Historic Khammam Fort, Zafar stepwell to get facelift
The renovation work is being executed in coordination with the Archaeology department and Hyderabad-based The Rainwater Project
Khammam: The Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) has embarked on a project to give a facelift to the historic Khammam Fort built by the Kakatiya rulers in 950 AD and to develop it as a pleasant tourist spot.
As part of that, works to restore the Zafar well, a stepwell used for rainwater harvesting in the fort, have also been taken up. Once a source of drinking water, the well turned into a dumping ground as the locals dumped garbage in it.
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According to Department of Archaeology Additional Director G Mallu Naik, the well existed at the fort since the time of the Kakatiyas. But it during the period of the Asaf Jahis that a taluqdar, Zafar-ud-doula (1716-1803), renovated the well, after which it was called Zafar Bowli (well).
It is a 60 feet x 30 feet stepwell with a bridge across it for men and horses to move around. Speaking to Telangana Today, Municipal Commissioner Adarsh Surabhi said the corporation was spending Rs 10 lakh to renovate the well.
Works like removing garbage, weeds, desilting and pumping out dirty water were going on. The renovation work was being executed in coordination with the Archaeology department and Hyderabad-based The Rainwater Project, which renovated the Bansilalpet stepwell in Hyderabad, he said.
District Collector VP Gautham and Municipal Commissioner Adarsh Surabhi inspecting Zafar well restoration work in Khammam fort.
District Collector VP Gautham, Municipal Commissioner Surabhi, The Rainwater Project founder and CEO Kalpana Ramesh, Archaeology additional directors Mallu Naik and Narsing Naik recently inspected the stepwell.
A meeting was held to discuss the measures to be taken to protect and beautify the fort without any damage to the historical structure. The Collector suggested chemical treatment of the stepwell, steps to prevent drain water flowing into the well and setting up lighting.
The fort is located in an area of 4 square kilometres in the heart of the city of Khammam on top of a massive granite hill. It has a capacity of mounting at least 60 cannons at a time. Asaf Jahis renovated the fort with help of French engineers.
According to historians, the fort served as a citadel for Kakatiyas, Qutb Shahis and Asaf Jahis. The fort fell into the hands of Emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya during 1515 A.D. Musunuri nayaks and Velama kings were also involved in the construction of the fort.
