Nagullanka

Nagullanka
నాగుల్లంక
Village

Scenic Greenery by Kotikalapudi
Nickname(s): Konaseema
Nagullanka
Coordinates: 16°31′58″N 81°52′22″E / 16.53278°N 81.87278°ECoordinates: 16°31′58″N 81°52′22″E / 16.53278°N 81.87278°E
Country  India
State Andhra Pradesh
Region Andhra
District East Godavari district
Government
 • Body Government of India, Government of Andhra Pradesh
Area
 • Total 20 km2 (8 sq mi)
Elevation 1 m (3 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 11,304
 • Density 200/km2 (500/sq mi)
Demonym Indian
Languages
 • Official Telugu
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 533 249
Telephone code +91-8862-XXX XXXX
Vehicle registration AP05
Climate Aw (Köppen)
Precipitation 1,200 millimetres (47 in)
Avg. annual temperature 26.0 °C (78.8 °F)
Avg. summer temperature 45.9 °C (114.6 °F)
Avg. winter temperature 23.5 °C (74.3 °F)
Website http://kotikalapudi.blogspot.in/

Nagullanka ( pronunciation of Nagullanka by Kotikalapudi ) is a delta located in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India. This delta is surrounded with all sides by water and is very much famous for its scenic greenery. The northern side is bounded by Gautami Godavari and southern side is bounded by Vasista Godavari. It is one of most fertile lands present in the district and is also called as Konaseema.

The entire region is rich in Coconut trees, Mango trees and paddy fields. It has the great history in producing quality engineers and namely Kotikalapudi Satya Venkata Bapanna renowned civil engineer worked for Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) in Visakhapatnam. He was popularly known for planning and designing of VUDA park and Kailasgiri in Visakhapatnam. Kailasagiri is a hilltop park adjacent to the sea which offers views of the Bay of Bengal, Visakhapatnam and the Eastern Ghats. An aerial tramway accesses the park from the bottom of the hill. Beach Road, from the East Point colony to the coastal battery, is dotted with parks and statues and is an evening gathering point. On the road is India's only submarine museum (the INS Kursura), the Visakha Museum and Matsyadarsini (an aquarium). VUDA park, at the beginning of Beach Road, has a musical fountain, entertainment for children and a roller rink which has hosted national and international skating competitions.

Overview

Nagullanka[1] covers a vast portion of the delta area of the Godavari river. This village is located on the north-east coast of Andhra Pradesh. It is bounded by Amalapuram on the north and by Bay of Bengal on the south and by West Godavari district on the west. It is situated between the northern latitudes of 16* 30' and 18* and between 81* 30' and 82* 30' of the eastern longitudes.[2] The major places nearby are Kakinada, Rajamundry, Amalapuram, Ambajipeta, Ravulapalem, Annavaram, Tuni, Samalkota, Bhimavaram, Razole.

According to 2011 census, the population of the village has a total of 2,767 households, with the population breakdown as follows:[3]

Most of the village is flourished with coconut plantation. Its beauty attracted several Tollywood directors and many shots in the movies like Ladies Tailor, Chanti, Kabaddi Kabaddi are shot on the banks of river. To use this natural resource the Government of India and Andhra Pradesh under Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana has employed thousands of women in the Coir Project with an expense of Rs.25 crores. The Industries that provide employment to the people and means of earning revenues to the state are Andhra Paper Mill, Plywood unit at Rampachodavaram, Godavari and Nagarjuna Fertilizers, Sugar factories at Samalkota and Pithapuram, Dairy, Hatchery and Piggary Farms, Fisheries, Spinning and Saw Mills. People are also engaged in handicrafts like bell metal crafts.

History

The history of Konaseema Dravidulu is not the usual story of migration of a community, either of choice or compulsion, but a strange one of a precious gift by one ruler to another.

Chalukya ruler Rajendra Chola had given his daughter, Rani Ammanga Devi in marriage to Rajaraja Narendra, ruler of Vengi (1022–1063) (the capital of which is the present Rajahmundry). It is said that eighteen families of Vedic scholars from Velangaman on the banks of river Kaveri were given along with the bride. They travelled on foot carrying 'Agnihotram', the ritualistic fire that is their constant companion. Some more families seem to have joined them subsequently.

The first piece of land given to them was Ryali near Ravulapalem in East Godavari District. There they built a small temple and installed the idol Jagan Mohan Murti, they had brought along with them. It is a rare piece of artistic sculpture Vishnu from the front and Mohini from the back. These Dravidians seem to have subsequently shifted and settled in Peruru and other neighboring villages, and 'Arava Dibbalu' as they are locally called, stand mute testimony to their first settlement in Ryali.

