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Anantapur lies in the westernmost part of
the state, representing true blend of history and modernity on one side
and pilgrimage and forts on the other. Anantapur, the largest district in
the state, spreads over 19,130-sq-kms. It is bounded on north by
Kurnool, on the east by
Cuddapah and
Chittoor and on the south and
west by the Karnataka
State.
The
whole district is known for its silk trade in the modern industry.
Lepakshi temple is
the famous tourist attraction of this district.
Displaying Some Shades Of History
Anantapur offers some vivid glimpses of the prehistoric past. It is
generally held that the place got its name from 'Anaatasagaram' a big
tank, which means "Endless Ocean". The villages of Anantasagaram
and Bukkarayasamudram were constructed by Chilkkavodeya, the minister of
Bukka-I, a Vijayanagar ruler. Some authorities assert that Anantasagaram
was named after Bukka's queen, while some contend that it must have been
known after Anantarasa Chikkavodeya himself, as Bukka had no queen by that
name.
The Anantasagaram Tank
Anantasagaram Tank, which is one of the biggest in the district with a
cut of 2,511 acres, half of which lies within Anantapur limits and rest
within that of Bukkarayasamudram. A part of the tank bund, called
'Musalammakatta' is believed to have been so named after one Musalamma of
Bukkarayasamudram who sacrificed herself to close the breach in the bund.
Anantapur is familiarly known as "Hande Anantapuram" after the
'Hande' chiefs of the Vijayanagar period. Anantapur and a few other places
were gifted by the Vijayanagar rulers to Hanumappa Naidu of the Hande
family in return for his help.
The place subsequently came under the Qutub Shahis, Mughals, and the
Nawabs of Cuddapah, although the
Hande chiefs continued to rule as their subordinates. It was occupied by
the Palergar of Bellary during the time of
Ramappa but
was eventually won back by his son, Siddappa. Morari Rao Ghorpade attacked
Anantapur in 1757. Though the army resisted for some time but ultimately
bought off the enemy for Rs.50,000.
It then came into the possession of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Tipu
hanged all the male members of the Siddappa family except Siddappa who
escaped from his confinement at Srirangapatnam. After Tipu's death, it was
once again taken back by Siddappa. Siddappa submitted himself to Nizam
because of the treaty of 1799, who took the total control of the area. He
was later pensioned off when British occupied the territory.
Air:
The nearest airport is at
Bangalore , which
is 152-km from Anantapur. which is air linked with
Hyderabad ,
Bhubaneshwar
, Mumbai ,
Kolkota ,
Delhi ,
Chennai , Nagpur and
Vishakhapatnam.
Rail:
The Hyderabad- Bangalore broad gauge line is the nearest railhead from
Anantapur. Kurnool and Nandyal on
the same line are also convenient railheads. It is also connected by rail
with all the important cities in the state.
Road:
Anantapur is well connected by APSRTC buses with Hyderabad,
Mahaboobnagar,
Nalgonda, Devorkonda,
Guntur,
Vijayawada, Kurnool,
Ongole,
Mahanandi,
Mantralayam,
Tirupati and
Chitradurg among other places.
Accommodation is available in the various hotels at Anantapur.
Climate: Tropical
Temperature Range:
Summer: 30°C. - 40°C.(81.56F - 108.75F Approx.)
Winter: 20°C. - 27°C. (54.25F - 73.19F Approx.)
Rainfall: Seasonal
Clothing: Light Cottons
STD Code: 08554
Hospital :
Govt. Hospital, Arvindanagar, Anantapur
C.D. Hospital, Anantapur
Puttaparthi: 150-kms
Hemavati: 25-km
Lepakshi: 15-km
Penukonda: 70-kms
Bangalore :
152-kms
CLICK HERE FOR MAP OF
ANANTAPUR
CLICK HERE FOR ROAD MAP
OF ANANTAPUR
CLICK HERE FOR
RAILWAY NETWORK MAP OF ANANTAPUR