Kurnool

Overview

Kurnool is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of Kurnool district. Situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river, the city lies in the Rayalaseema region of the state. Kurnool served as the capital of Andhra State from 1 October 1953 to 31 October 1956, before the formation of the present state of Andhra Pradesh and the shifting of the capital to Hyderabad.

Key facts

Geography

Kurnool is located in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, at the confluence of the Tungabhadra and Hundri rivers. The city is part of the semi-arid Rayalaseema plateau and is surrounded by rocky terrain typical of the Deccan. The Srisailam reservoir on the Krishna river lies to the east of the district, while the Erramalai (Yerramala) hills run through the region.

History

The area around Kurnool has a long history of human settlement, with prehistoric finds reported from the Ketavaram and Jurreru valley sites in the surrounding region. In the medieval period, the town came under successive rulers including the Vijayanagara Empire. Following the decline of Vijayanagara, Kurnool came under the Nawabs of Kurnool, a line of Pathan rulers, and the Konda Reddi fort and the Gol Gummaz pavilion are among the surviving monuments from this period.

After the British annexation of the territory in the 19th century, Kurnool became part of the Madras Presidency. With the linguistic reorganisation of the country, the Telugu-speaking districts of the Madras State were carved out as Andhra State on 1 October 1953, with Kurnool as the capital. Following the formation of Andhra Pradesh on 1 November 1956 by the merger of Andhra State with the Telugu-speaking areas of Hyderabad State, the capital was moved to Hyderabad.

Administration

Kurnool city is administered by the Kurnool Municipal Corporation. The city is the headquarters of Kurnool district and houses district-level offices, courts and other administrative institutions. It also serves as a divisional headquarters for revenue and police administration in the region.

Economy

The economy of Kurnool is based on trade, agriculture-related commerce, education and services. The surrounding district is known for the cultivation of cotton, paddy, groundnut, sunflower and pulses, and for the mining and processing of stone, including the well-known Kurnool slabs and limestone. Cement and granite industries operate in and around the district.

Transport

• Road: National Highway 44 (the Srinagar–Kanyakumari corridor) passes through Kurnool, connecting it with Hyderabad to the north and Bengaluru to the south. National Highway 40 links the city with Chittoor via Kadapa.
• Rail: Kurnool City railway station lies on the Guntakal–Secunderabad line of the South Central Railway.
• Air: Orvakal Airport, located on the outskirts of the city, provides regional air connectivity.

Education and institutions

Kurnool is home to several institutions of higher education, including Rayalaseema University and Kurnool Medical College, one of the older medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh. The Government General Hospital at Kurnool is associated with the medical college and serves as a major referral hospital for the Rayalaseema region.

Culture and landmarks

• Konda Reddy Fort: A historic fort in the centre of the city, associated with the Vijayanagara and Nawab periods.
• Abdul Wahab Mosque and Gol Gummaz: Monuments from the era of the Nawabs of Kurnool.
• Belum Caves: One of the longest cave systems in the Indian subcontinent, located in the district.
• Yaganti and Mahanandi temples: Important Shaiva pilgrimage centres in the district.
• Srisailam: The Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga shrine and the Srisailam Dam lie in the eastern part of the district.