Gadwal Samsthanam
Gadwal Samsthanam was a vassal of the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was once part of Raichur district (though it is now Gadwal in Mahabubnagar_district). It was one of the three important samsthanams, the other two being Wanaparthy Samsthanam and Jatprole Samsthanam. The Samsthanam has a fort called as Gadwal Fort or Nalla somanadri fort.
The Feudatory
It was once ruled by a feudal lord, Somashekar Ananda Reddy, fondly called Somanadri hails from Poodoor village. Gadwal has developed around a fort built by the Gadwal ruler Somanadri. This Gadwal Samsthanam was protected by Mallichetti vamshiyulu. The Nagi Reddy we fondly know Nagappa was an Ayngarashakulu of Gadwal samsthanam (Raja somanadri was a minor). He died in a war with fanatic sultans. Then Narsappa succeeded his father Nagappa as Gadwal Samsthanam Ayngarashakulu, but unfortunately for some reason he had to leave the palace.[1]
Asthana Purohit
The last known feudal lord in Gadwal Samsthanam was Maharani Adhilaxmi Devamma who lived in the hereditary fort appointed S.P. Anada murthy who was in time in-charge of the Agraharam with Ramachandra swamy temple in Gadwal along with the lands in and around it. When the Maharani Adhilaxmi Devamma moved to Hyderabad with her children, S.P.Anandamurthy had appointed S.P. Narashima murthy as the Asthan Purohit to move along with the Asthanam to Hyderabad to perform the Daily rituals at the Palace. S.P. Narashima murthy along with his wife S.P. Subbamma and the adopted child (S.P.Subrahmanyam) moved to Hyderabad
Popular culture
The Samsthanam was the main feature in a hit 2009 Telugu movie, Arundhati.
Gallery
Chennakeshava swamy temple in Gadwal Fort
Maharani Adhilaxmi Devamma
Chenna Keshava Temple
