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Archive for the ‘Kurnool’ Category

Kollam town, the headquarters of Kollam district and Kollam taluk, has a hoary past. It was an international emporium of trade and even now it is a prosperous commercial centre. It is situated about 71 Kms. north of Thiruvavanathapuram and is linked by rail, road and backwater transport.

The town edges with the famous Ashtamudi lake. Many a foreign traveler has visited Kollam in early medieval period. It was one of the early centres of Christian activity in Kerala. It is said that the present town of Kollam was built by the Syrian Merchant; Sapir Iso, in the 9th Century A.D. The popularity of Kollam has been established by the time honoured proverb once you see Kollam, you will not need home any more. Kollam is an important commercial, industrial and trading centre. It is also the headquarters of Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation. The 144 ft. Thangassery Light House, built in 1902, is a centre of attraction. The Ananda Valleswaram Temple here, attracts people on almost all days. There are several Churches and Mosques in and around Kollam. The Pullichira Church was established in 1700 A.D. One of the oldest and most important Mosques in the Chinnakkada Palli. The Thangal Kunju Musliar College of Engineering, the first of its kind in the private sector in the state, is at Kilikolloor, about 7 Kms. east of Kollam town.

The Government Guest House here is 200 years old. It stands along Ashtamudi lake and is a major attraction for its elegance rates. The adventure park, located in the shores of the Ashtamudi backwaters, is a novel experiment in the country. Different types of boats, including luxury cruise boats, power boats and motor boats, are available on hire from the boat jetty near to the Adventure Park. A budget hotel for tourists, Yatri Nivas, run by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, is also located in this village. The village is just 2 kms. away from the town.

Achencoil

Situated about 80 kms from Punalur is an important pilgrim center. The Sastha temple here, situated amidst dense forest. The idol of Sastha is supposed to have been installed several centuries before the Christian Era. The two important festivals of this temple are Mandala Pooja (December-January) and the festival held at ‘Revathi’(January-February). The two notable features of the festival are the Therotam (chariot festival) and Pushpabhishekam (offering of flowers). In no other temple of the South India are flowers offered to the deity so lavishly as at Achencoil.

Sasthamkotta Lake

Sasthamkotta Lake, situated 19 km from Kollam in the beautiful village of Sasthamkotta, is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala and serves the drinking water needs of about half a million people of the Kollam district. Surrounded by hills on all sides, Kollam is home to the popular Sasthamkotta Dharmasastha Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, which serves as an important pilgrim centre drawing many devotees on a daily basis.

Mayyanad Village

Mayyanad is a beautiful village, situated 10 km south of Kollam District along the banks of Paravur Lake and along the coastal line of Arabian Sea. The village is an important fishing as well as pilgrim centre with several temples and shrines like Umayanallor, dedicated to Lord Subramanian, Valiyavila Temple, three churches, and a mosque. The shrine is said to have been consecrated by the great Hindu philosopher Sree Shankaracharya of Kaladi.

Here are few of the interesting places to see in Kurnool.

Mantralayam

The temple is located on the banks of the river Tungabhadra.Its foundation was laid 300 years ago.Mantralayam displays ‘Samadhi’ of the well-known saint, Sri Raghavendra Teertha. Raghavendra Swamy Brindavan is located nearby.It is the tomb in which he entered alive. Other temples include Anjaneya Swamy Temple; Panchamukhi Anjaneya Swamy and Venkateswara Swamy Temple.

Srisailam

Srisailam is located in the northeastern portion of the Nandikotkur Taluk of Kurnool District amidst the thick and inaccessible forests of the Nallamalai hills.The tourist can proceed to Atmakur from Nandyal.The Brahmarambha Mallikarjuna Swamy temple at Srisailam encompasses India’s twelve Jyotirlingas.The foundation of the temple was laid in 14th century.The walls are ornamented with depictions of elephants and displays hunting scenes and Lord Shiva in different manifestations.According to myth, Pandava Pratistitha Lingas is the place where Pandavas worshipped Lord Mallikarjuna.The place is believed to exhibit Thriphaleswara Tree which is believed to bless childless couples . Arana Veereswara Temple. Bayalu Veerabhadra Swamy Temple .Nava Brahmalayams which depict various manifestations of Lord Shiva. Mallika Gundam, a well that devotees believe has medicinal properties. Sita Pratistitha Linga, an attractive linga which is said to have been founded by Goddess Sita . Sri Ankalamma Temple.Sikhareswaram, site of the Sikhareswara Swamy temple on the highest peak in the Nallamalai Hills.

Yaganti

The place encompasses the temple of Uma Maheshwar.The foundation of the temple was laid in the 15th century. It has a magnificent Gopura at the entrance and a pond .The wall of the temple displays mythological scenes. Other places of interest include a huge Nandiswara; Agasthya Pushkarini; and scenic natural caves.It is located 90 Kms from Kurnool.

Belum Caves

Belum caves are located at 125 kms from Kurnool.The cave was discovered by a team of European speleologists led by Mr Gebaner in 1982. It is the second largest natural caves in India after Meghalaya Caves.There are three well like cavities among which the middle one forms the main entrance.The cave is horizontal & has a length of 3229 meters.The Belum Caves have long passages, fresh water galleries and siphons.

Mahanandi

Mahanandi is located 80 kms away from Kurnool.It encompasses Mahanandishwara temple that dates back to the 7 th century AD.The place is a noted pilgrimage center and is surrounded by dense forest. The remarkable feature here is the crystal clear water which flows throughout the year from perennial springs. Other places of interest are Pushkarini, a pond with water so clear and pure that even a pin at the bottom can be seen, Kodanda Ramalayam, and the Kameswari Devi Temple.

Kurnool was earlier known as Kandenavolu which stands for Town of grease as it supplied oil for greasing carts.It is located on the Deccan Plateau near River Tungabhadra. The temple of Ahobilam, the Jyotirlinga at Srisailam, the large caves of Belum, all stand testimony to the rich heritage of this district.Kurnool was the capital of Andhra Pradesh from 1953 until 1956 when Hyderabad became the capital.Vijayanagar kingdom built a fort on the site, which was taken over by Muslims. Although the fort was later destroyed, the ruins of a palace, an ancient wall, and bastions still stand on the bluff. Household industry, especially artistic handicrafts, is important to Kurnool’s economy.The nearest airport is in Hyderabad.

Best Time To visit

Kurnool experiences moderate climate.the place can be visited any time during the year.The winters last for three months from November to February.A woolen pullover is suggested for winters and cottons are most preferable during other months of year.