1.
Godavari River
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The Godavari is the second longest river in India after the river Ganges having its source at Tryambakeshwar, Maharashtra. Measuring up to 312,812 km2, it one of the largest river basins in the Indian subcontinent, with only the Ganges. However, in the past few decades, the river has been abused with relentless construction of barrages and dams. The river delta, supporting 729 persons/km2 – nearly twice the density average for the nation, has been categorized as having substantial risk to greater risk of flooding with rising sea levels. The Godavari originates 80 km from the Arabian Sea in the Western Ghats of central India near Nasik in Maharashtra. The Godavari River has an area of 312,812 km2. The river basin is considered to be divided into 3 sections, Upper, Middle and these put together account for 24. 2% of the total basin area. The rivers annual average water inflows are nearly 110 billion cubic metres, nearly 50% of the water availability is being harnessed. The water allocation from the river among the states are governed by the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal. The river has highest flood flows in India and experienced recorded flood of 3.6 million cusecs in the year 1986, within Nashik District the river assumes a north-easterly course till it flows into the Gangapur Reservoir created by a dam of the same name. The reservoir along with the Kashypi Dam provides potable water to Nashik, about 25 km below Nasik is the confluence of the Godavari and one of its tributaries, the Darna river. The stream occupies, for nine months in the year, a space in a wide and gravelly bed. A few kilometres after its meeting with the Darna, the Godavari swerves to the north-east, till the Banganga, from the north-west, the course of the main stream then tends more decidedly south. At Nandur-Madhmeshwar, the Kadva, a large affluent, brings considerable increase to the waters of the Godavari. The river begins its southeasterly course characteristic of rivers of the Deccan Plateau, the river beyond exits the Niphad Taluka of Nashik and enter the Kopargaon taluka, Ahmednagar District. Within Ahmednagar the river completes its short course, flowing alongside the town of Kopargaon. By virtue of a sub-tributary of Pravara – Mandohol, which originates in Pune District – the basin impinges the Pune District, the river at Paithan has been impounded by the Jayakwadi Dam forming the NathSagar Reservoir. Kalsubai located in Godavari basin, is the highest peak in Maharashtra, Beed and Jalna Beed and Parbhani, Located along here is its merger with Sindphana, an important tributary which drains a considerably large area within Beed
2.
Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary
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Papi Hills is a scenic gorge located on a section of the Godavari river in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India
3.
Andhra Pradesh
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Andhra Pradesh is one of the 29 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of the country. The state is the eighth largest state in India covering an area of 162,968 km2, as per 2011 Census of India, the state is tenth largest by population with 49,386,799 inhabitants. On 2 June 2014, the portion of the state was bifurcated to form a new state of Telangana. In accordance with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act,2014, Hyderabad will remain the de jure capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states for a period of not exceeding 10 years. The new riverfront proposed capital in Guntur district is Amaravati, which is under the jurisdiction of APCRDA, the Gross State Domestic Product of the state in the 2016–2017 financial year at current prices stood at ₹6,800.3 billion. The state has a coastline of 974 km with jurisdiction over nearly 15,000 km2 territorial waters, the second longest among all the states of India after Gujarat. It is bordered by Telangana in the north-west, Chhattisgarh in the north, Odisha in the north-east, Karnataka in the west, Tamil Nadu in the south and the water body of Bay of Bengal in the east. A small enclave of 30 km2 of Yanam, a district of Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh is composed of two regions, Coastal Andhra, located along the Bay of Bengal, and Rayalaseema, in the inland southwestern part of the state. These two regions comprise 13 districts, with 9 in Coastal Andhra and 4 in Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh hosted 121.8 million visitors in 2015, a 30% growth in tourist arrivals over the previous year. The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati is one of the worlds most visited religious sites, a tribe named Andhra has been mentioned in the Sanskrit texts such as Aitareya Brahmana. According to Aitareya Brahmana of the Rig Veda, the Andhras left north India, archaeological evidence from places such as Amaravati, Dharanikota and Vaddamanu suggests that the Andhra region was part of the Mauryan Empire. Amaravati might have been a centre for the Mauryan rule. After the death of emperor Ashoka, the Mauryan rule weakened around 200 BCE, the Satavahana dynasty dominated the Deccan region from the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The Satavahanas have been mentioned by the names Andhra, Andhrara-jatiya and Andhra-bhrtya in the Puranic literature, Dharanikota along with Amaravathi was the capital of the later Satavahanas. Amaravathi became a trade and pilgrimage centre during the Satavahana rule. According to the Buddhist tradition, Nagarjuna lived here, possibly in second, Andhra Ikshvakus were one of the earliest recorded ruling dynasties of the Guntur-Krishna regions of Andhra Pradesh. They ruled the eastern Andhra country along the Krishna river during the half of the second century CE. Puranas called Andhra Ikshvakus Shri Parvatiya Andhras, archaeological evidence has suggested that the Andhra Ikshvakus immediately succeeded the Satavahanas in the Krishna river valley
4.
India
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India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and it is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, in the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a border with Thailand. The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE, in the following millennium, the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed. Social stratification, based on caste, emerged in the first millennium BCE, early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires, the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia. In the medieval era, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived, much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate, the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire. The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal empire, in the mid-18th century, the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule, and in the mid-19th under British crown rule. A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century, which later, under Mahatma Gandhi, was noted for nonviolent resistance, in 2015, the Indian economy was the worlds seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity. Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India became one of the major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition, a nuclear weapons state and regional power, it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks sixth in military expenditure among nations. India is a constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system. It is a pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, the latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi, which translates as The people of the Indus, the geographical term Bharat, which is recognised by the Constitution of India as an official name for the country, is used by many Indian languages in its variations. Scholars believe it to be named after the Vedic tribe of Bharatas in the second millennium B. C. E and it is also traditionally associated with the rule of the legendary emperor Bharata. Gaṇarājya is the Sanskrit/Hindi term for republic dating back to the ancient times, hindustan is a Persian name for India dating back to the 3rd century B. C. E. It was introduced into India by the Mughals and widely used since then and its meaning varied, referring to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan or India in its entirety
5.
Summit
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A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a maximum in elevation. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak, and zenith are synonymous, the UIAA definition is that a summit is independent if it has a prominence of 30 metres or more, it is a mountain if it has a prominence of at least 300 metres. This can be summarised as follows, A pyramidal peak is an exaggerated form produced by ice erosion of a mountain top, Summit may also refer to the highest point along a line, trail, or route. In many parts of the western United States, the term refers to the highest point along a road, highway. For example, the highest point along Interstate 80 in California is referred to as Donner Summit while the highest point on Interstate 5 is Siskiyou Mountain Summit, geoid Hill List of highest mountains Maxima and minima Nadir Summit accordance Peak finder
6.
