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Anakapalli (, ) is a suburb of
Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam (; List of renamed places in India, formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the States and union territories of India, Indian stat ...
city, located within the jurisdiction of the
Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is the civic body that governs the city of Visakhapatnam, largest city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its jurisdiction encompasses an area of . It is also part of the planning body of t ...
. It contains India's second largest
jaggery Jaggery is a List of unrefined sweeteners, traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of Sugarcane juice, cane jui ...
market.


History

The town was ruled by the Kalinga Empire (ancient
Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...
). Different dynasties ruled this region, including the
Chedi Kingdom Chedi () was a realm, kingdom which fell roughly in the Bundelkhand division of Madhya Pradesh regions to the south of river Yamuna along the river Ken River, Ken. Its capital city was called Suktimati in Sanskrit. According to the Mahabharat ...
of Kalinga (Odisha),
Eastern Ganga dynasty The Eastern Ganga dynasty (also known as Purba Gangas, Rudhi Gangas or Prachya Gangas) were a large medieval era Indian royal Hindu dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the mid 20th century. Eastern Gangas rul ...
of Odisha, Gajapati Kingdom of Odisha,
Kakatiya The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was a Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their territory comprised much of the present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and p ...
, and
Qutub Shahi The Sultanate of Golconda (; ) was an early modern kingdom in southern India, ruled by the Persianate, Shia Islamic Qutb Shahi dynasty of Turkoman origin. After the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate, the Sultanate of Golconda was established i ...
empires. Around 1611, Kakarlapudi Appala Raju Payakarao conquered the region under the
Sultanate of Golconda The Sultanate of Golconda (; ) was an early modern kingdom in southern India, ruled by the Persianate, Shia Islamic Qutb Shahi dynasty of Turkoman origin. After the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate, the Sultanate of Golconda was established i ...
, with Anakapalli as his fortified headquarters. The historical saga of Anakapalli begins with the historian Tallapragada, who identified and documented its significance. This was substantiated by the historical evidence found on Bojjanakonda. Additionally, the area was ruled by various dynasties, including the
Satavahana The Satavahanas (; ''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras (also ''Andhra-bhṛtyas'' or ''Andhra-jatiyas'') in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavaha ...
s,
Vishnukundina The Vishnukundina dynasty (IAST: Viṣṇukuṇḍina, sometimes Viṣukuṇḍin) was an Indian dynasty that ruled over parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha and other parts of southern India between the 5th and ...
, Gajapathi,
Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
Samrats, and
Golkonda Golconda is a fortified citadel and ruined city located on the western outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparudra in the 11th century out of mud walls. It was ceded to the Bahmani ...
Samanta Samanta was a title and position used in the history of the Indian subcontinent between 4th and 12th centuryThe Journal of the Bihar Research Society, Volumes 69–70, p.77 to denote a vassal, feudal lord or tributary chief. The leader of 100 vil ...
Rajulu. The alias of Anakapalli are Aniankapalli, Anekaphalle, Vijaypuri, Veniapalii, Kanakapuri, Bellampatnam, Anakapally and Anakapalli. It is located by the side of the holy Sarada River. Anakapalli was an estate in the Visakhapatnam District of the
Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency or Madras Province, officially called the Presidency of Fort St. George until 1937, was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India and later the Dominion of India. At its greatest extent, the presidency i ...
. Originally belonging to the Rajas of Vijayanagaram, it passed entirely into the hands of the family through an auction purchase in 1802. The estate was subject to a tribute (peshkash) to the government of 2997 peshkash per annum and was later resold by the Raja to Gode Jaggappa. It consists of 16 villages and 17 hamlets and comprises some of the richest land in the district. The annual rental value, along with 5 other attached estates, was 17,609 peshkash. The Anakapalli taluk contains 45 towns and villages and 154 hamlets, all zamindaris (private estate holders) with 27,929 occupied houses and 131,637 inhabitants. According to the 1881 census, the population included 1,30,667 Hindus, 1,367 Muslims, and 3 Christians. The government land revenue, excluding
zamindari A zamindar in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semi-autonomous Indian feudalism, feudal lord of a ''zamindari'' (feudal estate). The term itself came into use during the Mughal Empire, when Persian language, Persian was the offi ...
, was 127 peshkash. The area had a criminal court, and in civil matters, it was under the jurisdiction of the Munsif's Court at Rayavaram. Anakapalli town, which is located in Anakapalli taluk, Visakhapatnam district, Madras Presidency, lies 20 miles south-west of Visakhapatnam on the Sarada River and the Grand Trunk Road. In 1881, the population of the town was 13,341, with 3,810 houses. The municipal revenue for 1880-81 amounted to about 915 peshkash. Much of the surrounding area historically belonged to the king of Vijayanagara. Recently, it has experienced a growth spurt due to the
molasses Molasses () is a viscous byproduct, principally obtained from the refining of sugarcane or sugar beet juice into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, the method of extraction, and the age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is usuall ...
and small-scale cotton export businesses, serving as an agricultural center. As the headquarters of the taluk, it houses the regular subordinate courts, a jail dispensary and courts. It is the fourth most populous town in the district.


