The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Exploring a slice of history

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Monday, Aug 23, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Exploring a slice of history

Staff Reporter

GUNTUR: An enthusiastic bunch of nature lovers, students and team members of the Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI) set out to explore a slice of ancient history as they trekked the range of hills encompassing the Kondaveedu Fort on Sunday.

The group was led by K. Rajasekhar, convener of YHAI, Guntur district, and K. Subhash Chandra Bose and comprised of some experienced trekkers like Ramadas and Rampal, who had taken part in the Himalayan trekking expeditions organised by the YHAI. Kondaveedu Fort Development Committee convener K. Siva Reddy accompanied the group and a local guide Guravaiah was roped in to aid the group. The Sun was already blazing as the group, comprising some 25 persons, set out from Guntur. The route beginning with Puttakota village on the western direction path incidentally had been identified for laying the ghat road by the Roads and Buildings Department at a cost of Rs.30 crores. The boys and men appeared geared up for the trek. Dressed in T-shirts and sporting tracks. The youngest in the group was J. Pavan Kumar aged 8 years, while the oldest was K.G.K Murthy (59). But it hardly mattered as they trekked exploring the fort.

Eco concerns

The sight of a few remnants of the magnificent fort, once the formidable citadel of the Reddy kings, from the foot hills was stirring. The shill whistle brought the group together as Mr. Rajasekhar explained the motive behind the trek asking the team members not to throw plastic around and instead collect pieces of polythene covers in their bags. The trek began from the Puttakota, eastern side of the fort. The mud path was manoeuvred without much difficulty. The path covered several historic remnants like ‘Brahmanaidu buruzu', Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, ‘Nemali buruzu', water tanks.

While descending towards the western direction, the group touched ‘bunga bavi', ‘ranigari kolanu'. “The trek was memorable. While we had come here in the past, trekking as part of YHAI group is exciting and a learning experience as we learn to work with discipline, sportive spirit and compassion towards nature,” said S. Mithra and Pani, siblings and engineering graduates. “We want to popularise YHAI expeditions by taking out a trekking programme every month,” says Mr. Rajasekhar.

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