Krishna

GENERAL: Krishna district was one of the oldest British administrated areas of Andhra Pradesh. It was formerly called Masulapatnam district and in 1859 when the ten Guntur district was abolished, certain taluks thereof were added to this district which was renamed as Krishna district, after the mighty river Krishna.

PHYSICAL CHARACTRISTICS:

Latitude  :  15° 43’ N and 17° 10’ N Longitude  :  80° 0’ and 81° 33’ of E. AREA  :  8,727 Sq. Kms. Coastal Line  :  88 Kms. Boundaries  : East : Bay of Bengal and West Godavari district West : Guntur and Nalgonda districts North : Khammam district South : Bay of Bengal

HILLS: The main hill range of the district known as Kondapalli runs between Nandigama and Vijayawada with a length of about 24 Kms. The other impart hills are Jammalavoidurgam, Mogalrajapuram and Indrakiladri hills. On the Indrakiladri hills at Vijayawada stands the famous temple of Kanakadurga.

RIVERS: The chief rivers of the district are the Krishna (length 1,280 kms) Muniyeru (Muneru), the Tammileru and Budameru. Krishna river debouches in to the Bay of Bengal at Hamsala Divi and Nachugunta in this district. The district contains small hillstreams viz., Jayanthi, Kattaleru, Ippalavagu, Upputeru, Telleru, Ballaleru, Nadimeyeru.

FLORA: The district has no worth mentioning forests. However, it contains Reserved Forest areas in Nandigama, Vijayawada, Tiruvuru, Nuzvid, Gannavaram, Bandar and Divi taluks. A type of lightwood known as ‘PONUKU’ (Gyrocapus Jacquini) is found on the Kondapalli hills. The wood is used for the manufacture of the well known Kondpalli toys. The most noticeable trees are pterocarpus, Terminalia, Anogeissus and Logustroeinai and Casuarina.

FAUNA: In Krishna district the fails also merge at one time tigers and sambar were found on the Medasala Durga – ridge and on the Kondapalli and Jamalavayi hills. But they are very rare now. Panthers, Hyaena, Jungle cat, fox and bear are the carnivorous mammalian fauna represented. Among the herbivorous animal’s deer, spotted deer sambar and blackbuck are sometimes found in the interior inland forests. A migrant gray billed pelican is a protected bird in the Kollair lake boarding the Krishna district. The district possesses a large number of Murrah buffaloes and cows with Murrah stain.

CLIMATE: The climatic conditions of the district are of extreme kind with hot summers and cold winters and may be classified as tropical. The period starting from April to June is the hottest.

RAINFALL: The average normal rainfall is 1028.1 mm.

SOIL: Three types of soils viz.,} 1. Black Cotton (57.6%) 2. Sand clay loams (22.3%) 3. Red loams (19.4%)

AGRICULTURE: Endowed with a rich variety of soils, the district occupies an important place in Agriculture, which is the most important occupation, and Paddy is the main food crop produced.

LITERACY: Krishna district has recorded a literacy rate of 70.03. The district is well advanced in field of education.

AVAILABLITY OF MINIRAL SOURCES: Chromite Kondapalli hills and adjoining areas Diamonds Paritala, Ustepalls, Kondavatikallu, Ramannapet, Suryavaram, Kothapet, Nemalipuram, Mugaluru, Putrela etc. Iron Ore Jaggayyapet area Lime Stone Jaggayyapet area Mica Tiruvuru area Salphur Kona in Machilipatnam Mandal.

TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS: Vijayawada City is the largest commercial centre of this district and also there is an important railway junction being connected to Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Hubli, Gudivada and Machilipatnam. It has an Aerodrome at Gannavaram about 16 Kms away and a minor sea port at Machilipatnam. The second largest Bus Station complex in the state is also located in Vijayawada. SATAVAHANA PERIOD (230 BC -227 AD): Srimukha was founder of Satavahana Dyanasty with headquarters at Srikakulam and Python.   Goutamputra Satakarni was the greatest king among the Satavahans   Yagnasri Satakarni was the last king in Satavahana dynasty   The Satavahanas imparted more stability and security to the life of the people of the region for more than four centuries PALLAVAS: (250 AD - 340 AD): Siva skanda Varma, the maker of Pallava dynastry and a great conqueror as the copper plate grants at Mydavolu ( Guntur district)   The Pallava kingdom spread over from Krishna river to Tungabhadra, including Amaravati in the East, Bellary in the West and Kancheepuram in the South   The capital cities were Venginagar near Ellore ( presently Eluru) and at Pithapuram, both in Vengidesa. BRUHITPALAYANAS: They were the contempries Pallavas and ruled the district with Koduru as their Capital. VISHNU KUNDINAS: They ruled during 5th Century AD. They excavated cave temples at Mogalrajapuram and Undavalli etc. EASTERN CHALUKYAS ( 615 AD – 1070 AD): Pulakesin II of Western Chalukyas got from the hands of Vishnukundinies, entire Andhra country under his control in about 615 AD and appointed his younger brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as the Viceroy ( Samanta raju ) for newly conquered possessions.   The Eastern Chalukyas were credited with the excavations of the cave temple at Undavalli and rock cut shrines and Shiva temples CHOLAS (Rajarajanaredra S/o Vimaladitya was the greatest king among the Cholas. He fixed his capital at Rajahmundry and it was during his reign that Nannayya Bhattu translated the Mahabharata in to Telugu. KAKATIYAS: They ruled up to 1323 AD. The greatest kings among the Kakatiyas are Prataparudra – 1, Rudrama Devi, Prataparudra – 2. In 1323 Prataparudra –2 was captivated by Alla-Ud-din. This was the first appearance of Muslims in the Deccan. REDDIS : On the downfall of Pratapa Rudra, the eldest son of Pulaya Vema Reddi found himself independent and established himself in the hill fort of Kondavedu. He also possessed himself of the fortress of Bellamkonda, Vinukonda and Nagarjuna konda in the Palanad. The Kondavidu Reddi’s were great patrons of Telugu literature. The poet Srinadha and his brother-in –law Bammera Pothana flourished at his court. The ruins of fortresses at Kondavidu, Ballamkonda and Kondapalli are still to be seen. GAJAPATHIS: They extended the power over Krishna district. Kapileswara Gajapathi is preserved by the village Kapileswarapuram now in Pamidimukkala mandal. He was succeeded by Vidyadhara Gajapathi who built Vidyadharapuram and constructed a reservoir at Kondaplli. VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE: About 1516 Krishna Devaraya the great king of Vijayanagar conquered the whole of this country and left inscriptions to announces his victories. Krishna Devaraya patternised Tenali Ramalinga who was one of the ASTHA DIGGAJAS. QUTAB SHAHIS: In 1512, the Kingdom of Golconda or Hyderabad was founded by one Sultan Quli Qutub Shah. The Kingdom of Golconda included this district within its limits. Abu-l-Hussain Shah was the last of Qutab Shahi dynasty known as Tanisha. He had two ministers, both Brahmins, named Akkanna and Madanna. For some reasons they fixed their office at Vijayawada. Popular tradition attributed this preference of Vijayawada to the devotion of the two ministers to the goddess Kanaka Durga. NIZAMS: The Emperor Aurangazeb included this district in the province of Golconda, which remained under Asaf jah who was appointed as Subedar or Viceroy of the Deccan in 1713 with the tittle of Nizam-ul-Mulk. The province of Golconda comprised five Nawabs’ charges viz. Arcot, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Rajahmundry and Chicacole (Srikakulam). The Nawab of Rajahmundry ruled the country induced in the Krishna