double chins that sagged, his cheeks swollen, but above all his eyes, you could sense the greed and filthy nature of this man, just looking at them.

Mareppa, the head of the notorious Penugonda prison, and the polygar of the territory,  a despicable oaf of a person,whom Veerabhadra loathed to the core. He had heard tales of his brutal, sadistic torture of the hapless prisoners. There were accounts of him, dangling prisoners by their neck from the rope, watching them writhe, kick their legs in despair and die slowly. 

He however had got away with his atrocities, due to his being connected to the Governor of Chandragiri, who happened to be the Raya's distant cousin.  If he was a terror as the head of the prison, as the local Polygar he was a living nightmare to all the villagers in that territory. He would often let loose his hounds on those hapless peasants, who could not pay the taxes due to him.  His sprawling palatial mansion, hid horror chambers, where any peasant or artisan or villager who fell afoul of him,suffered the most horrendous torture.  

The very sight of that oaf, repelled Veerabhadra, but then he was needed in the overall scheme, and till then had to bear the stench coming from him. They sat on the soft, down laden couches, with the gilded tables bearing fruits, wine, spread out before them.

"I have my own reasons for vengenance against the Raya, what have you Sadashiva?"

"My vengenance is more against Ramalinga Nayaka, than the Raya. He was responsible for the death of my younger brother, on whom I had doted a lot."

"What happened?"

"After the fort of Raichur was captured successfully, the soldiers, were celebrating after a long, hard campaign. My brother, who had fought hard, was enjoying with some other soldiers,when they had wandered to the Krishna river, in an inebriated state. Fully drunk, not in their senses, he and his friends forced themselves on some women, who were bathing in the river, began to molest them. Their terrified screams, distracted the attention of Ramalinga, who was in his morning prayers at the river".

"Annoyed by the disturbance, he went in the direction of the screams, and was furious at what he saw. He grabbed my brother, thrashed him along with his friends, and bought them to the camp. My brother who had come to his senses, pleaded for forgiveness, saying it was done under the influence of wine.  I literally begged at his feet, saying it was the mistake of his impulsive youth, and should be forgiven. But Ramalinga would have none of it, and in front of my eyes, cut my brother's head right off with his sword."

"What could be more painful than to see one's own being so brutally cut down, in front of their eyes. My brother had committed a mistake, but he could have been very well given another opportunity, this when the relatives of the Raya, go about inflicting far worse atrocities. He was the apple of our eyes, the youngest in the household, adored by all, doted on by my parents. My father, suffered a stroke from the shock of it, and has since been confined to a chair, staring vacantly into space,  while my mother lost her senses, and has gone stark raving insane. She still believes her son would be back. Our once happy household has been turned into an abode of sorrow, all due to that man Ramalinga".

"I empathize with you Sadashiva, but as long as Appaji and Ramalinga Nayaka are there, how do we even even surmount the barrier?"

"Appaji is now old, and the Raya has kept him away from court after Raichur, he no longer seeks his advice either, as he listens mostly to his son in law Rama Raya of late. The only barrier we have is Ramalinga, who is not just strong, but has the uncanny ability of a fox to sniff danger from a distance".

"What if we hire a professional assasin to kill him"

"Murder is ruled out, that woud just mean inviting the wrath of the Raya, who knowing the enmity we have, would not hesitate for a moment to execute us."

"So what way out we have here"

"What if Shiva doubted Nandi's loyalty, and shows his rage upon him? While he is known for his rage, when it comes to betrayal, the Raya opens that third eye of his. After Appaji, if there is anyone he trusts his life with, it is Ramalinga Nayaka. What if he is made to believe that the man he trusts, is a traitor who has betrayed him"

"I am understanding what you are hinting at Sadashiva, the Raya would naturally be heartbroken to the extent that he might withdraw himself from all affairs. Emotions can destroy the strongest of men, more than the wounds inflicted in combat. And the belief that the man he trusted the most, betrayed him, would corrode the insides of the Raya's soul, sapping his spirit away."

"Yes, to get the king, we need to get the minister and commander first. The minister is now old and pushed to the sidelines. So that leaves us with the commander"

"All this is fine Sadashiva, but how do we go about this? Who will be the sacrificial pawn to be used"

"We have the sacrificial pawn in place, Erra Timma Nayaka"

It was Mareppa who till then had been a passive listener. Veerabhadra was taken aback slightly at the mention of Ramalinga Nayaka's half brother.

"Why would he be involved in this plan?"

"Well we could hear from here itself".