Markapur

Markapur
—  city  —
Markapur Location of Markapur in Andhra Pradesh and India
Coordinates	15°44′N 79°17′E / 15.73°N 79.28°E / 15.73; 79.28Coordinates: 15°44′N 79°17′E / 15.73°N 79.28°E / 15.73; 79.28
Country	India
State	Andhra Pradesh
District(s)	Prakasam
Population	63 990 (2007[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 145 metres (476 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 523316 • Telephone • +08596

Markapur is a town and a municipality in Prakasam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the Third largest Town in Prakasam district.

Geography

Markapur is located at 15°44′N 79°17′E / 15.73°N 79.28°E / 15.73; 79.28.^[1] It has an average elevation of 145 metres (475 ft).

Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[2] Markapur had a population of 71,161(As per 2010). Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Markapur has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 62.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 65%. In Markapur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Assembly Constituency

Markapur is an assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh. There are 1,64,265 registered voters in Markapur constituency in 1999 elections. There are 1,85,484 registered voters in Markapuram Assembly Constituency after delimitation. List of Elected Members:^[3]

• 1978 - Poola Subbaiah
• 1983 - V.V.Narayana Reddy
• 1994 - Janke Venkata Reddy
• 1985, 1989, 1999 and 2004 - Kunduru Pedda Konda Reddy (Congress)
• 2009 - Kandula Narayana Reddy (T.D.P)

Business

Situated on the banks of the Gundlakamma(amma amma) river,this bustling town caters to 80% of the country's demand for slates and slate pencils.

The place has abundant resources of slate mines. The city has lot of slate factories giving employment to many workers. The slates manufactured here are exported to many other states and throughout the world. Designer Slates (which are used for walls) are also manufactured here and these are directly exported mainly to Australia, Singapore and various 5 other countries in the world.

Educational Instituions

Professional Colleges

1. DR SGIET established in 1997
2. Krishna Chaithanya Institute of Engineering and Technology 2008
3. Indira Institute of Engineering and Technology 2009
4. A1 global Engineering College 2009
5. Kamala college Pharmacy and Management 2010

Intermediate and Degree Colleges

1. Sadhana college
2. Jagruti College
3. Ideal college
4. George College etc.
5. SVKP degree college is the oldest college may be established in 1960s
6. Bhavana college
7. Gowtam College

Schools (20 schools in 2003, now is about 30 schools definitely)

1. Viswasanthi High school
2. St'Anns English Medium School
3. Sri Vivekananda Vidya Peetham
4. Vikas vidya Niketan
5. Loyola public school
6. Prashanti Public School
7. ZPP High School (BOYS) is the biggest and prestigious institution in prakasam District having GOVT recognition in 1924
8. Z.P.P.H Girls school
9. Pragathi public school
10. Sri Vijaya Aided U.P. School & Sri Vijaya Girls High School
11. Sri Sai Balaji Model School
12. Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre
13. G M R Concept School
14. ABM High School
15. Kamala techno school
16. Bhasyam public school
17. Sri chaitanya techno schools
18. Sri Sai Chaitanya High School
19. Nirmala grammar school
20. Ravindra Bharathi Concept School

Note: There are about 35-40 schools in which above mentioned are known to most people, where as other schools are not much popular.

Transportation

Bus :

Markapur is Located on the Vinukonda - Nadayal State Highway. town has APSRTC bus station located opposite ABM High School. There are frequent buses to district head quarters Ongole. People who wants to visit Srisailam (Famous Shiva Temple-One of the Jyothirlingam) from long distance can get down at Markapur railway station and reach Srisailam by bus from this town. The bus frequency to Hyderabad is also great.

Access the below link to get schedule of the buses From and To Markapur round the clock

Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation

Trains :

Railway station ( Markapur Road ) is situated 4 km away from town. It is a part of the Guntur division of South Central Railway. There will be bus shuttles between town to railway station as per the train timings and number of share autos round the clock. The railway line from Vijayawada to Guntakal passes through this station.

1.Puri-Bangalore GaribRath Superfast express
2.Howrah-SatyasaiPrasanthiNilayam(SSPN) SF express
3.Howrah-VascoDaGama Amaravathi Express
4.Vijayawada-Hubli Amaravathi Express
5.Prasanthi Express
6.Machelipatnam Express
7.Guntur-Guntakal Passenger
8.Yesvantpur-Vijayawada-YPR Passenger
9.Vijayawada-Hubli-Vija Passenger
10.Markapur-Guntur passenger
11.Tenali-Markapur passenger

Access the below link to get schedule of the above trains and Reservations.

