CHITTOOR DISTRICT By R. Raj kumar. Santhapet, Chittoor.(517004) 1 CHITTOOR About Chittoor district: Chittoor District also known as Chittur, is a district of India's Andhra Pradesh state in the Rayalaseema region. The district headquarters is Chittoor City. The district has a population of 4,170,468 according to 2011 census of India. Chittoor district is famous for the Tirupati, Kanipakam (TalaKona & Horsilly Hills)and Sri Kalahasti temples. It lies in the Poini river valley of southernmost Andhra Pradesh, on the NH4 Bangalore–Chennai highway. It is a major market center for mangoes, grains, sugarcane, and peanuts. Major industries around the city are Amaron Batteries, nation's leading automobile batteries, and Nutrine Confectioneries, a major chocolate/candies producer, and this city is one of the major granite and mango pulp producing centers of India. The word Chittoor comes from chittroor (meaning "small town") in Tamil language and also from chittadavula ooru ("dense forest" in Telugu). History: Chittoor District was formed on 1 April 1911, taking Chittoor, Palamaneru, Chandragiri from the then North Arcot District of Tamil Nadu and Madanapalli, Vayalpadu from Cuddapah and Punganur, Sri Kalahasti, Karvetinagar from Zamindari provinces to form united Chittoor district. Later in the late 1960s about 280 villages of chittoor district were added into the then Kanchipuram district andThiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu through the demands of Ma.Po.Sivagnanam and other leaders. Geography: Chittoor is a part of Rayalaseema. The district occupies an area of 15,359 square kilometres. The district is bounded by Anantapur District to the northwest, Cuddapah District to the north, Nellore District to the northeast, Krishnagiri District, Vellore District and Tiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu state to the south, andKolar District of Karnataka state to the west. Chittoor district lies extreme south of the Andhra Pradesh state approximately between 12°37′ - 14°8′ north latitudes and 78°3′ - 79°55′ east longitudes. 30% of the total land area is covered by forests in the district. Mango and tamarind groves surround the city of Chittoor, and cattle are raised in the district. The soils in the district constitute red loamy 57%, red sandy 34% and the remaining 9% is covered by black clay black loamy, black sandy and red clay Chittoor is around 180KM from Bangalore, around 160KM from Chennai, and around 590KM from Hyderabad, state capital and around 1800KM from National capital Delhi. 2 Rivers: The important rivers in the district are Ponnai and Swarnamukhi rivers which originate in eastern ghats. Other rivers include Kusasthali, Beema, Bahuda, Pincha, Kalyani, Araniyar and Pedderu. None of the rivers are perennial. Rivers include: *Swarnamukhi *Kalangi *Papaghni *Koundinya *Paleru *Arani *Pinchcha *Cheyyeru *Neeva *Kusasthali Hindu temples: 1. Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple on Seven Hills at Tirumala is a world famous temple. 2. Sri Govinda Raajula Swamy Temple in Tirupati 3. Sri Kodanda Raama Swamy Temple is another important temple at Tirupati. 4. Sri Padmavati Ammavaari Temple, in Tirucanuru Village near Tirupati 5. Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple Near Tirupati 6. Appalaaya Gunta Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Temple, at Appalaya Gunta near Tirupati 7. Sri Kalahastiswara Swamy Temple, at Srikaalahasti 8. Sri Vedanaarayana Swamy Temple, at Nagalapuram 9. Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Temple, at Kaanipakam Climate: The temperature in the western parts of the district like Punganur, Madanapalle, Horsley Hills are relatively lower than the eastern parts of the Chittoor District. This is because of the higher altitude of the western parts compared to the eastern parts. The summer temperatures touches 46°C in the eastern parts whereas in the western parts it ranges around 36º to 38°C. Similarly the winter temperatures of the western parts are relatively low ranging around 12°C to 14°C and in eastern parts it is 16°C to 18°C.[6] Chittoor District receives an annual rainfall of 918.1 mm. The South West Monsoon and North East Monsoon are the major sources of rainfall for the district. On average the district receives 438.0 mm of rainfall through the South West Monsoon (From June to September) and 396.0 mm from North East Monsoon (From October to December). The rainfall received by the district in the years 2002 and 2003 are 984.2 mm and 934 mm respectively. 