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Adilabad Adilabad

Adilabad (Telugu: అదిలాబాదు, is a town and a municipality in Adilabad district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It has a population of 108,233 (agglomeration 2,58,233) (2006 census). It is the headquarters of the district of the same name.

History

Adilabad derives its name from the erstwhile ruler of Bijapur, Adil Shah. During Rashtrakoota regime, this town/village was known as Edlawada which means “land of Oxes” It was created out of a sub-district named Sirpur-Tandur in 1905.

Historically, Adilabad has been home to a variety of cultures. Owing to its position at the border of central and southern India, it has been ruled by North Indian dynasties like the Mughals and the Mauryas and South Indian dynasties like the Satavahanas and the Chalukyas. The current culture of the district incorporates significant elements of the neighboring Marathi culture into the native Telugu culture.

Chittorgarh Andhra Pradesh

Chittorgarh  pronunciation (help·info) (also Chittor, Chittaur, or Chittaurgarh) is an ancient town in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgharh District and a former capital of the Sisodia clans of Rajput and of Mewar.

Fiercely independent, the fort of Chittor was under siege thrice and each time they fought bravely and thrice Jauhar was committed by the ladies and children, first lead by Rani Padmini, and later by Rani Karnavati The ancient inscriptions in the Pali Buddhist character have been discovered in various parts of Rajasthan of the race of Taxak or Tak, relating to the tribe Mori and Parmara are their descendants. Taxak Mori was the lord of Chittor from very early period. [2][3]

The Huna Kingdom of Sialkot (of Mihir Kula 515-540 AD), destroyed by Yashodharman, was subsequently seized by a new dynasty of kshatriyas called Tak or Taxaka. The Taxak Mori as being lords of Chittor from very early period and few generations after the Guhilots supplanted the Moris. From 725 to 735, there were numerous defenders who appear to have considered the cause of Chittor their own the Tak from Asirgarh. This race appears to have retained possession of Asirgarh for at least two centuries after this event as its chieftain was one of the most conspicuous leaders in the array of Prithvi Raj. In the poems of Chandar he is called the “Standard, bearer, Tak of Asir.” [4]

Chittorgarh is the epitome of Rajput (Indian warrior caste) pride, romance and spirit for people of Chittor always chose death before surrendering against anyone. It reverberates with history of heroism and sacrifice that is evident from the tales still sung by the bards of Rajasthan. Though it can now be called a ruined citadel there is much more to this huge fort. It is a symbol of all that was brave, true and noble in the glorious Rajput tradition.

View of the Tower of Victory, 1927

Historically, it is considered that Chittor was built by the Maurya dynasty in the 7th century AD. It was then named Chitrakut after Chitrangada Mori, a Rajput chieftain as inscribed on ancient Mewari coins. The fort is surrounded by a circular wall which has seven huge gates before one can enter inside the main fort area. Some accounts say that the Mori dynasty was in possession of the fort when Bappa Rawal the founder of the kingdom of Mewar seized Chittor garh (Chittor fort) and made it his capital in 734 AD. While some other accounts say Bappa Rawal received it as a part of the dowry after marriage with the last Solanki princess. After that date his descendants ruled Mewar, which stretched from Gujarat to Ajmer, until the 16th century. Chittor was one of the most contested seats of power in India with probably some of the most glorious battles being fought over its possession. It is famous in the annals of the Mewar Dynasty as its first capital (prior to this, the Guhilots, forerunners of the Mewar Dynasty, ruled from Idar, Bhomat, and Nagda), and renowned in India’s long struggle for freedom. By tradition, it remained the Mewar capital for 834 years. With only brief interruptions, the fort has always remained in possession of the Sisodias of the Guhilot (or Gehlot/Guhila) clan of Rajputs, who descended from Bappa Rawal.

The first attack was by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD, who was enamoured by the beauty of Padmini of which he had only heard. Rani Padmini preferred death to abduction and dishonour and committed jauhar (an act of self immolation by leaping into a large fire) along with all the other ladies of the fort[5]. All the men left the fort in saffron robes to fight the enemy unto death. Chittorgarh was captured in 1303 AD by Ala ud din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi who led a huge army. Elderly people then had the responsibility to raise the children. It was recaptured in 1326 by the young Hammir Singh, a scion of the same Gehlot clan. The dynasty (and clan) fathered by him came to be known by the name Sisodia after the village where he was born.

