AKKANA & MADANNA, Vijayawada (Tunnel of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified -cave- entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) is said to give access to a fabulous tunnel leading from the Telegraph Hill (note 1) above the town of Vijayawada to the court of the Mughal emperor at Hyderabad (note 2). CULTURAL HISTORY - fabulous tunnel: In the seventeenth century Akanna and Madanna, ministers of Abul Hasan, the last of the Kutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda [note 3], fixed their headquarters at Bezwada [renamed Vijayawada] … There is a popular legend to the effect that from the Telegraph Hill above the town a subterranean passage led to Hyderabad, by which the ministers could perform the journey to court and back in a single day (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 8: 19). CULTURAL HISTORY - fabulous cave: Without identifying their source of inspiration, JUBERTHIE et al. (2001: 1785) reveal that the apparently two distinct -caves- or grottes d'Akanna et de Mandanna [sic! qua: Madanna] (note4) have been reported from an unidentified hill in an unspecified spatial relation près (near) the town of Vijayawada (note 5).4) have been reported from an unidentified hill in an unspecified spatial relation près (near) the town of Vijayawada (note 5).