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Nalgonda district

Overview

Nalgonda district is an administrative district in the Indian state of Telangana. Located in the southern part of the state, it is named after its headquarters town, Nalgonda. The district lies in the Telangana plateau and forms part of the historical Telangana region that was earlier under the Hyderabad State.

Key facts
State Telangana
Country India
Headquarters Nalgonda
Region Telangana plateau, southern Telangana
Type Revenue district

Geography

Nalgonda district is situated in the south-central part of Telangana. The terrain is largely undulating plateau country with rocky outcrops, interspersed with agricultural plains. The Krishna river forms part of the district's southern boundary, and the Musi, a tributary of the Krishna, flows through the area. The Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir, built across the Krishna, lies on the district's southern edge and is an important source of irrigation and drinking water for the region.

Administration

The district is administered by a Collector and District Magistrate appointed by the Government of Telangana. It is divided into revenue divisions, which are further subdivided into mandals and revenue villages. Following the reorganisation of districts in Telangana in October 2016, the erstwhile larger Nalgonda district was bifurcated, with parts carved out to form the new districts of Suryapet and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri. The present Nalgonda district is therefore smaller in extent than the pre-2016 unit.

History

Historically, the area now covered by Nalgonda district has seen the rule of several major South Indian dynasties, including the Satavahanas, Ikshvakus, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Bahmanis and the Qutb Shahis of Golconda. The region later came under the Asaf Jahi Nizams of Hyderabad. After the integration of Hyderabad State into the Indian Union in 1948, Nalgonda became part of Hyderabad State and, from 1956, of Andhra Pradesh under the States Reorganisation Act. With the formation of Telangana as a separate state on 2 June 2014, the district became part of Telangana.

Nalgonda was a major centre of the Telangana Rebellion (1946–1951), the peasant uprising against feudal landlords and the Nizam's administration that played an important role in the political history of the region.

Economy

Agriculture is the principal occupation, with paddy, cotton, pulses, castor and chillies among the common crops. Irrigation from the Nagarjuna Sagar project and the Musi project supports cultivation in parts of the district. The district has long been known for granite quarrying and stone-cutting industries, and is also a producer of cement-grade limestone.

Demographics and language

Telugu is the principal language spoken in the district, with Urdu also used by a section of the population. The district has a predominantly rural population, with Nalgonda, Miryalaguda and Devarakonda being among the larger urban centres.

Notable places

  • Nagarjuna Sagar Dam – one of the earliest major masonry dams in India, on the Krishna river.
  • Nagarjunakonda – an important Buddhist archaeological site associated with the Ikshvaku dynasty, with relocated monuments preserved on an island in the reservoir.
  • Yadagirigutta (now in the neighbouring Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district) – a major Vaishnavite pilgrimage centre historically linked with the Nalgonda area.
  • Bhuvanagiri Fort (Bhongir) – a hilltop fort of Kakatiya origin, also now in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.
  • Devarakonda Fort – a medieval fort associated with the Recherla Velama chiefs.
  • Panagal – a historic site near Nalgonda town with temples dating to the Kakatiya period.

Transport

Nalgonda is connected by road to Hyderabad and other major towns of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. National Highway 65 (the Hyderabad–Vijayawada corridor) passes through the district. The Secunderabad–Guntur railway line of the South Central Railway serves the district, with Nalgonda and Miryalaguda being important stations on the route.

Significance

Nalgonda is significant for its role in the Telangana peasant movement, its archaeological heritage from the Ikshvaku and Kakatiya periods, and its contribution to the irrigation economy of Telangana through the Nagarjuna Sagar project. The district has also drawn attention for problems related to fluoride contamination of groundwater in several mandals, an issue that has shaped public health and water-supply policy in the region.

References

  • Wikidata entity Q15384 – Nalgonda district.
  • Government of Telangana, official district portal for Nalgonda.
  • Census of India, district handbooks for Nalgonda.