Kurnool district

Kurnool district Kurnool
district

Kurnool District (Telugu: కర్నూలు జిల్లా) is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, located in the west-central part of the state on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. The town of Kurnool is currently the headquarters of the district. It had a population of 3,529,494 of which 23.16% were urban as of 2001.

Historical significance of Kurnool

In 12th century AD, the Odders, who carted stones for the construction of the temple at Alampur, Mahaboobnagar District, on the left bank of the River Thungabhadra, used the site where the town now stands as a stopping place before crossing the Tungabhadra. They greased their cart wheels with oil supplied by local oil merchants and called the place 'Kandanavolu' which in course of time came to be known as Kurnool.

Of historical interest are the ruins of a royal fort dating back to the medieval kingdom of Vijayanagar, which flourished from the 14th to the 16th century. Several Persian and Arabic inscriptions which throw light on various aspects of historical interests are found here.

In Kurnool there are 52 dargahs (shrines) located around the Thungabhadra and Hundari rivers. A very famous and lengthy K.C. Canal starts in Kurnool and ends in Cuddapah. It is around 300 kilometers long. In Kurnool city there are a number of ancient temples, churches and mosques. Kurnool city, known as the gateway to the Rayalaseema, on N.H.7 (Kanyakumari to Varanasi) on the banks of the Rivers Thungabhadra and the Hundri was the capital of the first linguistic state in free India, Andhra State from 1 Oct. 1953 to 31 Oct. 1956. As such it has some historical buildings.

Kurnool has freedom fighters like Vuyyalawada Narsimha Reddy, Gadicharla Harisarvothama Rao. Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha (ZGS ) and the District Central Libray (DCL), Kurnool, building near the old Bus stand is named 'GADICHARLA HARISARVOTHAMA RAO SMARAKA BHAVANAMU". It is the second district, apart from Nellore (Bejawada Gopal Reddy 'Andhra state' & Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy), which has contributed two Chief Ministers to Andhra Pradesh:

1. Damodaram Sanjeevaiah (1st dalit Chief Minister of India and A.P),
2. Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy
3. 10th Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha rao was elected as member of parliament from Nandyal constituency with over 6 lakh (600,000) majority, a world record.

Physiography

The Nallamalas and Erramalas mountain ranges in the district run parallel from the North to South. The ranges divide the district into two tracts crossed by the Krishna and Pennar rivers. The North Pagidyala mandal is about 1000 above sea level. From this height the ground slopes to the South along the river Kundu until it traverses into the Pennar valley. Major part of its tract is black soil. Between the Erramalas and Nallamalas lies the Eastern part of the district comprising of:

1. Kodumur
2. Nandikotkur
3. Pagidyala
4. Kothapalli
5. Amulapadu
6. Atmakur
7. Velgodu
8. Jupadu Bungalow
9. Miduthur
10. Bandi Atmakur
11. Gadivemula
12. Nandyal
13. Mahanandi
14. Panyam
15. Banaganapalle
16. Owk
17. Koilkuntla
18. Rudravaram
19. Chagalamarri
20. Yemmiganuru
21. Adoni
22. Devanakonda
23. Pathhikonda

Mandals.

Politics

Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (Ananthapur District) was elected from the Dhone assembly constituency in 1962 general elections and became the Chief Minister of AP. Again in 1977 general elections to the Lok Sabha, he won from the Nandyal Parliamentary constituency and became the speaker of the Lok Sabha. However he resigned and became the 6th President of the Republic of India.

Transportation

The district is connected by highways and railways.

Prime attractions of Kurnool

Kurnool is a simple town with some interesting places to visit.

• The ruins of a royal fort dating back to the medieval kingdom of Vijayanagar, which flourished from the 14th to the 16th century. Several Persian and Arabic inscriptions which throw light on various aspects of historical interests are found here.

• The Kondareddy Buruz protected under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act. The Tomb of Abdul Wahab on the bank of Hindri, Built in AD 1618. The remains of the palace of Gopal Raju, the last Hindu rulers of Kurnool.

• Summer Palace of the Rulers of Kurnool, the Flood Protection Wall along the River Thungabhadra, forming the nucleus of the Fort Wall, constructed by Sri Krishna Devaraya between 1525 and 1527.

