Erstwhile Warangal district consisted of many
prehistoric habitation sites, which were explored by the Indian archaeological authorities.
Paleolithic Rock art paintings are found at
Pandavula Gutta. Padmakshi Gutta, a Jain temple dedicated to
Padmavati located on a hilltop in the heart of the town of
Hanamkonda, was originally constructed during the Kakatiya era. The temple has sculptures of Jain
tirthankaras and other Jain gods and goddesses. The
Kadalalaya basadi or
Padmakshi Temple is built on a large rocky outcrop. The
Kakatiyas left many monuments, including impressive fortress, four massive stone gateways, the Swayambhu temple dedicated to
Shiva, and the Ramappa temple situated near Ramappa Lake. Prominent rulers included Ganapathi Deva, Prathapa Rudra, and
Rudrama Devi. After the defeat of Pratapa Rudra, the
Musunuri Nayaks united 72 Nayak chieftains and captured Warangal from
Delhi sultanate and ruled for fifty years. Jealousy and mutual rivalry between Nayaks ultimately led to the downfall of
Hindus in 1370 and the rise of the
Bahmani Sultanate. The Bahmani Sultanate later broke up into several
smaller sultanates, of which the
Golconda sultanate ruled Warangal. The
Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb conquered Golconda in 1687, and it remained part of the Mughal empire until the southern provinces of the empire split away to become the state of
Hyderabad in 1724 which included the
Telangana region and some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Hyderabad became an
Indian state in 1948. In 1956 Hyderabad was partitioned as part of the
States Reorganisation Act, and Telangana, the
Telugu-speaking region of Hyderabad state which includes Warangal, became part of Andhra Pradesh. After the bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh, the district became a part of the new state of Telangana.
Formation of district During the rule of
Nizam of Hyderabad,
State of Hyderabad was divided into many small Circars. Warangal became a Circar in the early 1800s. In 1866 Circars was Abolished and merged to create districts, Warangal district was created by merging Warungal, Khummettu and part of Bhonagheer circars. Jangaon area from Bhongir Circar was transferred to warangal and kamalpur area of warangal transferred to Karimnagra district. In 1905 when Princely state of Hyderabad sub divided into Four Division namely 1.Aurangabad Division, 2.Gulbarga Division, 3.Gulshanabad Division, 4.
Warangal Division. During formation divisions again districts were delimited in 1905 Jangaon(Cherial) Taluka and Kodar(Kodad) Sub Taluka transferred to Nalgonda District from Warangal district. In 1905 AD, Warangal district was formed with Warangal, Pakala, Khammam, Yellandu, Mahabubabad, Madhira, Palvancha taluks and some area of old palvancha sanstan and some jagirs. This was bigger than many districts of Hyderabad state. Warangal district was divided to facilitate administrative control and on October 1, 1953, the Khmman district was formed. Khammam, Yellandu, Madhira, Burugunpahad and Palavancha talukas have been made part of it. Warangal, Mulugu, Mahaboobabad, Pakala remained in Warangal district. But Parkaala from Karimnagar and Jangaon from Nalgonda have become part of Warangal district. District uses to consist of 6 talukas and 2 revenue divisions which later increased to 15 talukas in 1979. In 1985 when N. T. Rama Rao introduces mandal system in warangal district was divided in to 50 mandals, but again warangal mandal was curved out from Hanamkonda madal consisting only urban area of warangal which increased to total 51 mandals and revenue divisions increased to 5 in warangal district. After formation of Telangana and as part of creation of new districts, initially Warangal Rural district was curved out from old Warangal district which split into 5 new districts they are Warangal urban, Warangal rural, Jangaon, Jayashanker and Mahabubabad in October 2016 along with other total new 33 districts. However, on the demand of the public, the Warangal Rural and Warangal Urban districts were reorganised as Warangal district and Hanumakonda district with 13 and 14 mandals respectively vide GO.Ms.No. (Revenue (DA) Dept. on 12 August 2021. == Geography ==