By the 16th century, Mewar had become the leading Rajput state. Rana Sanga of Mewar led the combined Rajput forces against the Mughal emperor Babur in 1527, but was defeated at the Battle of Khanua. Later in 1535 Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat besieged the fort causing immense carnage. It is said that again just like in the case of Jauhar led by Padmini in 1303, all 32,000 men then living in the fort donned the saffron robes of martyrdom and rode out to face certain death in the war, and their women folk committed Jauhar led by Rani Karnawati. The ultimate sacrifice for freedom, Jauhar was again performed for the third time after the Mughal Emperor Akbar captured Chittorgarh in 1568. The capital was moved west to Udaipur, in the foothills of the Aravalli Range, where Rana Udai Singh II (the young heir apparent) had established a residence in 1559. Udaipur remained the capital of Mewar until it acceded unto the union of India in 1947, and Chittorgarh gradually lost its political importance.

Chittorgarh is also famous for its association with two very widely known historical figures of India. The first is, Meera Bai the most famous female Hindu spiritual poetess whose compositions are still popular throughout North India. Her poems follow the Bhakti tradition and she is considered to be most passionate worshipper of lord Krishna. Folklore says that her love for Krishna was epitomized by her final disappearance in the temple of Krishna in Dwarka. She is believed to have entered the sanctum of the temple in a state of singing ecstasy after which the sanctum doors are believed to have closed on their own and when later opened, the sari of Mirabai was seen enwrapped around the idol of Lord Krishna, symbolizing the culmination of her union with her Lord.

Reservoir inside Chittorgarh fort, 2006

The second equally famous person is Maharana Pratap, son of Rana Udai Singh II who is regarded as a personification of the values Rajputs cherish and die for. He took an oath to spend his life living in the jungles and fighting until he could realize his dream of reconquering Chittorgarh from Akbar (and thus reclaiming the glory of Mewar). It was the dream greatly cherished by Maharana Pratap, and he spent all his life to achieve this goal. He underwent hardships and a life of eating breads made of grass while fighting his lifelong battle. Maharana Pratap is the greatest hero in the eyes of the Raputs of Mewar. In the absolute dark era of Rajput history, Maharana Pratap alone stood firmly for his honour and dignity, never compromising his honour for safety. With the reputation of a brave man with great character even among his enemies, he died free in 1597.

Chittorgarh remains replete with historic associations and holds a very special place in the hearts of Rajputs, as it was a bastion of the clan at a time when every other stronghold had succumbed to invasion. It is often called as the “Bhakti aur Shakti ki nagari” (land of devotion and strength). The fort and the city of Chittorgarh also hosts the biggest Rajput festival “Jauhar Mela”. It takes place annually on the anniversary of one of the jauhars, not the one by Padmini which is most famous. This festival is to commemorate the bravery of Rajput ancestors and all three Jauhars which happened at Chittorgarh. A huge number of Rajputs which include the descendants of most of the princely families do a procession to celebrate the Jauhar.

East Godavari Andhra Pradesh

The East Godavari District is located in the North Coastal part of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The District boundaries are Visakhapatnam, West Godavari, Khammam Districts and Bay of Bengal.

The District is known as rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh with lush paddy fields and coconut groves. It is also known as another Kerala. East Godavari, it is the Rice Granary of Andhra Pradesh, beckons tourists to have a glimpse of its rich cultural heritage. Where the lush paddy fields swaying in the breeze appear to dance in a celebration to life.

It is where soulful bhajans and holy shlokas herald the dawn. Where the chirping birds and gurgling streams invite you to the beautiful lakes and wild life sanctuaries. The East Godavari district is having the area of 10,807 Sq Kms with 5 Revenue divisions, 60 Revenue mandals and 1011 Grama panchayats with a population of 48,72,622 as per 2001 provisional census figures. The District Head Quarters, Kakinada is famous for a sweet called Kotaiah’s KAJA.

