ANANTAPUR

Location: Western Most Part of the State Of Andhra Pradesh
Familiarly known As: Hande Anantapuram
Best Time Of Visit: September to February
Nearby Attractions: Puttaparthi, Veerabhadraswami Temple at Lepakshi, Raydurg Fort, Hemavati, Penukonda Fort.
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. Kurnool bound it on north, 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". Chilkkavodeya, the minister of Bukka-I, and a Vijayanagar ruler constructed the villages of Anantasagaram and Bukkarayasamudram. 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 , 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, which took the total control of the area. He was later pensioned off when British occupied the territory.

HOW TO GET THERE

Air: The nearest airport is at Bangalore, which is 152-km from Anantapur. Which is air linked with Hyderabad, , 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.

GENERAL INFORMATION

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

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