Nallamala Hills

The Nallamalas (also called the Nallamalla Range) are a section of the Eastern Ghats which forms the eastern boundary of Rayalaseema region of the state of Andhra Pradesh and Nagarkurnool district of the state of Telangana, in India. They run in a nearly north-south alignment, parallel to the Coromandel Coast for close to 430 km between the rivers, Krishna and Pennar. Its northern boundaries are marked by the flat Palnadu basin while in the south it merges with the Tirupati hills. An extremely old system, the hills have extensively weathered and eroded over the years. The average elevation today is about 520 m which reaches 1100 m at Bhairani Konda and 1048 m at Gundla Brahmeswara. Both of these peaks are in a north westerly direction from the town of Cumbum. There are also many other peaks above 800m.

Geology

The rocks of the Nallamala ranges belong to the Kadapa system which is a series some 20,000 ft. thick. The primary rocks are Quartzite overlaid with an irregular slaty formation. Some sandstone is also to be found. The rocks here are very irregular and soft in texture thus rendering commercial exploitation impossible. These rocks are among the oldest in the world and have been formed as a result of large scale volcanic activity hundreds of millions of years ago. The evidence of the volcanic forces are evident in the foldings into which the rocks have been forced.

Climate

The Nallamalas have a rather warm to hot climate throughout the year. Rainfall averages about 90 cm and is concentrated in the months of the South West Monsoon (June–September). The fissured rocks prevent any water from percolating underground and hence most of the discharge runs off as mountain streams to join the Gundlakamma River, the largest river to arise in these hills. Winters are mostly cool and dry with the average temperature around 25 degrees Celsius. Summers are very hot, with temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius.

Gallery

File:Nallamalla forests at Srisailam.jpg, Nallamalla forests at Srisailam
Image:Nallamallafar.JPG, The Nallamallas from a distance during the dry season
Image:Sunflowernallamalla.JPG, Sunflower cultivation at the foot of Cumbum at the Nallamalas
File:Afternoon in Nallamalla forest Krishna River.jpg, After noon in Nallamalla Forest
Image:Start of the Nallamala.JPG, The railway curves into the Nallamalas at the Nandikamma Pass, Cumbum
Image:Cumbum Lake 1.JPG, A view of the Cumbum Lake
File:Nallamalla forests at Ahobilam 01.jpg, Nallamalla forests at Ahobilam
File:Ugra stambham rock at Ahobilam 02.jpg, Ugra stambham rock at Ahobilam
File:Nallamalla hills on rainy day 01.jpg, Nallamalla hills on rainy day near Atmakur
File:Chenchu tribal hunting.jpg, Chenchu tribal hunting picture from Nallamala Hills
File:Pre Historic Mid Krishna-Tungabhadra Valley sites.jpg, Pre Historic Mid Krishna-Tungabhadra Valley sites
File:Morning in Nallamalla Forest.jpg, Morning in Nallamalla Forest
File:Tribals staying in Nallamalla Forest.jpg, Tribals staying in Nallamalla Forest
File:Evening at Nallamala.jpg, view on Sun set time
File:Trek to Ugra stambham at Ahobilam.jpg, Trek to Ugra stambham at Ahobilam in Nallamala Forests
File:View From Boat Jouney towards caves.jpg, View From Boat Journey towards caves
File:Dirt road along Nallamala Forests near Ahobilam.jpg, Dirt road along Nallamala Forests near Ahobilam

Flora and fauna

These hills are almost completely covered with open jungle. Lack of water prevents the growth of large trees and the prevalent vegetation consists of dry deciduous forest with the trees '' Terminalia, Hardwickia'' and ''Pterocarpus'' predominant. Agriculture is almost non existent apart from isolated patches near villages where subsistence farming is practiced. The Nallamala Forests are probably the largest stretch of undisturbed forest in South India apart from the Western Ghats and were particularly rich in game till the 1970s. A large part of the forest is a part of the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve that has a viable tiger population. Leopard sightings too are not uncommon. Many of the adventures of the popular wildlife writer, Kenneth Anderson are set in these forests.

Population

The uneven terrain and the scarcity of water has prevented the growth of any large cities in this region. Kurnool is the largest city in this region with Nandyal being the second largest and little nearer than Kurnool to the forest. The indigenous population consists of the Chenchus, a forest dwelling tribe who have remained cut off from the modern world even today. Farming is the primary occupation of the people in the plateaus while the Chenchus are still hunter gatherers.
The hills were a hotbed of Naxal activities until recently. They once kidnapped young children. Police action since 2005 has all but cleared the forest of them.

Transport

A state highway and the Nallapadu-Nandyal line of the Guntur railway division pass through the hills. The railway was first built by the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway and is a feat of engineering, having 2 tunnels at Bogada and Chelama and a few viaducts, the most famous being the now abandoned Dorabavi Viaduct. The railway enters the hills at the Nandikama Pass near Cumbum Lake. The highway follows a zig zag alignment and thus avoids any tunnels. The primary exports of this region are forest produce like timber waste, honey and molasses.

Places of interest

Srisailam on the River Krishna is the site of a large hydroelectric power project as also an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Mahanandi temple and Ahobilam Nava Narsimha Temples are situated here. A stream descends down the Gundla Brahmeswara peak and ends in a waterfall and sacred pool called Nemaligundam (Peacock Pool). The Mallela Theertham waterfall on the river Krishna is also located in this forest.

The Cumbum Lake is one of Asia's oldest man made lakes and dates back to the 15th century. It was built by the Gajapati kings of Orissa for irrigating about 420 km² farmland by damming a narrow opening between two adjoining hills and later renovated by queen Vardarajamma of Vijayanagara kingdom in the 16th Century.

Mahanandi Temple View.jpg, Mahanandi Temple along the foothills of Nallamala
Srisailam Entrance Gopuram.jpg, Srisailam Entrance Gopuram
Mallelatheertham.JPG, Mallelatheertham Waterfalls, Srisailam
Upper Ahobilam temple Gopuram 02.jpg, Upper Ahobilam temple Gopuram

Notable incidents

On 2 September 2009, a Bell-430 chopper carrying the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, with two pilots, a chief security officer and secretary went missing in the Nallamala forest. After nearly twenty four hours of search by police, para military, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, India Space Research Organization personnel among others, the chopper was located in a mangled and charred state on the top of the 800 ft. Pavuralla Konda (Doves' hill). All five died in the crash owing to inclement weather conditions.

See also

*Gundlakamma River
*Guntur railway division
* Nallamala Forest
* Prakasam District

References

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Hills of Andhra Pradesh
Hills of Telangana
Eastern Ghats
Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
Geography of Kurnool district
Geography of Guntur district
Geography of Prakasam district
Geography of Kadapa district
Geography of Nellore district
Geography of Tirupati district