Buddhist area

One of the most significant
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
sites in
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
, Sankaram is located some 3.5 km away from Anakapalli and 41 km away from
Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam (; List of renamed places in India, formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the States and union territories of India, Indian stat ...
on the Sabbavaram by-pass road. The name Sankaram derives from the term Sangharama. Sankaram is famous for its many votive stupas, rock-cut caves, brick-built structural edifices, early historic pottery, and
Satavahana The Satavahanas (; ''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras (also ''Andhra-bhṛtyas'' or ''Andhra-jatiyas'') in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavaha ...
coins that date back to the 1st century AD. The main stupa here was initially carved out of rock and then covered with bricks. There you can see a number of images of the
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
carved on the rock face of the caves. At Lingalametta, there are hundreds of rock-cut
monolithic A monolith is a monument or natural feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock. Monolith or monolithic may also refer to: Architecture * Monolithic architecture, a style of construction in which a building is carved, cast or excavated f ...
stupas In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
in rows, spread all over the hill. Among other
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
attractions here are
relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...
casket, three chaitya halls, votive platforms, stupas, and Vajrayana sculptures. The Vihara was functional for around a millennium and saw the development of the not only
Theravada ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dharma (Buddhi ...
form of Buddhism but also
Mahayana Mahāyāna ( ; , , ; ) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices developed in ancient India ( onwards). It is considered one of the three main ex ...
and Vajrayana Buddhism. Later Anakapalli went to the estate of Vavilavalasa Inuganty kings and ruled a long time.


Freedom struggle

Before the
Sepoy Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the form ...
, the French were attacked in Anakapalli in 1753. Bassi Dora was arrested at
Kasimkota Kasimkota is a village in Anakapalli district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Kasimkota was one of the notable villages affected by Cyclone Hudhud. Kasimkota railway station is a ''D–category'' station of Vijayawada division was op ...
. Many freedom leaders visited Anakapalli, like Dr.
B. R. Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Bhīmrāo Rāmjī Āmbēḍkar; 14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who chaired the committee that drafted the Constitution of India based on t ...
and
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
, who started the movement to boycott foreign goods in Anakapalli.
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
started his speech at Bellam Market in Anakapalli. The farmers requested that Gandhi name the jaggery market as Gandhi Market. He accepted the request. Leaders including Gandhi, N. G. Ranga, CPI's Jaya Prakash Narayan visited, 1 year later
Jawaharlal Nehru Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat, and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a pr ...
,
Subhash Chandra Bose Subhas Chandra Bose (23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945) was an Indian independence movement, Indian nationalist whose defiance of British raj, British authority in India made him a hero among many Indians, but his wartime alliances with ...
also gave speeches at Anakapalli. During 1944-45, Sri Koribilli Jogarao (Teacher) and Jakkanahalli Sri Ramamurthy (Compounder) participated in the freedom struggle and spoke against the movement and were sent to Rai Vellore Jail.


Anakapalle Town main divisions

* Gavarapalem * Lakshmi Narayana Nagar * Vijayaramaraju peta * Laxmi Devi peta * Gandhi Nagar * Narasinga Rao peta


Geography

Anakapalli is located at , on the banks of River Sarada and at an altitude of . It is spread over an area of .


Demographics

According to
Imperial Gazetteer of India ''The Imperial Gazetteer of India'' was a gazetteer of the British Indian Empire, and is now a historical reference work. It was first published in 1881. Sir William Wilson Hunter made the original plans of the book, starting in 1869.< ...
, Anakapalli had an area of containing 143 villages. As of the
2001 Indian census The 2001 census of India was the 14th in a series of censuses held in India every decade since 1871. The population of India was counted as 1,028,737,436 consisting of 532,223,090 males and 496,514,346 females. The total population increased by ...
, Anakapalli had a population of 84,523. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Anakapalli has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.


