About Kurnool Andhra Pradesh

Kurnool is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the southern part of India. It is the largest city of the area serving as the administrative hub of the state with a population of more than 50,00,000 approximately. Kurnool used to be the capital of Andhra Pradesh from the year 1953 to 1956 and it acts as a major location for insurance firms and banking companies.

Kurnool is located in the southern banks of rivers Handri and Tungabhadra, in the west-central part of Andhra Pradesh. It is the largest of the four districts of Andhra Pradesh while the other three are Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittore. This region earlier was under the influence of the Hindu King, Sri Krishnadevaraya.

The name of the place as Kurnool was derived from Kandanavolu, which is a Telugu name found in the ancient inscriptions and in literature. In the year 1687, the last Mogul Emperor Aurungzeb conquered the Deccan and later on let the Nizams control the Andhra centre of Kurnool.

After some time, the Nizams and the Nawabs declared independence and later on ruled their independent regions of Hyderabad and Kurnool. The first ruler of Kurnool was Nawab Alaf Khan Bahadur and after his tenure, his descendants ruled the area for over 200 years. In the early 18th century, the Nawabs along with the sultans fought against the British Empire.

The climatic conditions in Kurnool keep on changing. There are seasonal variations in the temperature throughout the year with summers being very hot in the months of April and May. The temperature is at its peak in the month of May with the months of January and February being the pleasant ones.

The popular celebrations held here include the Car festival of Kurnool, held during the months of November and December for eight days from Margasira Suddha Triodasi. This festival is dedicated to Sri Ajaneyaswami. Other than the festivals, the popular places to visit in the city are the ruins of the historical fort of the 15th century with several Persian and Arabic influences.

Other popular tourist destinations include the ancient prison of Kurnool Fort by the name of Kondareddy Burz. Located on the banks of the River Handri is the 17th century tomb of Abdul Wahab and the ruins of the palace of the last Hindu ruler, Gopal Raju. The places with religious importance are the temples of Nagareswarasawami, Peta Anjaneyaswami, Venugoplaswami, Iswaraswami, Saibaba and Birla Mandir or Satyanarayaswami.

How to reach??

Kurnool By Flight (Nearest airport Hyderabad)

Kurnool does not have an airport, and the nearest airport is Hyderabad, at a distance of 176 kms from Kurnool. Hyderabad is connected to 17 other Indian cities. The airlines servicing Hyderabad are Air India, Air India-IC, Go Air, Go Business, IndiGo, Jet Airways Konnect, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Red, Kingfisher and SpiceJet.

Kurnool By Train

Kurnool has a train station and is connected to most major cities in India.

Kurnool Weather

Kurnool has distinct seasons, with significant variations in temperature throughout the year. May, April, June are the hot months of the year in Kurnool. The temperatures reach their highest in the month of May. January, February, May are the pleasant months of the year, with temperatures reaching their lowest in May.

Kurnool Tourist Attractions

Ahobilam Temple

Adoni:

The fort belonging to the Vijayanagar Empire is now in ruins. Standing atop the five rocky-granite hills, it houses Jama Masjid, a classic example of Islamic architecture.

Madhavaram:

The village sports an ancient gateway, very much alike the Gateway of India of Mumbai.

Ahobilam:

The Prahlada Varada Laxminarasimha Temple in its lower parts and Nava Narasimha shrine, situated atop a plateau at 2,800 ft above sea level are the highlights of the place.

Sangameswaram:

Situated at the confluence of Bhavanasi and Krishna Rivers, it is also known as Sapta Nandi Sangam. The temple here sports a wooden Lingam.

Thimmapuram:

The shrine of Mahanandiswara and the surrounding temples is known for their architectural beauty and panoramic location. The annual temple festival is in February-March.

Srisailam

Srisailam is situated in the thick and inaccessible forests of the Nallamalai hills in Kurnool. It is one of the most ancient and sacred places in South India. This important religious shrine stands on the Rishabhagiri hill, on the southern bank of the sacred river Krishna. Srisailam is referred to as 'Sri Giri', 'Sriparvata', 'Rudra Parvata' and 'Seshachalam' in several texts and Puranas.