Here’s Tollywood connection of Telangana’s Domakonda Fort that received UNESCO Award

Domakonda Fort, an ancient fort built in the 18th century in Telangana, has received a United Nations recognition. The fort, located in the centre of Domakonda mandal in Kamareddy district, has been conferred the UNESCO Asia – Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation – Award of Merit for 2022. UNESCO chose 13 projects from 6 different countries out of the 287 submissions they received this year.

The Domakonda Fort is a private initiative that has effectively restored cultural space for the community, according to the UNESCO representatives at the award ceremony. The project has garnered praise for fostering a sense of community pride. Along with Domakonda Fort, Metlabavi in Qutubshahi Tombs Complex in Hyderabad has been selected for the UNESCO Award.

Additionally, the Domakonda fort has a Tollywood connection. The project is a private initiative undertaken by Anil Kamineni, one of the descendants of the erstwhile Domakonda Samasthan clan who built the fort. Anil Kameneni’s daughter Upasana Kamineni is married into Tollywood’s famous Konidela family.

Upasana is married to megastar Chiranjeevi’s son Ram Charan. Ram Charan and his wife Upasana have visited the Domakonda Fort along with Chiranjeevi multiple times and it is almost like a second home to them. Ever since news of Domakonda fort’s UNESCO award broke, photos of the Konidela family in the fort have gone viral on the internet. When Chiranjeevi was the Union Minister, the fort was restored as a tourist spot. This year, the megastar also celebrated his birthday in Domakonda Fort in the presence of his family members.

The fort is spread over an area of about 39 acres and houses a 400 year old Shiva temple, considered to be one of the oldest in the country.