Topographic prominence
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It is a measure of the independence of a summit. A peaks key col is a point on this contour line. By convention, the prominence of Mount Everest, the Earths highest mountain, is taken to equal the elevation of its summit above sea level, if the peaks prominence is P metres, to get from the summit to any higher terrain one must descend at least P metres. Together with the convention for Mount Everest, this implies that the prominence of any island or continental highpoint is equal to its elevation above sea level, for every ridge connecting the peak to higher terrain, find the lowest point on the ridge. The key col is defined as the highest of these cols, the prominence is the difference between the elevation of the peak and the elevation of the key col. The following mental exercise may illustrate the meaning of topographic prominence, imagine you are standing at the top of a peak and imagine that an imaginary sea level rises to your feet. Now slowly lower the sea level and an imaginary island appears beneath your feet. Your island will grow and will merge with other islands that emerge, the parent peak may be either close or far from the subject peak. The summit of Mount Everest is the parent peak of Aconcagua at a distance of 17,755 km, the key col may also be close or far from the subject peak. The key col for Aconcagua is the Bering Strait at a distance of 13,655 km, the key col for the South Summit of Mount Everest is about 100 m distant. Prominence is interesting to many mountaineers because it is a measurement that is strongly correlated with the subjective significance of a summit. Peaks with low prominences are either subsidiary tops of some higher summit or relatively insignificant independent summits, peaks with high prominences tend to be the highest points around and are likely to have extraordinary views. Only summits with a sufficient degree of prominence are regarded as independent mountains, for example, the worlds second-highest mountain is K2. While Mount Everests South Summit is taller than K2, it is not considered an independent mountain because it is a subsummit of the main summit, many lists of mountains take topographic prominence as a criterion for inclusion, or cutoff. John and Anne Nuttalls The Mountains of England and Wales uses a cutoff of 15 m, in the contiguous United States, the famous list of fourteeners uses a cutoff of 300 ft /91 m. Also in the U. S.2000 feet of prominence has become a threshold that signifies that a peak has major stature. This generates lists of peaks ranked by prominence, which are different from lists ranked by elevation. Such lists tend to emphasize isolated high peaks, such as range or island high points, one advantage of a prominence-ranked list is that it needs no cutoff, since a peak with high prominence is automatically an independent peak
7.
Odisha
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Odisha (/ɒˈrɪsə, ɔː-, oʊ-/, is one of the 29 states of India, located in the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north-east, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west, Odisha has 485 kilometres of coastline along the Bay of Bengal on its east, from Balasore to Malkangiri. It is the 9th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population and it is also the 3rd most populous state of India in terms of tribal population. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census. The ancient kingdom of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in 261 BCE resulting in the Kalinga War, the modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day, the region is also known as Utkala and is mentioned in Indias national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. Cuttack was made the capital of the region by Anantavarman Chodaganga in c,1135, after which the city was used as the capital by many rulers, through the British era until 1948. Thereafter, Bhubaneswar became the capital of Odisha, the term Odisha is derived from the ancient Prakrit word Odda Visaya as in the Tirumalai inscription of Rajendra Chola I, which is dated to 1025. Sarala Das, who translated the Mahabharata into the Odia language in the 15th century, calls the region Odra Rashtra, the inscriptions of Kapilendra Deva of the Gajapati Kingdom on the walls of temples in Puri call the region Odisha or Odisha Rajya. After a brief debate, the house, Lok Sabha, passed the bill. On 24 March 2011, Rajya Sabha, the house of Parliament, also passed the bill. Prehistoric Acheulian tools dating to Lower Paleolithic era have been discovered in places in the region. Kalinga has been mentioned in ancient texts like Mahabharata, Vayu Purana, the Sabar people of Odisha have also been mentioned in the Mahabharata. Baudhayana mentions Kalinga as not yet being influenced by Vedic traditions, Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty conquered Kalinga in the bloody Kalinga War in 261 BCE, which was the eighth year of his reign. According to his own edicts, in that war about 100,000 people were killed,150,000 were captured, the resulting bloodshed and suffering of the war is said to have deeply affected Ashoka. He turned into a pacifist and converted to Buddhism, by c.150 CE, emperor Kharavela, who was possibly a contemporary of Demetrius I of Bactria, conquered a major part of the Indian sub-continent. He also built the monastery atop the Udayagiri hill, subsequently, the region was ruled by monarchs, such as Samudragupta and Shashanka. It was also a part of Harshas empire, later, the kings of the Somavamsi dynasty began to unite the region
8.
Karnataka
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Karnataka is a state in south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The capital and largest city is Bangalore, the state covers an area of 191,976 square kilometres, or 5.83 percent of the total geographical area of India. It is the seventh largest Indian state by area, with 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is the eighth largest state by population, comprising 30 districts. Kannada, one of the languages of India, is the most widely spoken. Most of these rivers flow out of Karnataka eastward into the Bay of Bengal, though several etymologies have been suggested for the name Karnataka, the generally accepted one is that Karnataka is derived from the Kannada words karu and nādu, meaning elevated land. Karu nadu may also be read as karu, meaning black, the British used the word Carnatic, sometimes Karnatak, to describe both sides of peninsular India, south of the Krishna. With an antiquity that dates to the paleolithic, Karnataka has been home to some of the most powerful empires of ancient, the philosophers and musical bards patronised by these empires launched socio-religious and literary movements which have endured to the present day. Karnataka has contributed significantly to both forms of Indian classical music, the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions, Karnatakas pre-history goes back to a paleolithic hand-axe culture evidenced by discoveries of, among other things, hand axes and cleavers in the region. Evidence of neolithic and megalithic cultures have also found in the state. Gold discovered in Harappa was found to be imported from mines in Karnataka, prior to the third century BCE, most of Karnataka formed part of the Nanda Empire before coming under the Mauryan empire of Emperor Ashoka. Four centuries of Satavahana rule followed, allowing them to large areas of Karnataka. The decline of Satavahana power led to the rise of the earliest native kingdoms, the Kadambas, the Kadamba Dynasty, founded by Mayurasharma, had its capital at Banavasi, the Western Ganga Dynasty was formed with Talakad as its capital. These were also the first kingdoms to use Kannada in administration, as evidenced by the Halmidi inscription, the Western Chalukyas patronised a unique style of architecture and Kannada literature which became a precursor to the Hoysala art of 12th century. Parts of modern-day Southern Karnataka were occupied by the Chola Empire at the turn of 11th century, the Cholas and the Hoysalas fought over the region in the early 12th century before it eventually came under Hoysala rule. At the turn of the first millennium, the Hoysalas gained power in the region, literature flourished during this time, which led to the emergence of distinctive Kannada literary metres, and the construction of temples and sculptures adhering to the Vesara style of architecture. The expansion of the Hoysala Empire brought minor parts of modern Andhra Pradesh, in the early 14th century, Harihara and Bukka Raya established the Vijayanagara empire with its capital, Hosapattana, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the modern Bellary district. The empire rose as a bulwark against Muslim advances into South India, in 1565, Karnataka and the rest of South India experienced a major geopolitical shift when the Vijayanagara empire fell to a confederation of Islamic sultanates in the Battle of Talikota
9.