Naryana Bhat, a pre-eminent scholar among them, is said to have assisted Nannayya Bhattaraka in translation of the Sanksrit Vyasa Bharatam into Telugu. He is also said to have assisted the king in state matters. In recognition and appreciation of his services, Nandampudi Agraharam near Amalapuram was granted to him and some of the Dravidian families settled there.

A major settlement of these Dravidian families from Velangaman was however Peruru near Amalapuram in East Godavari District. It is said to have been a gift from a Palivela ruler. The recently staged ballet Konaseema Vaibhavam provided the history of the relocation of the Dravida pundits in Konaseema. It was an aesthetic and informative presentation.

History Of mankind is replete with migrations in search of pastures anew, giving rise to new communities as a result of cross-culture synthesis. The Dravidians of Southern India were no different and the movements that took place up to this side of the Vindhyas, make interesting study of formation of societies that went a long way in making contributions to a rich literary and artistic heritage. One such sect which went for a linear migration were the Dravida pundits (Brahmins) of Velangamaanu, (known more as hometown to the famed statesman Rt. Hon. V. S. Srinivasa Sastri), situated near Kumbakonam on the banks of Kaveri where the presiding deity was Sarangapani, nearly 1000 years ago.

The origin of these pre-eminent Vedic scholars, their migration to the upper planes of Andhra Pradesh, their role and influence in their adopted land over the years formed the gist of a dance ballet, Konaseema Vaibhavam recently staged by the Sri Konaseema Dravida Sangham here on the occasion of its platinum jubilee celebrations, coinciding with Ugadi. The ballet, though titled on a regional note, focused on the larger canvas of why and how migrations occur other than those taking place through economic considerations.

A little history would not be out of place at this juncture. Rajendra Chola had given away his daughter Rani Ammanga Devi to the Rajaraja Narendra (1022–1063) who was the Chalukya ruler of Vengi (capital Rajamahendravaram or Rajamundry).Together with the bride went a part of her father's dowry about 18 families of Vedic pundits by foot. Unable to proceed further for various reasons, some families decided to break journey and settle en route; around twelve families reached the destination.

Those who took to travel by boat reached the coasts of Orissa and Vizianagaram. The East Godavari belt called Konaseema beckoned these Dravidian Brahmins, as they were termed, while the regional bias among the local pundits tried to elbow them out. Sheer dint of scholarship, which the locals till then did not possess, made the Dravidians win over not only the ruler but also their prejudiced counterparts in the region.

The first piece of land that was given to these families was Ryali agraharam (dwelling place of pundit community) in the plush green belt of Konaseema. The community installed a rare piece of artistic sculpture the Jaganmohana murthi (Vishnu from the front and Mohini from the rear), a memento from the deltas of distant Kaveri in a small temple, along with the saligramas they had carried faithfully to discharge their hereditary duties.

Their Vedic wisdom and chanting knew no second in the region. In a word, Andhra Pradesh learnt its Veda patanam (reading of the Vedas) from these Dravidians. As years rolled by, ruling dynasties changed but they made no dent on the expatriate community, which by them got established in the rural soils of the Godavari delta. The virtuous lifestyle, ensconced in Veda recitation endeared them to both the local people as well as the royal patrons. Though the Dravid's merged with the region, in as much as adopting Telugu as their mother tongue in the later stages, remnants of their Kaveri origins still lie in their sartorial preferences (especially during festive occasions), customs and conventions even to this day, not to talk of their distinctive psyche. It is their credit that they are able to preserve their identity over so many decades, much as they merged with the adopted motherland.[4]

Culture

The culture of is rich traditional culture of Andhra and is typical rural culture of Andhra region. Even, the dialect of Telugu spoken here is distinct from other regions of Andhra Pradesh. The festivals of Rathotsavam (for Lord Vishnu) and Prabhala Teertham (for Lord Shiva) are famous all through the region. Most famous of Rathotsavam festivals are: Antarvedi teertham and Yanam teertham. Most famous of Prabhala Teerthams are: Nagullanka Prabhala teertham,Jaggannathota teertham, Kothapeta teertham,Muktheswaram teertham and Chintalooru teertham. The Subhramanya Sasti teerthams in Amalapuram and Kadili are also very famous.

Nagullanka is known for its green Coconut orchards, lushgreen Paddy fields and numerous canals. Apart from these it is also famous for cultivation of turmeric and a kind of Yam called Kanda. Last but not the least, it is famous for Veda-pandits, the Godavari River and the hospitality of the people.

The inhabitants of Konaseema adopted a highly sustainable life-style. For example, every part of a coconut tree is used: from roots to the leaves and everything in between. This could probably be explained by the geographic isolation from the mainland. Before the construction of critical bridge infrastructure connecting to the mainland, water-based transportation was the only option. This relative isolation led to Konaseema people becoming extremely efficient at resource usage.

And Sankrathi is the biggest festival clelebrated for 3 days, and on 3rd day Prabhalatherdham is a popular festival in Nagullanka.