Guntur Andhra Pradesh

Guntur  pronunciation (help·info) (Telugu: గుంటూరు, Urdu: گنٹور, Hindi: गुंटूर) is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located 40 miles (64 km) to the north of Bay of Bengal. It is approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to the south of the capital, New Delhi. The city has an estimated population of 818,330 (514,707 as per 2001 census) with an Urban Agglomeration of approximately 1,028,667. Guntur is one of the larger (tier-2) cities in the country.

Guntur is a centre of learning and the administrative capital of Guntur district, which is home of historically significant Amaravati, Bhattiprolu and Sitanagaram monuments. The city is also a centre for business, industry, and agriculture. The region is identified as a major transportation and textile hub in India. Additionally, the Guntur area economy has an agricultural component that is internationally known for its exports of chillies, cotton, and tobacco.

The Kingdom of Pratipalapura of 500 BCE (Bhattiprolu in Guntur district), appears to be the earliest known kingdom in south India. The earliest recorded reference of Guntur comes from the Idern plates of Ammaraja I (922-929 CE), the Vengi Chalukyan king. Guntur also appears in two other inscriptions dated 1147 CE and 1158 CE. The original Sanskrit (ancient Vedic culture/tradition) name for Guntur was Garthapuri (a place surrounded by water ponds(’garta’/'gunta’)).

An old temple at Garthapuri

The ‘Agasthyeswara Sivalayam’ in the old city is an ancient temple for Lord Siva   . It has inscriptions on two stones in ‘Naga Lipi’ (an ancient script)    dating back to about 1100 CE. The backyard of the temple hosts a very historic tree   . It is said that Agastya built the temple in the last Treta-Yuga around the Swayambhu Linga and hence it has this name. The ‘Nagals’ were said to have ruled the region at that time. More recently, the region was under the Nizam’s rule (known as jagir of Nawab Salabat Jung till 1788) prior to the colonial period. During colonial rule, Guntur was under the control of the French and then the British, until India’s independence. The region has been historically known for Buddhism and the first Kalachakra ceremony performed by Buddha himself [1][2].

LumbiniVanam

The place of Sitanagaram and the Guthikonda Caves [3] can be traced (through Vedic Puranas) back to the last Treta-Yuga and Dwapara-Yuga (Traditional Time scale: 1.7 to 0.5 million years ago, Ref).

Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad became the capital of the newly formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956. Located 650mts above sea level, the physiography of the city is dominated by hills, tanks, forests and rock formations. The city is strategically located on the Indian map blending the cultures of North and South India, National Highway No.7 and 9 passing through it. It is a city of cosmopolitan character embracing people of different religions, languages and races..

The city has a number of universities, research and training institutions, including defence, police and administrative academies. Besides major industries both in state and central sectors, it is famous for tourist attractions like Charminar, Qutubshahi Tombs, Golconda Fort, Zoological Gardens, etc., Hyderabad was founded in 1591 by Mohd. Quli Qutub Shah after the earlier capital city of Golconda became over crowded. As per 2001 census, the population of Hyderabad Metropolitan Area was about 6.5 million, spread over an area of nearly 1864 sq kms. with decadal growth of 29% and ranking 6th in population among the major metropolitan cities in India.

Khammam Andhra Pradesh

The present name of Khammam is said to have been derived from the name of the temple ‘Narsimhadri’, later ‘Stamba Sikhari’ and then it was termed as ‘Stambadhri’.The vertical rock under the temple is known as ‘KAMBA’. The name of the town Khammam seems to have been derived from the name of this hill of Kamba and the district is named as Khammam.

Khammam town which was the seat of Taluk Administration was part of the larger Warangal District, till 1st October, 1953. Five taluks of the Warangal district viz., Khammam, Madhira, Yellandu, Burgampadu and Paloncha (Now Kothagudem) were carved out and a new district KHAMMAM with Khammam as District Headquarters. In 1959 Bhadrachalam Revenue Division consisting Bhadrachalam and Nuguru Venkatapuram Taluks of East Godawari district, which were on the other side of the river Godawari were merged into Khammam on grounds of geographical contiguity and administrative viability.

In 1973 a new taluk with Sathupalli as headquarters was formed carving out from Madhira and Kothagudem taluks. In the year 1976 four new taluks were formed viz., Tirumalayapalem, Sudimalla, Aswaraopeta and Manuguru by bifurcating Khammam, Yellandu, Kothagudem and Burgampadu taluks respectively. In the year 1985, following the introduction of the Mandal system the district has been divided into 46 mandals, in four Revenue Divisions - Khammam, Kothagudem, Paloncha and Bhadrachalam.