Governance

Anakapalli Municipality has a history of 120 years. The municipality was started in 1877. Anakapalli became a municipality using the Madras City Development Act. According to the Madras District Municipality Act of 1884, they were decided to have 13 members. The municipality had a directly elected municipal chairman in 1885 and 1897. It became a first grade municipality in 1956. A municipality consisting of 32 wards. This municipality earns an annual revenue of around 1 crore. Later this was merged into G.V.M.C in 2015 of zone-07


Economy

Agriculture mainly consists of the production of Rice, Corn, Sugarcane, and all types of vegetables. The chief crop cultivated in this region is sugarcane and Anakapalli is well known for its
jaggery Jaggery is a List of unrefined sweeteners, traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of Sugarcane juice, cane jui ...
market, which is the second-largest in India. Velagapudi Steels own a steel mill near Anakapalli.


Notable people

* Budhha Maha Lakshmi Naidu * Villuri Venkataramana * P. Appalanarasimham * Dadi Veerabhadra Rao *
Konathala Ramakrishna Konathala Ramakrishna (born 4 January 1957) is an Indian politician from Andhra Pradesh. He is a two-time Member of parliament, Member of Parliament from Anakapalle Lok Sabha constituency and also a former Member of Legislative Assembly , MLA f ...
*
Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry (born Chembolu Seetharama Sastry; 20 May 1955 – 30 November 2021) was an Indian poet and lyricist known for his works in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He acquired the stage name Sirivennela after writing the ...


Notable temples

*
Bojjannakonda Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda are two rock-cut caves of Buddhist origin on adjacent hillocks situated near the village of Sankaram, Anakapalle of ancient Kalinga in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The sites are believed to have been esta ...
ancient Buddhist site * Nookambika Temple


Social welfare and clubs

When we start talking about the welfare of Anakapalli, we should talk about Anakapalli Merchant Association Sri Gauri Granthalayam and Sharada Granthalayam.Anakapalli Rotary Club (1953), Lions Club (1966), Premasamajam (1943), Gouri Yuvajana Seva Gangam (1966), Gouri Seva Sangam (1970). There are clubs like N.T.R. Stadium and Rao Gopal Rao Kala Kshetra and an indoor stadium.


Theatres

The theaters in this town include shri Satya Theatre, Satyanarayana Theatre, Venkateswara Theatre, Raja Theatre, Ramachandra Theatre, Parthi Sai Theatre and shiridi sai Theatre.


Transport

National Highway 16 Route 16, or Highway 16, can refer to: International * AH16, Asian Highway 16 * European route E16 * European route E016 Australia  – Thompsons Road (Victoria)     – South Australia Canada ;Parts of the Trans-Canada Highway: *Ye ...
, a part of
Golden Quadrilateral The Golden Quadrilateral (; abbreviated GQ) is a network of National Highway (India), national highways connecting major cities of India. It roughly forms a quadrilateral with major cities – Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west) and ...
highway network, bypasses the town. Anakapalle railway station is on
Howrah–Chennai main line The Howrah–Chennai main line is a railway line connecting Chennai and Kolkata cutting across Eastern Coastal Plains of India. It covers a distance of across, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Sections The long trunk line ...
. It is under the Vijayawada division of the
South Central Railway zone South Central Railway (abbreviated SCR) is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways. The jurisdiction of the zone is spread over the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka. It has three divisions under its administration, wh ...
.
APSRTC The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (abbreviated as APSRTC) is the state-owned road transport corporation in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its headquarters is located at NTR Administ ...
runs the buses all over the state. Vizag city buses run from
Maddilapalem Maddilapalem is an area of Visakhapatnam, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Maddilapalem was initially a small suburb outside of Visakhapatnam. Economy Maddilapalem is one of the major commercial and residential suburbs of Visakhapatn ...
, Dwaraka Bus Station,
Gajuwaka Gajuwaka is a major residential area of Visakhapatnam City, India. This neighborhood of Visakhapatnam is considered the biggest shopping district in Andhra Pradesh by revenue. Though conceived as a residential locality, it is now one of the prin ...
, Yelamanchili, etc.. Anakapalle railway station got funds of nearly 27 crores under Amrit Bharat Scheme in 2023. Anakapalle Lok Sabha Constituency MP Dr. Beesetti Venkata Satyavathi of
YSRCP The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (, YSRCP or YCP), often shortened to simply the YSR Congress Party, is an Indian regional political party based in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The party was initially registered with Election Commissi ...
laid the stone while Prime Minister
Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...
inaugurated it virtually attended.


References

{{Authority control * Cities and towns in Anakapalli district District headquarters of Andhra Pradesh