| సామర్లకోట Samalkota |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| District(s) | East Godavari |
| Population | 73,602 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 9 metres (30 ft) |
Samalkota (Telugu: సామర్లకోట; also known as Samarlakota) is a town, a municipality and Mandal under Kakinada(Rural) in East Godavari district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Samalkot is a town and industrial place, north-east of Rajahmundry in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in south India, about 150 km south-west of Vishakhapatnam[1] and is on the chennai-howrah main rail line. The nearest city (10 km) is Kakinada, the nearest airport (40 miles) is Rajahmundhry and the nearest international airport (100 miles) is Visakhapatnam (Vizag).
Samalkot is a town and mandal headquarters of Kakinada rural. The Mandal of Samalkot had a population of 101,752 in 2005, Samalkot has around 41,000 voters.
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Samalkota is located at .[1] It has an average elevation of 9 meters (32 feet). It is just 1 K.m from Peddapuram.
As of 2001[update] India census,[2] Samalkota had a population of 53,602 Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Samalkota has literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 75%, and female literacy is 66%. In Samalkota, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Samalkota is an important Railway junction on the Chennai-Howrah Railway line. The railway line to Kakinada branches at this railway junction. It is Just 12 K.M from Kakinada,which is District Head Quarter and 50 K.m from Rajahmundry,The historical city.It serves a major station to the people of kakinada as this junction connects kakinada to the rest of the country.samalkot junction located on the chennai howrah line connects kakinada to annavaram,anakapalle,vishakapatnam,srikakulam and orissa and howrah.
Sri Chalukya Kumararama Sri Bhimeswaraswamy vari temple (Kumararama, one of the Pancharama Kshetras) is located at about 1 k.m from the Railway station. The presiding deity at this temple is Lord Shiva known as Kumara Bhimeswara. Maha Sivarathri is the most important festival which is celebrated in this temple.
The temple is historically prominent, as it was built by Chalukyas who reigned over this location. Construction of the temple started in 892 and completed around 922. It is similar to the temple in Draksharamam, but is also unique, such as the linga being white. The temple still stands strong and it was made National Heritage Site .and its resemblance of twin of Draksharam,with two staired mandapa,really amazes more as its so well without any cracks, though the temple is not in a populated place, people do come here.
The Linga is a limestone, 14 feet high. The temple was built in Dravidian style, by the King Chalukya Bhima, Hence the god name is Bhimeswara (between 892-922) .The Kakatiya rulers (in the period 1340-1466)have added and renovated the temple pillars with a very fine sharp finishes .The work of CHalukyas and Kakatiya's is very easily distinguished,by the well decorated and polished pillars in the temple to the rest of the temple.both new and old.the construction of this temple is so well that it has not changed much through all years, when compared to Draksharaam temple .Kala Bhairava is also of importance and Balatripura sundari is the Goddess.Shaasanas between 1147-1494 were scripted into pillars of the temple,which also have list of gifts given,thru the ages, for the temple. In Puranas its been written that its a Yogakshetram,which means,the person who has the "yogam"(kind of "fated to have" "opportunity given by god" ""boon") to visit,will visit the temple. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), Kakinada Depot runs circular tours covering all the 5 Pancharamas (Amaravathi, Bhimavaram, palakollu, Draksharama & Samalkota) in a span of 24 hours. The journey starts at 8.00PM evey Sunday and ends at 8.00P.M next day covering 700 km approximately. Currently charges are Rs.350/- and are inclusive of darhan charges at the respective places. Nearby this temple there is one more temple "Mandavya narayana swamy temple".This temple is situated on the bank of the canal. Once upon a time a great saint named Madavya did Tapassu for Lord Narayana swamy at this place and he got the dharshan of Lord Narayana swamy at this place.So that this temple is named as Mandavya Narayana Swamy temple. It is said that Indra Deva came to this place to had the saint Mandavya dharshan with his Pushpaka Vimanam. This temple was built with very good architecture. In Samalkot there is one more old temple which has more age than above mentioned temples i.e. "Trimukha lingam temple". As the Sivalingam has three faces this temple is named like that and the three faces are believed as Trimurtulu( Lord Brahma, Loed Vishnu, Lord Maheswara).This temple was totally buried and we can see only upper portion of Linga which is of 14feet long.
Sri Ganapathi Sri Lakshmidevi Sri Veeravenkatasatyanarayana Swamy Temple at Ganapathinagaram, Peddapuram Road was originally built by Manyam Venkatapathi over 150 years ago and is renovated in March 2006 by The Manyam Family. The deities of all the Shaktipeethams and Jyothirlinghams are displayed in Prakaram.
Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RInfra) announced securing EPC contract of 2400 MW Gas based Combined Cycle Power Project (CCPP) at Samalkot. This project is strategically located in gas rich belt at Samalkot, East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh and is the largest gas based power plant to be set up in the country.Samalkot CCPP EPC contract is the third significant power project bagged by RInfra EPC from Reliance Power. The other EPC contracts were for the Sasan UMPP in Madhya Pradesh and Butibouri in Maharashtra.The contact value for the project is Rs 7,200 crore and shall execute the contract on lumpsum, turnkey EPC Contract basis. Samalkot CCPP will deploy efficient, green and robust technology and the project would commence power generation by end of 2011. Gas and Steam Turbine orders have already been placed with General Electric, USA. Other major contracts have been awarded to reputed domestic and international companies.plant will supply power end of this year.
There are 18 village panchayats in Samalkota mandal.[3]