Tamil Nadu
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Tamil Nadu is one of the 29 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai, Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Puducherry and the South Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The state shares a border with the nation of Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu is the eleventh-largest state in India by area and the sixth-most populous, the state was ranked sixth among states in India according to the Human Development Index in 2011, with the second-largest state economy after Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu is the second largest state economy in India with ₹13,842 billion in gross domestic product after Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu was ranked as one of the top seven developed states in India based on a Multidimensional Development Index in a 2013 report published by the Reserve Bank of India and its official language is Tamil, which is one of the longest-surviving classical languages in the world. Tamil Nadu is home to natural resources. In addition, its people have developed and continue classical arts, classical music, historic buildings and religious sites include Hindu temples of Tamil architecture, hill stations, beach resorts, multi-religious pilgrimage sites, and eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Archaeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in the Indian peninsula, the ASI archaeologists have proposed that the script used at that site is very rudimentary Tamil Brahmi. Adichanallur has been announced as a site for further excavation. About 60 per cent of the epigraphical inscriptions found by the ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu. A Neolithic stone celt with the Indus script on it was discovered at Sembian-Kandiyur near Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, according to epigraphist Iravatham Mahadevan, this was the first datable artefact bearing the Indus script to be found in Tamil Nadu. Mahadevan claimed that the find was evidence of the use of the Harappan language, the date of the celt was estimated at between 1500 BCE and 2000 BCE. The early history of the people and rulers of Tamil Nadu is a topic in Tamil literary sources known as Sangam literature, numismatic, archaeological and literary sources corroborate that the Sangam period lasted for about six centuries, from 300 BC to AD300. Three dynasties, namely the Chera, Chola and Pandya, ruled the area of present-day Tamil Nadu, the Chera ruled the whole of present-day Kerala and parts of western Tamil Nadu comprising Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Karur, Salem and Erode districts from the capital of Vanchi Muthur. The Chola dynasty ruled the northern and central parts of Tamil Nadu from their capital, Uraiyur, All three dynasties had extensive trade relationships with Rome, Greece, Egypt, Ceylon, Phoenicia, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. Trade flourished in commodities such as spices, ivory, pearls, beads, Chera traded extensively from Muziris on the west coast, Chola from Arikamedu and Puhar and Pandya through Korkai port. A Greco-Roman trade and travel document, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea gives a description of the Tamil country, besides these three dynasties, the Sangam era Tamilakam was also divided into various provinces named nadu, meaning country
10.
West Bengal
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West Bengal is an Indian state, located in East India on the Bay of Bengal. It is Indias fourth-most populous state, with over 91 million inhabitants and it has a total area of 34,267 sq mi, making it similar in size to Serbia. A part of the ethno-linguistic Bengal region, it borders Bangladesh in the east and Nepal and it also has borders five Indian states, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim and Assam. The state capital is Kolkata, the seventh-largest city in India, the geography of West Bengal includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in its extreme north, the Ganges delta, the Rarh region and the coastal Sundarbans. The main ethnic group are the Bengali people, with Bengali Hindus forming the demographic majority, Ancient Bengal was the site of several major janapadas, including Vanga, Radha, Pundra and Suhma. In the 2nd century BC, the region was conquered by the emperor Ashoka, in the 4th century AD, it was absorbed into the Gupta Empire. From the 13th century onward, the region was ruled by sultans, powerful Hindu states and Baro-Bhuyan landlords. The British East India Company cemented their hold on the following the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Between 1977 and 2011, the state was administered by the worlds longest elected Communist government, a major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to Indias net domestic product. It is noted for its activities and the presence of cultural and educational institutions. The states cultural heritage, besides varied folk traditions, ranges from stalwarts in literature including Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore to scores of musicians, film-makers and artists. West Bengal is also distinct from most other Indian states in its appreciation and practice of playing football besides cricket. The origin of the name Bengal is unknown, one theory suggests that the word derives from Bang, a Dravidian tribe that settled the region around 1000 BC. The word might have derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga. Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name, the early history is obscure. At the end of British Rule over the Indian subcontinent, the Bengal region was partitioned in 1947 along religious lines into east and west, the east came to be known as East Bengal and the west came to known as West Bengal, which continued as an Indian state. In 2011, the Government of West Bengal proposed a change in the name of the state to Poschimbongo. This is the name of the state, literally meaning western Bengal in the native Bengali language
11.