Language

Nagullanka is predominantly Telugu-speaking. The Telugu spoken by the middle class is the standard dialect, while a significant population who have settled down in the village from the adjoining villages of P.Gannavaram. Historians theorise that centuries ago (when Uttarandhra was part of the Kalinga Empire), Buddhist missionaries and merchants may have taken Telugu script (derived from Brahmi script) to Southeast Asia from the shores of Uttarandhra, where it evolved into the scripts of Mon, Burmese, Thai, Khmer, Javanese, Balinese and possibly Sinhala (spoken in Sri Lanka). Their similarities to Telugu script can be discerned even today.

Climate

Nagullanka has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), with little change in temperature throughout the year. May is the hottest month with an average temperature about 37 °C (99 °F), and January is the coolest month with an average temperature near 23 °C (73 °F).

With the village location on the Bay of Bengal, the humidity is high throughout the year. Total annual rainfall is about 945 millimetres (37.2 in), most of which falls during the southwest monsoon. October is the wettest month, with about 204 millimetres (8.0 in) of rainfall. November through February is the best time to visit Nagullanka weather-wise, since temperatures are moderate.

Climate data for Nagullanka
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28.9
(84)		 31.3
(88.3)		 33.8
(92.8)		 35.3
(95.5)		 36.2
(97.2)		 35.3
(95.5)		 32.9
(91.2)		 32.7
(90.9)		 32.5
(90.5)		 31.7
(89.1)		 30.4
(86.7)		 28.9
(84)		 32.5
(90.5)
Average low °C (°F) 18.0
(64.4)		 19.9
(67.8)		 23.0
(73.4)		 26.1
(79)		 27.7
(81.9)		 27.3
(81.1)		 26.1
(79)		 26.0
(78.8)		 25.6
(78.1)		 24.3
(75.7)		 21.6
(70.9)		 18.6
(65.5)		 23.7
(74.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 11.4
(0.449)		 7.7
(0.303)		 7.5
(0.295)		 27.6
(1.087)		 57.8
(2.276)		 105.6
(4.157)		 134.6
(5.299)		 141.2
(5.559)		 174.8
(6.882)		 204.3
(8.043)		 65.3
(2.571)		 7.9
(0.311)		 945.7
(37.232)
Source: [5]

Transport

Road

Aerial view of Canal road
Canal flowing parallel to NH-214 by Kotikalapudi

Nagullanka is one of the major villages on the east coast of India connected by National Highway 214, a major highway and a part of the system of Indian highways connecting Kathipudi and Pamarru. The section of National Highway 214 from Amalapuram to Bhimavaram connects Nagullanka on the northeast and the south. The highway is an important route for transporting goods and people from these cities via Razole. The city has a broad network of roads. There are frequent buses to Kakinada, Amalapuram, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Guntur and Rajahmundry, and bus service to Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, Ongole Tirupati, Bengaluru, Chennai and elsewhere in Karnataka and Maharastra.

Residents of Nagullanka use a public-transport network provided by the APSRTC, which runs buses along a number of routes across the city and its suburbs. The APSRTC complex at Tatipaka is the hub for most of these buses, and there are traffic jams during rush hours in the heavily populated, congested Tatipaka Junction. The city corporation plans pedestrian overpasses and flyovers to address traffic problems.

Tourism

Appanapalli

Appanapalli temple by Kotikalapudi

Appanapalli a small picturesque village in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh; got its name after a Rishi (Hermit) called Appana who meditated and did penance for the betterment of the world. It holds a status as second Tirupathi of Konaseema. In the olden days it was famous for well-read Brahmins in Vedas who used to spend their time in reciting hymns and performing sacrifices as ordained in the scriptures. Historically, it was famous as the Center of unfailing rich cultural heritage of our region. Great penance and sacrifices were said to be performed here by many a sage. Although there are many forms of Maha Vishnu, the Lord resides in Appanapalli in the form of Bala Balaji (Bala means "child").

Anthervedhi

Antarvedi temple by Kotikalapudi

The area's religious fair is held on Bhishma Ekadashi, which is generally in January or February. It attracts thousands of people to this usually sleepy village located at the confluence of River Godavari with Bay of Bengal. Lord Narasimha Swamy's Kalyanam is performed on Dashami and Rath yatra was performed on 'Ekadashi day'. The royal Polamuru Sree Raja Kalidindi family descendants have rights to submit talmbarlu beeiam and other marriage items. The royal Mogaltur Sree raja Kalidindi family male descendants are the first people to pull the rope of rath, and then it is pulled by the devotees.

In keeping with tradition, archakas from Peruru participate in special puja to Koormanatha Swami, whose idol was caught in the nets of fishermen in Raktatulya river during the 14th century.

See also

References

External links

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