IRCTC Online Passenger Reservation System

These are the main trains that pass through Markapur station as of my knowledge.

Entertainment

The city is having 7 cinema theaters
1.Sreenivasa
2.RadhaKrishna
3.Vishweswara
4.Vijaya
5.Jagadeeswari (formerly CNT Hall, turned to Satyanarayana )
6.Sai Balaji
7.Sarala (Near Rly station)
8.Posani Venkata ramana theatre(bus stand back side)

Temples

Sri Lakshmi Chenna Kesava Swamy Temple

Exterior

Interior

This temple is the main attraction for tourists visiting this town. The temple galigopuram is very tall and can be seen 5 km away from the town.The unique feature of the temple is that every year, from 23 December to 3 January, the sun's rays at dawn enter the sanctum sanctorum, through specially placed windows, and fall at the feet of the deity making them glow for 20 minutes in a day.

The galigopuram was constructed in such a manner that the sunrays would pass through three holes in the Garudalwar mandir between 6.40 a.m. and 7 a.m. every day for 12 days from December 23. The rays falling at the centre of the Garudalwar mandir would reflect on the idols in the sanctum sanctorum making them glow with golden hues. An incredible architectural feat that speaks volumes of the expertise of the artisans of the sri krishna devaraya period. According to the legend, the Lord killed a demon by name Kesi, so he became known as Kesava here. As the Lord was strikingly beautiful and accompanied by his consort Lakshmi,he was worshipped here as Lakshmi Chenna Kesava Swamy.

The temple, constructed in 1425 and known for its legends as well as archaeological marvels, has tremendous potential for development as a pilgrim and tourist centre. Apart from magnificently sculptured gopurams, the temple has a beautiful 40-pillared mandapam with carvings of Krishna, Anjaneya, Garuda, Lakshmi & Vigneshwara with their respective vahanas. In the Kalyana Mandapam there are 6 musical pillars that produce the 7 musical notes when tapped.The half constructed Galigopuram was completed in the stewardship of late Y.Lingaraju the then Revenue Sirasthadar.

Every year during the month of March and April, there will be a mela for more than 10 days, at that time it is assumed that at least 100,000 people visit the temple. There is a big teru(Car) where they take the utsav statue of the god during this ceremony. Recently they have demolished the old Car and constructed a new car.

Other temples
Apart from Lakshmi Chenna Kesava Temple, there are some other famous temples in Markapur.

1. Ammavarisala (Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Temple)
2. Ayyappa Swamy Temple
3. Shiva Temple
4. Saibaba Swamy Temple
5. Ramulavari temple, Gandhi bazzar
6. Venkateswara swamy temple near gundlakamma river (on the way to "Vemulakota")(1 km away from markapur)
7. Sri Nrisimha Swamy temple - on a hill (on the way to "Kondepally")(2–3 km away from Markapur)
8. Saibaba satsangam temple near SVKP college
9. Poleramma Temple (on the way to "Tarlupadu")(3–4 km away from markapur)
10. Sri bagta anjayanya swamy (L.B.S nagar)
11. Satyanarayanaswamy temple near market
12. Bangaramma Talli Temple (near Chenna Kesava Swamy temple)

Some other great temples which are not famous in Markapur.

1. Pothuluri Veerabrahmedra Swamy Temple near srinivasa theatre
2. Raghavendra Swamy Temple near market
3. Dattatreya Swamy Temple, market road
4. Hanuman Temple
5. Venkachamma Temple, jawaharnagar colony

Nearest historical places

Cumbum Tank is the historical irrigation tank formed by damming the Gundlakamma river by earthen bund, which is the highest in the Presidency (80 ft), with 100 yards length. The tank spread over an area of 9 square miles (23 km²), and irrigates 6,944 acres (28.10 km²) with over 3,500 acres (14 km²) is second cropped in a good year. A more successful work is the Cumbum tank, formed under native rule by damming a gorge of the Gundlakamma river. Cumbum tank is accessible both by rail and road 27 km distance from Markapur. The main source of water for Markapur tank flows down from Cumbum Tank.

One can easily spend two days in this town, as there are lots of places to see.

References

1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Markapur
2. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
3. ^ Election Commission of India.APAssembly results.1978-2004

there is another temple name is velugonda swami temple way of Ongole.

External links

• Markapur Google Map