3 Economy: In 2006 the Indian government named Chittoor one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the thirteen districts in Andhra Pradesh currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF). Household indicators In 2007–2008 the International Institute for Population Sciences interviewed 1010 households in 38 villages across the district. They found that 92.7% had access to electricity, 99.6% had drinking water, 33.3% toilet facilities, and 53.8% lived in a pucca (permanent) home. 29.3% of girls wed before the legal age of 18 and 88.2% of interviewees carried a BPL card. Assembly Constituencies: There are 14 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly MLA constituencies in Chittoor district. They are: 1. Chittoor MLA NAME - C K Babu (Indian National Congress) 2.Chandragiri MLA NAME - Srimathi Galla Aruna Kumari (Indian National Congress) 3. G.D.Nellore (Gangadhara Nellore) MLA NAME - Dr. Kuthuhallama (Indian National Congress) 4. Kuppam MLA NAME - Sri Nara Chandra Babu Naidu (Ex Chief Minister Of Andhra Pradesh (Telugu Desam Party) 5. Madanapalle MLA NAME - Sri Mohammed Shahjahan Basha (Jaha) (Indian National Congress) 6. Nagari MLA NAME – Sri Gali Muddu Krishnama Naidu (Telugu Desam Party) 7. Palamaner Ex MLA NAME - Sri Amarnath Reedy ( TDP Party) 8. Pileru MLA NAME - Sri N. Kiran Kumar Reddy (Chief Minister of Andhra pradesh) (Indian National Congress) 9. Punganur Ex MLA NAME- SRI PEDDI REDDY RAMACHANDRA REDDY (ysr Congress party) 10. PuthalapattuMLA NAME - Sri Ravi (Indian National Congress) 11. Satyavedu MLA NAME - Smt Hemalatha (Telugu Desam Party) 12. Srikalahasti MLA NAME - Sri Bojjala Gopala krishna Reddy (Telugu Desam Party) 13. Thamballapalle MLA A.V.Praveenkumar Reddy (TDP Party) 14. Tirupati MLA NAME - Sri Karunakara Reddy (YSR Congress Party) 4 Notable Peoples In Chittoor 1. Chittor V. Nagaiah, Renowned Film actor, Director. 2. Jiddu Krishnamurti, Philosopher. 3. Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar, first Deputy Speaker and second Speaker of Lok Sabha 4. Madhurantakam Rajaram, Writer, sahitya academy award winner 5. Mohan Babu a.k.a Bhaktavatsalam Naidu, Film actor 6. N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Chief Minister of A.P. 7. Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Ex-Chief Minister of A.P. 8. P. Chinnamma Reddy, was a prominent politician, known for building P.C.R. Junior College and Krishnavani Junior College and for establishing the Chittoor cooperative sugar factory 9. Pratap C Reddy, Appolo Hospitals Founder. 10. Raj Reddy, a Computer Scientist and winner of Turing Award 11. Sir C.R. Reddy, Educationalist, Founder & Vice-chancellor of Andhra University 12. Noorabdul Rrahaman Khan, Founder General Secretary of "Akhand Bharatheeya Aawaaz" National Political Party. Mandals: There are 66 Mandals with Pincode & Telephone code in Chittoor district. They are: 1. B. Kothakota - 517370 & 08582 2. Baireddipalle - 517415 & 08587 3. Bangarupalem - 517416 & 08573 4. Buchinaidu Khandriga - 517640 & 08578 5. Chandragiri - 517101 & 0877 6. Chinnagottigallu - 517193 & 08584 7. Chittoor - 517001 & 08572 8. Chowdepalle - 517257 & 08581 9. Gangadhara Nellore - 517125 & 08572 10. Gangavaram - 517408 & 08579 11. Gudipala - 517132 & 08572 12. Gudupalle - 517390 & 08570 13. Gurramkonda - 517297 & 08586 14. Irala - 517130 & 08585 15. K.V.B. Puram - 517167 & 08578 16. Kalakada - 517236 & 08586 17. Kalikiri - 517234 & 08586 18. Kambhamvaripalle - 517213 & 08584 19. Karvetinagar - 517582 & 08577 20. Kuppam - 517425 & 08570 21. Kurabalakota - 517350 & 08571 5 22. Madanapalle - 517325 & 08571 23. Mulakalacheruvu - 517390 & 08582 24. Nagalapuram - 517589 & 08576 25. Nagari - 517590 & 08577 26. Narayanavanam - 517581 & 08577 27. Nimmanapalle - 517280 & 08586 28. Nindra - 517591 & 08577 29. Pakala - 517112 & 08585 30. Palamaner - 517408 & 08579 31. Palasamudram - 517599 & 08577 32. Peddamandyam - 517297 & 08586 33. Peddapanjani - 517247 & 08579 34. Peddathippasamudram - 517391 & 08582 35. Penumuru - 517126 & 08585 36. Pileru - 517214 & 08584 37. Pitchatur - 517587 & 08576 38. Pulicherla - 517172 & 08584 39. Punganur - 517247 & 08581 40. Puthalapattu - 517124 & 08572 41. Puttur - 517583 & 08577 42. Rama Chandrapuram - 517561 & 0877 43. Ramakuppam - 517401 & 08587 44. Ramasamudram - 517417 & 08581 45. Renigunta - 517520 & 0877 46. Rompicherla - 517192 & 08584 47. Santhipuram - 517423 & 08570 48. Satyavedu - 517588 & 08576 49. Sodam - 517123 & 08583 50. Somala - 517257 & 08583 51. Srikalahasti - 517644 & 08578 52. Srirangarajapuram - 517167 & 08577 53. Thamballapalle - 517418 & 08582 54. Thavanampalle - 517131 & 08572 55. Thottambedu - 517643 & 08578 56. Tirupati Rural - 517505 & 0877 57. Tirupati Urban - 517501 & 0877 58. Vadamalapeta - 517551 & 08577 59. Varadaiahpalem - 517541 & 08576 60. Vayalpadu - 517277 & 08586 61. Vedurukuppam - 517569 & 08577 62. Venkatagirikota - 517424 & 08587 63. Vijayapuram - 517586 & 08577 64. Yadamari - 517422 & 08572 65. Yerpedu - 517619 & 08578 66. Yerravaripalem - 517194 & 08584 6 About the Mandals: 1. B.Kothakota B.Kothakota is a town and Mandal in the Chittoor district. B. Kothakota is famous for peanuts, groundnuts along with its processing