Eastern India
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East India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and also the union territory Andaman and Nicobar Islands. West Bengals capital Kolkata is the largest city of this region, the Kolkata Metropolitan Area is the countrys third largest. The state of West Bengal share some cultural and linguistic characteristics with Bangladesh, Odisha is the only state of India, which has a classical language Odia, a classical dance Odissi and a classical music Odissi music. Odia is the language in east India accorded the status of a Classical Language of India. Together with Bangladesh, West Bengal formed the region of Bengal before partition in 1947. The modern state of Odisha was known as Kalinga, Odra desha and it was ruled by indigenous rulers of the Mahameghavahana dynasty, Eastern Ganga dynasty and Gajapati Dynasty. The bulk of the lies on the east coast of India by the Bay of Bengal. Jharkhand, on the Chhota Nagpur plateau, is a hilly, Odisha is also a mineral rich state of India. It is connected to the Seven Sister States of Northeast India by the narrow Siliguri Corridor in the north east of West Bengal, in medieval India, it was incorporated into the Mughal, Maratha and then the British empire. After independence in 1947, the joined the Indian Union. Today, they continue to face problems of overpopulation, environmental degradation and pervasive corruption despite significant economic, after the Kalinga War the Maurya king Ashoka sent emissaries to spread Buddhism across Asia. The famous university of Nalanda was in Bihar, chinese travellers visited Buddhist and Hindu temples and libraries in the universities of Magadha Empire. The Emperor of Kalinga Mahameghavahana Aira Kharavela was one of the most powerful monarchs of ancient India, the Jain thirkhankar Mahaveer was born here and founded Jainism. Islamic invasions in the 13th century resulted in the collapse of Hindu kings and most Buddhists, especially in East Bengal, East India including Bihar and West Bengal was part of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. Odisha remained a powerful Hindu dynasty under the rule of Soma/Keshari Dynasty, Eastern Ganga Dynasty, the mighty Nalanda University existed at Nalanda which was destroyed by Bakhtiar Khilji during the 12th century and also defeated Sena Dynasty. Sher Shah Suri, who became king of India after defeating Humayun, with the arrival of the Europeans in the 17th century, outposts were established in Odisha Coast and Bengal. The European traders established their trade centres in the ports of Balasore, Pipili. The Portuguese were in Chittagong, Dutch in Chinsura, French in Pondicherry, in 1756, the British East India Company defeated the local Indian Muslim rulers in Plassey and established British Rule in the subcontinent
12.
South India
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The region occupies 19. 31% of Indias land area. Covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau, South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse, with two ranges, the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari River, Krishna River, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non-perennial sources of water, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas. Majority of the people in South India speak one of the four major Dravidian languages, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. During its history, a number of kingdoms ruled over parts of South India whose invasions across southern and southeastern Asia impacted the history. Major dynasties that were established in South India include the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, european countries entered India through Kerala and the region was colonised by Britain and other nations. HDI in the states is high and the economy has undergone growth at a faster rate than most northern states. Literacy rates in the states are higher than the national average with approximately 80% of the population capable of reading and writing. The fertility rate in South India is 1.9, the lowest of all regions in India, South India also known as Peninsular India has been known by several other names. Carnatic derived from Karnād or Karunād meaning high country has also associated with South India. Carbon dating on ash mounds associated with Neolithic cultures in South India date back to 8000 BCE, artefacts such as ground stone axes, and minor copper objects have been found in the region. Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE, iron technology spread through the region, however, the region was in the middle of a trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu linking the Mediterranean and East Asia. Trade with Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Syrians, Jews, the region was part of the ancient Silk Road connecting the Asian continent in the East and the West. C. to 14th century A. D. The Vijayanagara Empire, founded in 14th century A. D. was the last Indian dynasty that ruled over the region. The Europeans arrived in the 15th century and by the middle of the 18th century, the French, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. During the British colonial rule, the region was divided into the Madras Presidency, Hyderabad state, Mysore, Travancore, Kochi, Vizianagaram and a number of other minor princely states. After the independence of India in 1947, the region was organised into four states, Madras State, Mysore State, Hyderabad State and Travancore-Cochin
13.
Visakhapatnam
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Visakhapatnam is the largest city, both in terms of area and population in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the coast of Bay of Bengal in the eastern region of the state. It is the headquarters of Visakhapatnam district and also the Financial Capital of Andhra Pradesh. As of 2011, the population of the city was recorded as 2,035,922, making it the 14th largest city in the country, Visakhapatnam Port is the fifth busiest port in India in terms of cargo handled. Visakhapatnam is home to the oldest shipyard and the natural harbour on the east coast of India. Visakhapatnams history stretches back to the 6th century BCE, historically, it was considered part of the Kalinga ancient region, and later ruled by the Vengi kingdom, the Pallava and Eastern Ganga dynasties. Conquered by the Mughals in the 16th century, European powers eventually set up trading interests in the city, control passed to the British in 1804 and it remained under British colonial rule until Indias independence in 1947. After independence, Visakhapatnam developed into one of the chief ports. The city is located between the Eastern Ghats mountain range and the Bay of Bengal, and is known as The Jewel of the East Coast, The City of Destiny. Visakhapatnams beaches, parks, museums, and proximity to areas of beauty have helped the city become a significant tourist destination. Visakhapatnam has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a city under PM Narendra Modis flagship Smart Cities Mission. Visakhapatnam was ranked as the fifth cleanest city in India according to the governments Swachhta Sarvekshan rankings, the name Visakhapatnam was derived from the shrine of God Visakha, built by a King of Andhrain 4th century. The city coordinates lies between 17. 6883° N latitude, and 83. 2186° E longitude and its periphery consists of plains along the coast line while the interiors boast of the beautiful hills of the Eastern Ghats which surround it on the North and the West. This region is called the Agency Division. It occupies an area of approximately 11,161 km2, visakhapatnams history stretches back to the 6th century B. C. E. and the city finds mention in ancient texts, such as the 4th century B. C. E. Historically considered part of the Kalinga region, it was ruled by the Vengi kingdom, archaeological records suggest that the present city was built around the 11th and 12th centuries C. E. by the Chola Dynasty king Kulothunga I. Control over the city fluctuated between the Chola Dynasty of Tamil Nadu and the Gajapati Kingdom of Odisha until its conquest by the Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century, in the 16th century, it was conquered by the Mughals. European powers eventually set up trading interests in the city, the city was ruled by Andhra Kings of Vengi and Pallavas
14.
Vijayawada
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Vijayawada is a city on the banks of the Krishna River, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a corporation and the headquarters of Vijayawada mandal in Krishna district of the state. The city forms a part of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and the headquarters of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority is located in the city. The city is one of the trading and business centres of the state and hence. The city is one of the two metropolis in the state, with the other being Visakhapatnam. As of 2011 census, the city had a population of 1,048,240, making it the second largest city in the state in terms of population and it had an urban agglomeration population of 1,491,202. As per the Demographia World Urban Areas,2016, the city is the third most densely populated in terms of population in built-up areas of the world. The city has been recognised as a Global City of the Future by McKinsey Quarterly and it is one of the commercial hubs of Andhra Pradesh with a nominal GDP of $3 billion in 2010, and is expected to increase to $17 billion by 2025. There are many legends behind the origin of the name Vijayawada, Goddess Durga killed the demon and relaxed in this place for some time. As she was victorious, the place came to be known as Vijayawada, the epic Mahabharata refers to the Indrakiladri hills as the place where Arjuna secured Pashupatastra from Lord Shiva. The city thereafter came to be known as Vijayavatika and later as Vijayawada, in some legends, Vijayawada was referred to as Rajendracholapura. A tale behind its acquiring the name Bezawada is that Goddess Krishnaveni requested Arjuna to make a passage for her to merge into the Bay of Bengal, hence, Arjuna made a bejjam through the mountains and the place came to be known as Bejjamwada which later changed to Bezawada. Vijayawada history reveals that Bezawada was ruled by King Madhava Varma, Vijayawada is located at 16. 5193°N80. 6305°E /16.5193,80.6305 and has an altitude of 11 m. It lies on the banks of Krishna River and is surrounded on the north by Budameru River. The topography of Vijayawada is flat, with a few small to medium-sized hills, the Krishna River runs along the city. These hills are part of the Eastern Ghats cut through by the Krishna river, three canals originating from the north side of the Prakasham barrage reservoir, Eluru, Bandar and Ryves, run through the city. Vijayawada has a climate with hot summers and a monsoon season. Temperatures can reach 47 °C in May–June, while the temperatures rarely fall below 15 °C
15.