Temples

Few important temples are 'Nagareswarasawami', 'Peta Anjaneyaswami', 'Venugoplaswami', 'Iswaraswami', 'Saibaba', three Sri Venkateswara Swamy temples at Sankalbaugh(Narasimharaopet), Krishna Nagar and Venkataramana Colony and 'Birla Mandir' or 'Satyanarayaswami'"new shirdi saibaba temple" at new postal colony( balaji nagar )

Famous Temples in Kurnool district

• Mantralayam - Raghavendra Swamy Temple.
• Ahobilam - Narasimhaswamy Temple.
• Srisailam - Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple
• Mahanandi-Lord Mahanandeeswara
• Yaganti-Lord Siva Temple
• Adoni - Mahayogi Lakshmamma Avva Temple
• Belum Caves - Under ground caves extending to SriSailam.
• Urukunda Eranna - Kouthalam Mandalam, Adoni.
• Maddilety Swamy, Rangapuram, Behtamcheral
• Choudeswari Ammavaru/ Devi. Nandavaram, Banaganapalli.
• Peddamma Ammavaru.Tangutur,Banaganapalli.
• Sri Gospadu Peddamma Thalli Temple, Gospadu, Nandyal.
• Pothaluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy Matham/Brahmamgari Matham, Banaganapalli.
• Kolanu Bharaathi, Kothapalli, Athmakur.
• Ranamandala Hanumantha, Adoni
• Gadelingappa Samadhi, Gulyam, Halaharvi mandalam.
• Peravali Sri Ranganatha swamy Temple
• Ayyappa swamy temple near kC canal, central plaza back
• Sri dattasai baba temple nandikotkur road, saraswathi nagar,near checkpost
• sri rangayya tata & kadhar linganna darga at kowtalam
• Sri Koulutla Chenna Kesava Temple in Reservered Forest of Kappatrala

Composition

Kurnool District comprises 3 Revenue Divisions, 54 Revenue Mandals, 53 Mandal Parishads, One Municipal Corporation, 3 Municipalities, 899 Gram Panchayats (Notified – 7, Non notified – 862 ), 920 Revenue Villages and 615 Hamlet Villages.

Mandals

There are 3 revenue divisions and 54 mandals in Kurnool District. The revenue divisions are Adoni, Nandyal and Kurnool.

1. Adoni
2. Allagadda
3. Alur
4. Aspari
5. Atmakur
6. Banaganapalle
7. Bandi Atmakur
8. Bethamcherla
9. C.Belagl
10. Chagalamarri
11. Chippagiri
12. Devanakonda
13. Dhone alias Dronachalam
14. Dornipadu
15. Gadi Vemula
16. Gonegandla
17. Gospadu
18. Gudur
19. Halaharvi
20. Holagunda
21. Jupadu Bungalow
22. Kallur
23. Kodumuru
24. Koilkuntla
25. Kolimigundla
26. Kosigi
27. Kothapalle
28. Kowthalam
29. Krishnagiri
30. Kurnool
31. Maddikera (East)
32. Mahanandi
33. Mantralayam
34. Miduthur
35. Nandavaram
36. Nandikotkur
37. Nandyal
38. Orvakal
39. Owk
40. Pagidyala
41. Pamulapadu
42. Panyam
43. Pattikonda
44. Peapally
45. Pedda Kadubur
46. Rudravaram
47. Sanjamala
48. Sirvel
49. Srisailam
50. Tuggali
51. Uyyalawada
52. Veldurthi
53. Velgodu
54. Yemmiganur.

NGOs, Cultural, Literary Organisations & Pressure Groups

1. Sneha Samithi
2. The Kurnool District Chamber Of Commerce and Industries.
3. The Kurnool Hotels Association.
4. Sahiti Sadassu.
5. Rayalaseema Hakkula Vedika.
6. Gadicharla Foundation.
7. Telugu Bhasha Vikasa Udhyamam.
8. Abhaya Hastam.

 Kurnool Brahmana Sangham.
 A.P.N.G.O.s Associatioon.
 Kurnool Zilla Archaka Purohithula Sangham.

Action for Poor Relief Organisation

Professsional Bodies.
  District Bar Associagtion
  Arya Vysya Officials and Professionals Association.
  Brahmina Officials and Professionals Association.

Jana Vikas Soceity, 45-24-G13, Ashok nagar, Kurnool -518 005

External links

• Official Website
• Kurnool Website