Mahbubnagar Andhra Pradesh

Mahbubnagar or Mehboobnagar محبوب نگر is a city in Mahbubnagar district in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the headquarters of Mahbubnagar District. It is 98 km southwest of the state capital Hyderabad.

The district has a population of 3,513,934 of which 10.57% is urban as of 2001.

As of 2001 India census,[2] Mahbubnagar had a population of 130,849. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mahbubnagar has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 67%. In Mahbubnagar, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Medak Andhra Pradesh

History

Medak, a historic town originally called Siddapur, later it known as Gulshanabad also, reached its pinnacle during the Kakatiya dynasty reign. Medak has a citadel dating back to the Kakatiyas. It was built during the reign of Kakatiya emperor Pratapa Rudra. Strategically built on a hillock, it was called the Methukudurgam (and Methukuseema), from the Telugu word Methuku - meaning cooked rice grain. The main entrance proudly displays the double-headed bird “Gandabherundam” of the Kakatiyas. The Medak fort stands as an epitome of architectural excellence of the Kakatiya dynasty. The water to the fort was served through a pipeline from a well inside the fort. It has three main entrances, the “Prathama Dwaram”, the “Simha Dwaram” or Lions Entrance that has two snarling lions at the top of the entrance and the “Gaja Dwaram” or Elephant’s Entrance that has a sculpture of two elephants interlocked on both sides of the entrance. At the fort one can see a 17th century cannon that is 3.2 meters long. The cannon has a trident etched on it. This fortress uses the natural topography to the maximum advantage with the rocky face offering it natural defenses.

Nalgonda Andhra Pradesh

Palaeolithic Age

During this period, people fashioned tools and weapons by chipping hard stones of convenient size and shape. This feature is testified by the findings of unifacial Palaeolithic implements of the Soan type at Yeleshwaram.

Neolithic Age

Traces of Neolithic culture were found at Chota Yelupu, where sling stones and other objects of interest were unearthed. The existence of Megalithic culture was revealed by the discovery of innumerable burials at various places like Tipparti, Nakrekal, Nalgonda etc.

Mauryas and Satavahanas (230 BCE - 218 BCE)

The political history of the district commences with the Mauryas. Mauryas, during the reign of Asoka the Great held their sway over this region. Later the region came under the overlordship of the Satavahanas who ruled between 230 BCE - 218 BCE. It was during this period the region established trade contacts with the Roman empire.

Nizamabad Andhra Pradesh

Nizamabad  pronunciation (help·info) is a city and a municipal corporation in Nizamabad District in the Telangana region of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the headquarters of the district. It has a population of 366,956 agglomeration (390,325 per 2006 census). Nizamabad is 10th Biggest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh And 2nd Biggest City in Telangana .Nizamabad is one of 36 mandals in the Nizamabad district.

History

Nizamabad was formerly known as Indur and Indrapuri. It was ruled by the king Indra Vallabha Panthya Varsha Indra Som, of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, in the 8th century, and took its name from him. In 1905 the railway line between Secundrabad and Manmad was constructed. The railway station was named after then ruler of the Nizam state Nizam-ul-Mulk as Nizamabad. The railway line connects Hyderabad and Mumbai. It is like North-South corridor. Has the distance of 161 km (100 mi) from Hyderabad and 640 km (400 mi) from Mumbai.

The Nizam Sagar dam was constructed in the year 1923 across the Manjira River at the village of Achampet. It irrigates 250,000 acres (1,000 km2; 390 sq mi) of land in Nizamabad district.

Nizamabad is in the north of Andhra Pradesh in the district of Nizamabad. It has different towns like Bodhan, Armur, Kamareddy and Banswada, In Bhodan town there is Nizam Sugar Factory. In early years it was the biggest in the Asia continent. Bodhan is a town with a mixture of people from many cultural and religious backgrounds. There is a largely visible community of Muslims as well as Christians and other religious communities. Once it was the capital of Nizamabad at the time of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty.

Recently Telangana University was established at Nizamabad, which serves the three districts of Adilabad, Medak and Nizamabad.