Tirupati
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Tirupati is a city in Chittoor district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a corporation and the headquarters of Tirupati mandal. As of 2011 census, it had a population of 374,260 and it is the seventh most urban agglomerated city in the state, with a population of 459,985. Tirupati is also home to educational institutions and universities. For the year 2012-13, Indias Ministry of Tourism named Tirupati as the Best Heritage City, Tirupati has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under Smart Cities Mission by Government of India. As per the book Symposium written by Dr. Jagannatha Rao, tri is a Sanskrit word referring to Lord of Tripathy of the sacred hill. In Dravidian translation, Tiru means sacred and also referred to as Goddess Lakshmi, Tirumala According to Varaha Purana, during Treta Yugam, Lord Sri Rama resided here along with Sita Devi and Lakshmana on his return from Lankapuri. The town was a centre of Vaishnavism around the 5th century A. D. during which it was praised by Alvars. The temple rites were formalised by the Vaishnavite saint Ramanujacharya in the 11th century AD, Tirupati survived the Muslim and British invasions. During the early 1300s Muslim invasion of South India, the deity of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, the temple was built and upgraded in parts by various kingdoms. During the 15th century, Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya sung many songs in praise of the town in Telugu. He compared it to be divine, including the rocks, streams, trees, animals, with the growing importance of Upper Tirupati, a village formed at the present day Kapilatheertham Road area and was named kotturu. It was later shifted to the vicinity of Govindarajaswamy Temple which was consecrated around the year 1130 CE, later the village grew into its present-day form around Govindaraja Swamy Temple which is now the heart of the city. It has now gained a lot of popularity as a tourism place, in 1932, Tirumala Venkateswara Temple was handed over to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams by the TTD Act of 1932. The fourth World Telugu Conference, a conference for furtherance of Telugu language, was conducted at Tirupati during December,2012 for three days. Tirupati is located at 13. 65°N79. 42°E /13.65,79.42 in the Chittoor District of South Indian State of Andhra Pradesh and it lies at the foot of Seshachalam Hills of Eastern Ghats which were formed during Precambrian era. One of its suburbsTirumala, which is the home to Sri Venkateswara Temple, is located within the hills. Tirupati Urban agglomeration includes Tirupati and its suburbs Tirumala, Tiruchanur, Chandragiri, Tirupati is surrounded by Srikalahasti towards the East, Puttur towards the South, Poothalapattu towards the west and the Seshachalam hills towards the North
16.
Kurnool
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Kurnool is a city, former princely state and the headquarters of Kurnool district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The city is referred as The Gateway of Rayalaseema. It was the capital of Andhra State from 1 October 1953 to 31 October 1956, as of 2011 census, it is the fifth most populous city in the state with a population of 460,184. The name Kurnool is derived from Kandanavolu, the Ketavaram rock paintings from the Paleolithic era and are. Also the Jurreru Valley, Katavani Kunta and Yaganti in Kurnool District have some important rock arts and paintings in the vicinity, little was known about Kurnool town before the 11th century. The earliest knowledge of this settlement dates from the 11th century and it has developed as transit place on the southern banks of the river Tungabhadra. It was ruled by Cholas and later by Kakatiya kings in the 12th and 13th centuries, later on it became a jagir. Late it came under the influence of Vijayanagar kings and it was during the 16th century that Achyuta Raya built the Kurnool Fort, during the 17th century it was ruled by Gopal Raja. The Pathan general Abdul Wahab conquered king Gopal Raja and ruled over the country for 16 years, the town became a vassal princely state of the Mughal empire under Aurangazeb, who took control in 1686. The town was the capital and seat of ruling Muslim princes, in 1858 it was made over to a Collector under the General regulations. Kurnool is located at 15. 8333°N78. 05°E /15.8333,78.05 and it has an average elevation of 273 metres. Kurnool lies on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, the Hundri and Neeva rivers also flow through the city. Canal was built by the Dutch for transportation, but later used for irrigation, landmarks in and around the city include Konda Reddy Fort is the remnant of Kurnool fort on the north east part of the city. Orvakal rock Garderns with a cave museum lies on the south east of the city, the climate is tropical with temperatures ranging from 26 °C to 46 °C in the summer and 12 °C to 31 °C in the winter. The average annual rainfall is about 705 millimetres, as per final data of 2011 census, Kurnool urban agglomeration had a population of 484,327. The literacy rate was 77.37 per cent, note, The Office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India. It is the headquarters of the mandal, the revenue division, from 1 October 1953 to 31 October 1956, Kurnool was also the state capital of Andhra State, which was carved out of Madras State in 1953. Tanguturi Prakasam was the minister of Andhra State during this period
17.
