Siddhavatam (also spelt Siddavatam, and known historically as Sidhout) is a village on the left bank of the Penna, or Pennar, river in Kadapa district, about 25 km from Kadapa on the road to Badvel. At an elevation of roughly 111 metres, it is flat, dry country, and the river is the most obvious feature of the landscape.
The village is known for its fort, built in 1303 CE and covering about 30 acres, with seventeen square bastions still visible and several old temples inside the walls. The Archaeological Survey of India took the fort over in 1956. The settlement was briefly the headquarters of the district between 1807 and 1812, before recurring floods led the administration to move to Kadapa.
Siddhavatam is a place for a half-day visit rather than a long stay. Few visitor facilities are published, so most travellers base themselves in Kadapa, take a car out for the fort and the river, and add Vontimitta's Kodandarama temple or, with permission, the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary.
Go in the cooler months, take water, and expect an uncrowded, local atmosphere rather than a polished tourist site.
Before you plan
Siddhavatam at a glance
- Best months
- November to FebruaryNovember to February; April and May are very hot, and heavy rain from August to October can flood the Pennar
- Ideal trip length
- Half a day for the fortHalf a day for the fort; a full day if you add Vontimitta
- Airport
- Kadapa AirportKadapa Airport, about 12 km from Kadapa city, with IndiGo flights to cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad; check current schedules
- Railway station
- Kadapa railway station is the…Kadapa railway station is the practical railhead, about 25 km from Siddhavatam by road
- Getting around
- Hire a car or taxi from KadapaHire a car or taxi from Kadapa; there is no tourist transport on the spot, and the village itself is compact
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹1,500 to ₹3,500 per person…Roughly ₹1,500 to ₹3,500 per person per day for a hired car share, food and incidentals, excluding the room
- Senior comfort
- Moderate: the fort is largely flat…Moderate: the fort is largely flat but uneven, exposed to sun and has few published facilities
- Language
- TeluguTelugu, with Urdu and some English understood in Kadapa
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Siddhavatam: January, November, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Siddhavatam itinerary
One good day
1 day in Siddhavatam
Leave Kadapa early and reach the fort by morning, before the heat. Walk the ramparts and gateways, visit the temples inside, then look at the Pennar from the riverbank. Return to Kadapa for lunch and rest. In the afternoon, add Vontimitta's Kodandarama temple if energy allows.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Siddhavatam
Spend the morning at the fort and temples, with an unhurried look at the bastions and gateways, then rest in Kadapa through the afternoon heat.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Siddhavatam
A relaxed morning at the fort and the river, with a rest after lunch.
Day-by-day plan →