District. THE ENGLISH: In 1611 the English founded their settlement at Masulipatnam which continued to be their headquarters until they were finally removed to Madras in 1641. The settlements of Dutch and French followed the English at Masulipatnam. Upon the death of the old Nizam-ul-Mulk in June 1748 his heirs strove for the succession with the support of the English and the French. When Nizam Ali Khan was proclaimed ruler of Golconda in 1761 the British secured at first the divisions of Masulipatnam, Nizampatnam and part of Kondaveedu and later the entire Circars. At first the district was administered by a chief and council at Masulipatnam but in 1794 Collectors, directly responsible to the Board of Revenue, were appointed at Masulipatnam. Guntur and West Godavari districts were separated from Krishna in 1904 and 1925 respectively. 1. JAGGAYYAPETA 2. VATSAVAI 3. PENUGANCHIPROLU 4. NANDIGAMA 5. CHANDARLAPADU 6. KANCHIKA CHERLA 7. VEERULLAPADU 8. IBRAHIMPATNAM 9. G KONDURU 10. MYLAVARAM 11. A KONDURU 12. GAMPALAGUDEM 13. TIRUVURU 14. VISSANNAPET 15. REDDIGUDEM 16. VIJAYAWADA RURAL 17. VIJAYAWADA URBAN 18. PENAMALURU 19. THOTLAVALLURU 20. KANKIPADU 21. GANNAVARAM 22. AGIRIPALLE 23. NUZVID 24. CHATRAI 25. MUSUNURU 26. BAPULAPADU 27. UNGUTURU 28. VUYYURU 29. PAMIDIMUKKALA 30. MOVVA 31. GHANTASALA 32. CHALLAPALLI 33. MOPIDEVI 34. AVANIGADDA 35. NAGAYALANKA 36. KODURU 37. MACHILIPATNAM 38. GUDUR 39. PAMARRU 40. PEDAPARUPUDI 41. NANDIVADA 42. GUDIVADA 43. GUDLAVALLERU 44. PEDANA 45. BANTUMILLI DISTRICT AT A GLANCE Sl.No.&Item Unit   1. GEOGRAPHICAL AREA Sq. Kms.        8,727 2. POPULATION     a) Total Persons: No.  4,181,071     Males No.  2,116,018     Females No.  2,065,053 b) Rural Persons: No.  2,840,697     Males No.  1,437,085     Females No.  1,403,612 c) Urban Persons No.  1,340,374     Males No.     678,933     Females No.     661,441 d) Total Workers No.  1,843,861     Males No.  1,235,626     Females No.     608,235 e) Total non-Workers No.  2,337,210     Males No.     880,392     Females No.  1,456,818 f) Total literates No.  2,577,746     Males No.  1,399,405     Females No.  1,178,341 g) Total Rural literates No.  1,706,333     Males No.     936,997     Females No.     769,336 h) Total Rural literates No.     871,413     Males No.     462,408     Females No.     409,005 i) % of decadal growth rate of population  % 12.50     Males %        12.96     Females %        12.03 j) % of literates  % 70.03     Males %        74.55     Females %        65.32 k) Sex ratio - per 1000 males - 961 females     l) Density  Sq. Kms. 477 3.EDUCATION       Primary Schools No.        2,397 Upper Primary Schools No.           664 High Schools No.           419 School Education Committees No.        2,768 Panchayat Education Committees No.           943 Mandal Education Committees No.             49 Total Teachers No.       16,186 4.BANKS              392 Rural branches No.           179 Urban Branches No.           136 Semi Urban Branches No.             77 Branches per 1 lakh persons          10.67 5.MEDICAL & HEALTH       PHCs No.             63 RHCs No.               1 Round the Clock PHCs No.             10 Civil Hospitals No.             10 APVVP Hospitals No.               7 Urban Health Centres No.               4 6.ANIMAL HUSBANDRY       Veternary Institutions No.           313 Veternary Hospitals No.             17 Veternary Dispensaries No.             89 Rural Live stock units No.           206 Gopal Mitra trained No.             94 Live Stock population (in lakhs)          14.11 Poultry (in lakhs)          31.67 7.POWER       33/11 KVA Sub-stations No.             64 11 KVA feeders No.           259 a) Agriculture No.           127 b) Express No.             31 c) Urban  No.           101 Distribution Transformers No.        9,190 Total no. of Services No.     810,392 8.IRRIGATION       Total cultivable area (lakh acres)          31.62 Irrigated area (lakhs)          10.50 Major Irrigation Projects No.               2 Medium Irrigation Projects No.               1 Minor Irrigation Projects No.           284 Water User Associations No.           273 9.INDUSTRIES       Large Medium EOUs No.             82 SSI units No.       24,079 Industrial Estates No.               9 Medium Leather Park No.               1 Mini Leather Park No.               1