Srisailam
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The town of Srisailam is reputed for the shrine of Lord Mallikarjuna on the flat top of Nallamala Hills. It has played a dominant role in the Hindu religious, cultural and social history since ancient times, the epigraphical evidence reveals that the history of Srisailam began with the Satavahanas who were the first empire builders in South India. It is on the banks of the Krishna River about 212 km south of Hyderabad and 179 km from Kurnool, the temple town is one of fifty five Shakti Peethas. Srisailam is located at 16. 074°N78. 868°E /16.074,78.868 and it has an average elevation of 409 meters. The Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga located in Srisailam is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Bhramarambha Temple is also located in the same complex. It is considered as one of the eighteen Shakti Peethas in India, Bhramarambha is a very ferocious deity. Originally she was worshipped by the Chenchu people, however, during British rule, the temple was taken over by the Pushpagiri peetham forcibly with the help of the British Government ruling the Madras Presidency. Siddhavatam is located on the bank of the river Penna in Kadapa District in the south where Jyothisideswara Swamy, Alampur is on the bank of the river Tungabhadra in Mahaboobnagar District in the west where Navabrahma Alayas, a group of nine temples of the Chalukya period, are. This Kshetram is also the seat of Goddess Jogulamba, one of the eighteen Mahasakthis, umamaheswaram is located in Rangapur, Achampeta Mandal, Mahaboobnagar District in the North where God Umamaheswara Swamy and Goddess Umamaheswari Devi are the presiding deities. Somasila, Located on the bank of the river Penna in the southeast with Skanda Someshwara as the presiding deity, Pushpagiri, Located in Kadapa District in the southwest with Santana Malleshwara as presiding deity. Sangameswaram, Located at the confluence of the River Krishna and Tungabhadra in Kurnool District in the northwest and this temple has been re-built at Alampur. Shivananda Lahari Srisaila Devasthana Official Website Ancient Srisaila Pancha Mutts Official Website An Official website Sri Pothuluru Veerabrahmendra Swami, Kandimallayapalle, Kadapa Dist
18.
St. Thomas Mount
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St. Thomas Mount is a small hillock located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, near the neighbourhood of Guindy and very close to Chennai International Airport. The ancient Syrian Christian community of India trace the origin of their church to St. Thomas the Apostle, from the 17th century, this part of Chennai was populated predominantly by Anglo-Indians. The neighbourhood is served by the St. Thomas Mount railway station on the line of the Chennai Suburban Railway Network. Integration of the Metro and MRTS with the station in the neighbourhood, is expected to make the suburb the citys largest transit hub after Chennai Central. In the state elections of 1967 and 1971, there was a constituency known as the Saint Thomas Mount. The St. Thomas Mount block is a block in the Chennai district of Tamil Nadu. The altar of this shrine was built on the spot where St. Thomas death traditionally believed to have been occurred, at the northern foot of the mount, is a gateway of four impressive arches surmounted by a cross bearing the inscribed date 1547. A flight of 160 steps leads up to the summit of the mount, there are 14 stations of the cross erected on the way to the summit. St. Thomas Mount National Shrine St. Thomas and San Thome, Mylapore
19.
Chennai
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Chennai /ˈtʃɛnnaɪ/, formerly known as Madras /məˈdrɑːs/ or /-ˈdræs/) is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is one of the biggest cultural, economic, according to the 2011 Indian census, it is the sixth-largest city and fourth-most populous urban agglomeration in India. The city together with the adjoining regions constitute the Chennai Metropolitan Area, Chennai is among the most visited Indian cities by foreign tourists. It was ranked 43rd most visited city in the world for year 2015, the Quality of Living Survey rated Chennai as the safest city in India. Chennai attracts 45 percent of tourists visiting India, and 30 to 40 percent of domestic health tourists. As such, it is termed Indias health capital, as a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Chennai confronts substantial pollution and other logistical and socio-economic problems. Chennai has the third-largest expatriate population in India at 35,000 in 2009,82,790 in 2011, tourism guide publisher Lonely Planet named Chennai as one of the top ten cities in the world to visit in 2015. Chennai is ranked as a city in the Global Cities Index and was ranked the best city in India by India Today in the 2014 annual Indian city survey. In 2015 Chennai was named the hottest city by the BBC, National Geographic ranked Chennais food as second best in the world, it was the only Indian city to feature in the list. Chennai was also named the ninth-best cosmopolitan city in the world by Lonely Planet, the Chennai Metropolitan Area is one of the largest city economies of India. Chennai is nicknamed The Detroit of India, with more than one-third of Indias automobile industry being based in the city, in January 2015, it was ranked third in terms of per capita GDP. Chennai has been selected as one of the 100 Indian cities to be developed as a city under PM Narendra Modis flagship Smart Cities Mission. The name Madras originated even before the British presence was established in India, the name Madras is said to have originated from a Portuguese phrase mae de Deus which means mother of god, due to Portuguese influence on the port city. According to some sources, Madras was derived from Madraspattinam, a north of Fort St George. However, it is whether the name was in use before the arrival of Europeans. The British military mapmakers believed Madras was originally Mundir-raj or Mundiraj, Madras might have also been derived from the word Madhuras meaning juice of honey or sugarcane in Sanskrit. The nativity of name Chennai, being of Telugu origin is clearly proved by the historians. The first official use of the name Chennai is said to be in a deed, dated 8 August 1639
20.
Vellore
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Vellore is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore District in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Vellore has four zones which covers an area of 87.915 km2 and has a population of 423,425 based on 2001 census and it is located about 145 kilometres west of the state capital Chennai and about 211 kilometres east of Karnataka capital Bengaluru. Vellore is administered by a Vellore Municipal Corporation under a mayor, Vellore is part of Vellore and Vellore. Vellore is the base of two of Indias top ten institutions, Christian Medical College & Hospital and VIT University. It is also a centre for medical tourism in India. Vellore region is the top exporter of finished goods in the country. Vellore leather accounts for more than 37% of the export of leather. The Government of India has released next round of smart cities project list, the Tamil Nadu state district Vellore also got the place into the list of 27 cities in the prestigious project. In Tamil, the word vel means spear that is seen as the weapon of Hindu god Murugan, as per Hindu legend, Murugan is seen as a tribal hunter who appeared in a lotus pond with his weapon to attack the enemies. Thus Vellore is seen as the place where Murugan appeared, as per another legend, the region was surrounded by Velan trees, resulting in the place to be called Vellore. The recorded history of Vellore dates back to the ninth century, further inscriptions made before ninth century indicate the rule of Pallava kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram. The Chola Kings ruled over the region from 850 to 1280, after the rule of Cholas, it came under the Rashtrakutas, the later Cholas, Reddys and Vijayanagar kings. The Vellore Fort was built during the time of Chinna Bommi reddy, during the 17th century, Vellore came under the dominion of the Nawab of the Carnatic. As the Mughal empire came to an end, the Nawab lost control of the town, with confusion, subsequently, there were periods of Hindu and Muslim stewardship of the region. The poligars were opposing British rule but were subdued, during the first half of the 19th century, the town came under British rule. Vellore is at 12. 92°N79. 13°E /12.92,79.13, the city has a semi-arid climate with high temperatures throughout the year and relatively low rainfall. It is in Vellore district of the South Indian state, Tamil Nadu,135 km west of the state capital Chennai, Vellore lies in the Eastern Ghats region and Palar river basin. The topography is almost plain with slopes from west to east, there are no notable mineral resources
21.
