Kurnool
It is the former capital of Andhra State (not Andhra Pradesh), which was carved out of Madras State in 1953. The present day Andhra Pradesh was formed when Nizam, Andhra, parts of Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa regions merged.
Etymology
Kurnool is the gateway to Rayalaseema and the largest city of Rayalaseema with a population around 2.7 lakhs. It has many educational institutes and is also a major hub for banking and insurance companies. The original name of Kurnool was Kandenaolu, which literally means "lubricating village". Bullock carts used to transport river sand from the banks of the river that ran on both sides of the village would stop here to lubricate their wheels. The name was changed to "Kurnool" when the British took over the town.
History
Kurnool, as a village, has existed for more than 2000 years. Kurnool was a major fort during the reign of the Vijayanagar emperors. There is still a grand citadel, Konda Reddy Buruju, which symbolizes the glory which the town enjoyed in Vijayanagar times, but it is not certain how the watchtower got its name. According to one old story, the fort was built by King Konda Reddy.
Kurnool city lies on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is the headquarters of the mandal, the revenue division and the district of the same name. It was the capital of Andhra State from 1 October, 1953 to 31 October, 1956.
In pre-historic times, Kurnool formed a part of Dandakaranya forest and Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana came to this part of the country in search of Sri Sita. The famous Chinese traveller Hieuntsang, on his way to Kanchi, passed through Kurnool.
The name Kurnool is said to have been derived from Kandenavolu Regarding Kandanavolu (a Telugu name by which it is referred to in the inscriptions and literature of the past), there is an interesting legend. According to the legend, in the time of the Western Chalukyas of Badami in the 11 Century A.D., the Vadderas who carted stones of the construction of the temples at Alampur (also known as Dakshina Kasi in Mahaboobnagar District) used the site on which the city now stands as a halting place before crossing the Tungabhadra and greased their cart-wheels with oil, locally supplied by some of the oil mongers and called the place Kandenametta. This circumstance led to the formation of a small settlement on the spot which subsequently came to be known as Kandenapalli, Kandenolu and Kandenavolu, the city of Kandena or grease. It is also interesting to note that the site which was used as a halting place by the Vadderas in those days is still known as Bandla Metta (Bandla means carts; Metta means headquarters or halting place), a street in the Old Kurnool city.
In some of the inscriptions, Kurnool is referred to as Kannadu or Karu Nadu (Karu means black; Nadu means territory). Some scholars argue that Kurnool derived its name from Kallu which means stone and Nadu which means territory.
Kurnool is also said to have been derived from Skandanavolu, the city of Skanda or Kumaraswamy. The worship of Skanda in Andhradesha is very ancient. The cities were also named after Skanda, the chief God of war of the devas.
Coming to the 18 & 19 Century's. When the British Missionaries were still doing the Lord's Work they started to construct a few churches for the Indian Andhra Believers out of few churches COLES CENTENNIAL BAPTIST CHURCH was one of them.The Foundation Stone was laid by Rev.JOHN NEW COMB in 1917 on November 3rd & was Completed on September 21st 1919. It was a gift given to the Kurnool Believers by Rev.Dr.J.Ackerman Coles M.D.LLD. who has never visited the Kurnool town. The Church building is one of the most beautiful edifice in south India and a monument to an energetic missionary vision & painstaking efforts of Dr.William Aurthur Staton. This Church was constructed for only 50 member group of believers which at present has almost 10,000 believers with 10 sub branch churches. It is located in the center of the city near to Konda reddy Fort.
Kurnool is also referred to as Dakshina Shirdi as the first ever temple of Lord Shri Shirdi Sai Baba was built in Kurnool. This temple was built even before the Shirdi Temple was constructed. This stellar or star-shaped temple is on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.
Colleges and schools
1. Rayalaseema university 2. Kurnool Degree College 3. St. Joseph's English School 4. St. Joseph's Junior College 5. St. Joseph's Degree College 6. St. Joseph's PG College 3. Ideal English Medium High School 4. Government Town Model High School 5. Coles Memorial High School 6. Coles Memorial Junior College 7. Municipal High School, Near Control Room 8. Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy group of schools 9. Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy residential high school, Dinnedevarapadu 10. Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Sankal Bagh, N.R. Peta 11. S.T.B.C. College, Railway Station Road 12. Osmania Degree College for Men, 13. Sree Manik Junior College, Vidya Nagar 14. Kasireddy Venkat Reddy Govt college for Women 15. G.Pulla Reddy Engineering College, Kurnool 16. Sri Vijaya Durga Degree College, Sree Lakshmi Nagar 17. St Joseph English Medium School 18. Everest English School, Onetown area 19. Trinity English Medium School, Ashok Nagar, Sri Krishna Colony 20. Kurnool Medical College 21. Silver Jubilee Government Degree College, B-Camp 22. GATE COACHING CENTRE, SANKARAS DEGREE COLLEGE, KURNOOL. 23. G.Pulliah College of Engineering, Nandikotkur Road, Kurnool. 24. Ravindra College of Engineering for Women, Nandikotkur Road, Kurnool.
* St. Paul's English Medium School, N.R. Peta
* G.Pulla Reddy Engineering College]], Nandyal Road
* G. Pulla Reddy Dental college
* Safa College of Engineering and Technology.
* Premier Jr.College, Birla campus, Railway Gate
* Osmania College, Kurnool [2]
* St. Joseph's English School
* St. Joseph's Degree College
* Hussainappa High School, Sri Ramnagar
* Vavilala Jr. College
* Adarsha vidya peetham School
* Vasavi Degree College, King Market
* Montessori High School, A-Camp
* Montessori High School, Vidya Nagar
* Universal English High School
* Varma English High School
* Good Shepherd English School, near Nadyal check post
* Sree Manik High School, Vidya Nagar
* Ravindra Vidya Nikethan, Abbas Nagar.
* Sri Krishna Junior College, Abbas Nagar.
* Little Birds School, Challa campground.
* Infosys Institute, U-Con Plaza.
* Srilakshmi English medium school, N.R.Peta.
* St.John's College of Eng & tech, Yerrakota.
* ICT (Image Computer Technologies), Gandhi Nager.
* Unique English High School, Abbas Nagar.
* Silver Jubilee Govt Degree College for men, Doctor's Colony, B-Camp.
* Nalanda Junior College
* Narayana Junior College, Beside Abdulla Khan Estate.
* Bhashyam High School, Sankal Bhag, N.R. Peta.
* Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy College, Velgode.
* Sri Rama Krishna Degree & PG college, Nandyal.
* Kesava Reddy Public School, Nandyal.
* Good Shepherd school, Nandyal.
* Sri Guru Raghavedra Banking Coaching Center, Nandyal
* Nandyal Polytechnic College, Nandyal
* Dr. Abdul Huq Unani Medical College.
* St Mary's Boys High School, near Children's Park.
* RAMAKRISHNA VIDYALAYAM HIGH SCHOOL MADDUR NAGAR
* christian institute of D.M.L.T. maddurnagar
