Kurnool district

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
type = district
native_name = Kurnool
hq = Kurnool
area_total =
latd = 15.83
longd = 78.05
locator_position = left
state_name = Andhra Pradesh
altitude =
abbreviation =
collector =
population_total =
population_as_of =
population_density =
website =
footnotes =

Kurnool District ( _te. 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. [ [http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/India_WhizMap/IndiaMap.htm Census GIS India ] ]

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 on which the town now stands as a halting place before crossing the Tungabhadra, and greased their cart wheels with oil locally supplied by some of the 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 from Kurnool and end in Cuddapah and 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,(Kanyakumar 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 1st Oct.1953 to Oct.31st 1956. As such it has some historical buidligns.

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:
#Damodaram Sanjeevaiah (1st dalit Chief Minister of India and A.P),
#Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy
#10th Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha rao was elected as member of parliament from Nandyal constituency with over 6 lakh (100,000) majority, a world record.

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.

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:
#Kodumur
#Nandikotkur
#Pagidyala
#Kothapalli
#Amulapadu
#Atmakur
#Velgodu
#Jupadu Bunglow
#Miduthur
#Bandi Atmakur
#Gadivemula
#Nandyal
#Mahanandi
#Panyam
#Banaganapalle
#Owk
#Koilkuntla
#Rudravaram
#Chagalamarri
#Yemmiganuru
#Adoni
#Devanakonda
#Pathhikonda Mandals.

Transportation

The district is connected by highways and railways.

Prime attractions of Kurnool

Kurnool is a simple towm with some interessting places to visit. 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, consntructed by Sri Krishnadevararay between 1525 and 1527. 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'.

Famous Temples in Kurnool district

* Mantralayam - Raghavendra Swamy Temple. [ [http://www.srsmutt.org Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt] ]
* Ahobilam - Narasimhaswamy Temple. [ [http://www.ahobilamutt.org Ahobila Mutt] ]
* 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. [ [http://srigospadupeddammathalli.org Sri Gospadu Peddamma Thalli Temple] ]
* Pothaluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy Matham/Brahmamgari Matham, Banaganapalli.
* Kolanu Bharaathi, Kothapalli, Athmakur.
* Ranamandala Hanumantha, Adoni
* Gadelingappa Samadhi, Gulyam, Halaharvi mandalam.
* Peravali Sri Ranganatha swamy Temple

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. [ [http://panchayat.gov.in/adminreps/viewpansumR.asp?selstate=0213000000&ptype=B&button1=Submit Details of Andhra Pradesh till Intermediate Panchayat Tier] ]
# Adoni
# Allagadda
# Alur
# Aspari
# Atmakur
# Banaganapalle
# Bandi Atmakur
# Bethamcherla
# C.Belagl
# Chagalamarri
# Chippagiri
# Devanakonda
# Dhone alias Dronachalam
# Dornipadu
# Gadi Vemula
# Gonegandla
# Gospadu
# Gudur
# Halaharvi
# Holagunda
# Jupadu Bungalow
# Kallur
# Kodumuru
# Koilkuntla
# Kolimigundla
# Kosigi
# Kothapalle
# Kowthalam
# Krishnagiri
# Kurnool
# Maddikera (East)
# Mahanandi
# Mantralayam
# Miduthur
# Nandavaram
# Nandikotkur
# Nandyal
# Orvakal
# Owk
# Pagidyala
# Pamulapadu
# Panyam
# Pattikonda
# Peapally
# Pedda Kadubur
# Rudravaram
# Sanjamala
# Sirvel
# Srisailam
# Tuggali
# Uyyalawada
# Veldurthi
# Velgodu
# Yemmiganur.

NGOs, Cultural, Literary Organisations & Pressure Groups

# The Kurnool District Chamber Of Commerce and Industries.
# The Kurnool Hotels Association.
# Sahiti Sadassu.
# Rayalaseema Hakkula Vedika.
# Gadicharla Foundation.
# Telugu Bhasha Vikasa Udhyamam.
# Abhaya Hastam. Kurnool Brahmana Sangham. A.P.N.G.O.s Associatioon. Kurnool Zilla Archaka Purohithula Sangham. Professsional Bodies. District Bar Associagtion Arya Vysya Officials and Professionals Association. Brahmina Officials and Professionals Association.

References

External links

* [http://kurnool.ap.nic.in/ Official Website]
* [http://www.kurnool.in/ Kurnool Website]