Salem, Tamil Nadu
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Salem is a city in Salem district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located about 160 kilometres northeast of Coimbatore,186 kilometres southeast of Bangalore and about 340 kilometres southwest of the state capital, Salem is the Fifth largest city in Tamil Nadu by population and covers 91.34 km2. The town and the hilly regions were part of the Chera dynasty and was part of the trade route with Roman empire. It was later governed by Poligars, who built temples and forts in and it was part of the Vijayanagara empire before being captured by Hyder Ali during the early 18th century, after the Mysore-Madurai war. It was ceded to the British in 1768 and the became part of the struggle between Kongu Nadu led by Dheeran Chinnamalai and the British. Salem became part of Salem district since independence in 1947, Salem is located at 11. 669437°N78. 140865°E /11.669437,78.140865, at an average elevation of 278 m. The city is surrounded by hills, Nagaramalai on the north, Jarugumalai on the south, Kanjamalai on the west, Godumalai on the east, kariyaperumal Hill is in southwestern Salem. The Thirumanimutharu River flows through the city, dividing it in two, the fort area is the oldest part of Salem. The citys climate is dry, except during the monsoon season, january and February are generally pleasant, the dry summer begins in March, with the years highest temperatures during May. The weather becomes more temperate in June and July, and August is cloudy, the northeast monsoon occurs from September to November, and December is clear and pleasant. Salem is the headquarters of Salem district, the town was constituted as a municipality in 1867, and was upgraded to a special-grade municipality in 1979 and to a municipal corporation on 1 April 1994. The Salem municipal corporation has 60 wards, each with an elected councillor, the functions of the municipal corporation are divided into six departments, general administration and personnel, engineering, revenue, public health, city planning and information technology. All six departments are governed by a municipal commissioner, Legislative power is vested in the 60-member council, headed by an elected chairperson and assisted by a deputy chairperson. Law and order is maintained by the Salem city subdivision of the Tamil Nadu Police, special units include prohibition enforcement, district crime, social justice and human rights, district crime records and a district-level special branch headed by a superintendent of police. Salem is a part of the Salem North, Salem West, the city elects the three members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once every five years. Present MLAs are R. Mohan Raj from Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam, M. K. Selvaraju, until 2008, the city was part of the Salem I and Salem II assembly constituencies. Since 1977, the ADMK party won the Salem I assembly seat five times, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won twice, and the Indian National Congress won in 1991. Since 1977, the ADMK won the Salem II assembly seat three times and the DMK also won three times, the Janata Party won in 1977 and Pattali Makkal Katchi won in 2001
22.
Sirumalai
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Sirumalai is a region of 60,000 acres situated 25 km from Dindigul and 90 km from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. There are many hills in the area. Hillock International School is located in Sirumalai, Sirumalai is a dense forest region with a moderate climate throughout the year. With an altitude of 1600 metres above sea level, it contains diversified flora, the hill has 18 hairpin bends. On the 18th bend is a church and a point of Dindigul city. The hill contains a waterfall as well. The famous Sirumalai banana is slowly disappearing from disease, which scientists have been unable to prevent, man-made fires on the hills have destroyed medicinal plants and threatened the fauna habitat. Fires are often set to promote vegetation growth used for fodder, clear land for cultivation. Mathamalai Annai Veilankanni Church is situated on top of one of the hills, residents observe the festival for Our Lady Of Good Health annually in September, with a flag hoisted prior to the festival. Sirumalai Lake contains a lake that was artificially created in the year 2010. In the region of sirumalai the Agasthiarpuram is a place where siddas have lived since ancient days. The area is surrounded with medicinal herbs and plants, in the tip of the hill there is historic Shiva Lingam, which dates back at least 500 years. The famous Lord Murugan temple is located in the mountain which is away from 45 minutes climbing over the valley, much of the Sirumalai is covered by deciduous forests - the lower slopes by dry deciduous and the higher slopes and riverine valleys by moist and wet deciduous forests. Trees such as Terminalia, Shorea, Magnolia champaca are dominant in these hills, other rare plants such as Lianas and Orchids also occur in the higher elevation evergreen tracts. Coffee estates form a portion of present-day landscape. These Reserve Forests are protected under Tamil Nadu Forest Department, a rich animal life including threatened animals such as Slender loris, Gaur, Sambar deer, Sloth bear, Asian palm civet, Indian hare, Jungle cat and Indian pangolin are to be seen in the wild. Birds such as Indian peafowl, Asian koel, Indian grey hornbill, lizards such as the Bengal monitor, the Indian chameleon, the flying lizard or Draco dussumieri, Calotes calotes, Ophisops minor and Cnemaspis geckoes are to be seen here. Special mention must be made of the only endemic reptile of the hill - the Sirumalai Shieldtail Snake Uropeltis dindigalensis, rare and endemic amphibians such as Hylarana, Indirana, Zakerana brevipalmata and the direct-developing bush frog Pseudophilautus wynaadensis occur here
23.
Dindigul
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Dindigul is a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Dindigul district. Dindigul is located 420 km southwest of the capital, Chennai and 100 km away from Thiruchirapalli. Dindigul has a number of monuments, the Rock Fort being the most prominent. Industries in Dindigul include lock making, leather, textile spinning, administrative services, agricultural trading, banking, agricultural machinery, Dindigul is upgraded to a municipal corporation. The city covers an area of 14.01 km2 and had a population of 207,327 in 2011, Dindigul is well-connected by road and rail with the rest of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th-largest urban agglomeration in the state and has a population of 292,512 according to Tamil Nadus 2011 census, Dindigul has 200,000 hectares of cultivable land, and agriculture continues to be the main occupation of its inhabitants. Located between the Palani and Sirumalai Hills, Dindigul has a reserved forest area of 85 hectares, the citys name comes from a portmanteau of the Tamil words dind pillow and kal rock and refers to the bare hill located near the city. The Śaiva poet Tirunāvukkaracar visited the city and noted it in his Tevaram, Dindigul finds mention in the book Padmagiri Nadhar Thenral Vidu thudhu written by the poet Palupatai sokkanathar as Padmagiri. This was later stated by U. V. Swaminatha Iyer in his foreword to the above book and he also mentions that Dindigul was originally called Dindeecharam. The history of dindigul is centered around the fort over the rock hill. Dindigul region was the border of the three prominent kingdoms of South India, the Pandyas, Cheras and Cholas, the Chera king Dharmabalan is believed to have built the temples of Abirami and Padmagirinathar. The ancient Tamil book, Silappathikaram records the city as the border of the Pandya kingdom whose capital was Madurai. Historian Strabo mentions about the city in his 20 A. D. work and Pillni, during the first century A. D. the Chola king Karikal Cholan captured the Pandya kingdom and Dindigul came under the Chola rule. During the sixth century, the Pallavas took over most provinces of Southern India, dindugul was under the rule of Pallavas until Cholas regained the state in the 8th century. In the 14th century, South India was invaded by the Delhi Sultanate, Dindigul was safe in the hands of VijayaNagara. The commander of the Vijaya Nagar army Kampanna Udayar played an important role in the war in capturing Madurai which was under Madurai sultanate, in 1559 Nayaks became powerful and their territory bordered with Dindigul in the north. After the death of king Viswanatha Nayak in 1563, Muthukrisna Nayakka became the king of kingdom in 1602 A. D who built the hill fort in 1605 A. D
24.
Tiruvannamalai
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Tiruvannamalai is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city is administered by a special grade municipality that covers an area of 16.33 km2 and had a population of 145,278 in 2011 and it is the administrative headquarters of Tiruvannamalai District. Roadways are the mode of transport in Tiruvannamalai, while the town also has rail connectivity. Chennai International Airport is the nearest domestic and international airport to the town, Tiruvannamalai is named after the central deity of the Annamalaiyar Temple, Annamalaiyar. The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated during the day of the moon between November and December, and a huge beacon is lit atop the Annamalai hill. The event is witnessed by three million pilgrims, on the day preceding each full moon, pilgrims circumnavigate the temple base and the Annamalai hills in a worship called Girivalam, a practice carried out by one million pilgrims yearly. It served as the city of the Hoysalas. The town is built around the Annamalaiyar Temple like other Nayak capitals, Tiruvannamalai is administered by a special-grade a municipality constituted in 1886. Tiruvannamalai has an elevation of 200 metres and experiences a hot. Being a pilgrimage town, most of the people are employed in the tertiary sector, there are 25 elementary schools, nine high schools,18 higher secondary schools, four arts & science colleges, one government medical college and four engineering colleges in the town. In Hindu mythology, Parvati, wife of Shiva, once closed the eyes of her husband playfully in a garden at their abode atop Mount Kailash. Although only a moment for the gods, all light was taken from the universe, Parvati performed penance with other devotees of Shiva, and her husband appeared as a column of fire at the top of Annamalai hills, returning light to the world. He then merged with Parvati to form Ardhanarishvara, the half-female, half-male form of Shiva, the Annamalai, or red mountain, lies behind the Annamalaiyar temple, and is associated with the temple of its namesake. The hill is sacred and considered a lingam, or iconic representation of Shiva, another legend is that once, while Vishnu and Brahma contested for superiority, Shiva appeared as a flame, and challenged them to find his source. Brahma took the form of a swan, and flew to the sky to see the top of the flame, while Vishnu became the boar Varaha, the scene is called lingothbava, and is represented in the western wall at the sanctum of most Shiva temples. Neither Brahma nor Vishnu could find the source, and while Vishnu conceded his defeat, Brahma lied, in punishment, Shiva ordained that Brahma would never have temples on earth in his worship. In Tamil, the word Arunam means red or fire and Asalam means hill, since Shiva manifested himself in the form of fire in this place, this name Arunachalam came to be associated with Annamalai hill and the town. The first mention of Annamalai is found in Tevaram, the seventh century Tamil Saiva canonical work by Appar and Tirugnanasambandar, the history of Tiruvannamalai revolves around the Annamalaiyar Temple
25.
Bhubaneswar
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Bhubaneswar, also spelt as Bhubaneshwar /ˌbʊbəˈneɪʃwər/, the capital of the Indian state of Odisha. It is the largest city in Odisha and is a centre of economic, along with the old town, the region of Bhubaneswar, historically was often depicted as Ekamra Kshetra. Although the modern city of Bhubaneswar was formally established only in 1948, with many 8th-12th century CE Hindu temples, which span the entire spectrum of Kalinga architecture, Bhubaneswar is often referred to as a Temple City of India. With Puri and Konark it forms the Swarna Tribhuja, one of eastern Indias most visited destinations, Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the capital on 19 August 1949,2 years after India gained its independence from Britain. The modern city was designed by the German architect Otto Königsberger in 1946, along with Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, it was one of modern Indias first planned cities. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are often referred to as the cities of Odisha. The metropolitan area formed by the two cities had a population of 1.7 million in 2011, Bhubaneswar is categorised as a Tier-2 city. An emerging information technology and education hub, Bhubaneswar is one of the countrys fastest-developing cities, the foundation of the modern Bhubaneswar city was laid in 1948, although the areas in and around the city have a history going back to 1st century BCE or earlier. Dhauli, near Bhubaneswar is the site of the Kalinga War, one of the most complete edicts of the Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, dating from between 272–236 BCE, remains carved in rock 8 kilometres to the southwest of the modern city. After the decline of the Mauryan empire, the area came under the rule of Mahameghavahana dynasty and his Hathigumpha inscription is located at the Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves near Bhubaneswar. The area was ruled by several dynasties, including Satavahanas, Guptas, Matharas. In 7th century, Somavamshi or Keshari dynasty established their kingdom in the area, after the Kesharis, the Eastern Gangas ruled Kalinga area until 14th century CE. Their capital Kalinganagar was located in present-day Bhubaneswar district, after them, Mukunda Deva of the Bhoi dynasty – the last Hindu ruler of the area until the Marathas – developed several religious buildings in the area. Most of the temples in Bhubaneswar were built between 8th and 12th centuries, under Shaiva influence. The Ananta Vasudeva Temple is the old temple of Vishnu in the city. In 1568, the Karrani dynasty of Afghan origin gained control of the area, during their reign, most of the temples and other structures were destroyed or disfigured. In the 16th century, the area came under Mughal control, the Marathas, who succeeded the Mughals in mid-18th century, encouraged pilgrimage in the region. In 1803, the area came under British colonial rule, and was part of the Bengal Presidency, Bihar and Orissa Province, the capital of the British-ruled Orissa Province was Cuttack, which was vulnerabile to floods and suffered from space constraints
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