Ongole Explained

Ongole
Settlement Type:City
Pushpin Map:India Andhra Pradesh
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Andhra Pradesh, India
Pushpin Label Position:right
Coordinates:15.506°N 80.049°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:India
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Andhra Pradesh
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Prakasam
Established Title1:Incorporated (Municipality)
Established Date1:1876
Established Title2:Incorporated (Corporation)
Established Date2:25 January 2012
Parts Type:Wards
Parts:50
Government Footnotes:[1]
Government Type:Mayor–Council
Governing Body:Ongole Municipal Corporation
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Title1:MLAs
Leader Name1:Damacharla Janardhana Rao, (Telugu Desam Party)
Leader Title2:MP
Leader Name2:Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, (Telugu Desam Party)
Leader Title3:Municipal commissioner
Leader Name3:Kanthamaneni Sakunthala
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Footnotes:[2]
Area Total Km2:132.45
Area Metro Footnotes:[3]
Population As Of:2011
Population Footnotes:[4] [5]
Population Total:228,629
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Blank1 Title:Households
Population Blank1:51768
Population Note:Households
Demographics Type1:Literacy
Demographics1 Title1:Literates
Demographics1 Title2:Literacy rate
Demographics1 Info2:83.04%
Demographics Type2:Languages
Demographics2 Title1:Official
Demographics2 Info1:Telugu
Timezone1:IST
Utc Offset1:+5:30
Postal Code Type:PIN
Postal Code:523001, 523002, 523286
Area Code:+91–8592
Registration Plate Type:Vehicle registration
Registration Plate:AP

Ongole (in Telugu pronounced as /oŋɡoːlu/) is a city in Prakasam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Prakasam district.[6] It is famous for Ongole cattle, an indigenous breed of oxen.[7]

Etymology

Ongole's name derives from the Sanskrit word 'Ongole', meaning the 'town of Shiva'.

History

The city's history dates from 230 BCE with the era of the Mauryas and Satavahanas who ruled most of what is now Andhra Pradesh. A few inscriptions dating to the Satavahana period have been found in China Ganjam, a village near Ongole. According to the historical inscriptions available at Sri Raja Rajeswara Swami Temple complex, the city was founded by Cholas. Ongole is also mentioned in the inscriptions of the Pallava rulers of the third and fourth century A.D. The city was also ruled by Krishna Deva Raya. This place came into the limelight again during the Kakatiya dynasty, when the nearby towns of Motupalli and Vodarevu served as major seaports. The last dynasty to rule the Ongole region before the British was the Mandapati dynasty (zamindars). Kaasi Visweswara Swami temple, Chenna Kesava Swami Temple and Veeranjaneya Swami temple were built in the early 17th century by King Vankayalapati mantri and his chief of army.

Andhra Baptist Mission High School founded in the late 19th century by American Baptist missionaries, is the oldest educational institution in the city.

Ongole district came into existence on 2 February 1970, with the carving out portions of Markapur revenue division from Kurnool, Ongole revenue division from Guntur and Kandukur revenue division from Nellore districts. It was renamed as Prakasam district in 1972 in memory of freedom fighter, later Chief Minister of the composite Madras State and the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh State, Tanguturi Prakasam, who was born at Vinodarayunipalem, a hamlet of Kanuparthi village of Naguluppalapadu mandal of this district.

Geography

Ongole is located at 15.5°N 80.05°E. It has an average elevation of 10 m (33 ft) AMSL and is situated on the plains. The city is around 149km (93miles) to the south west of Amaravati, the stat capital.

Climate

Summer temperatures reaches as high as 44C during March–May.[8] [9] During the monsoon season, the city receives lot of rain. The annual average rainfall 794.5 mm. The winter season from November to February is pleasant. Winter months are usually dry, with little to no rainfall. The average annual temperature is 24.5 C. Cyclones occur more commonly during October–December bringing rains and heavy winds.

Demographics

Based on the 2011 Census of India, the city had a population of 228,629. The sex ratio of 994 females per 1000 males is higher than the national average of 940 per 1000.[10] 19,744 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 10,228 are boys and 9,516 are girls&a ratio of 935 per 1000. The average literacy rate stands at 83.04% with 153,628 literates, significantly higher than the state average of 67.41%.[11] [12]

Governance

Civic administration and politics

It is constituted as a municipality in 1876 and was upgraded to municipal corporation on 25 January 2012.[13] The jurisdiction of the corporation is spread over an area of 132.45km2 with 50 election wards.[14] The agglomerated villages that were merged into Ongole corporation are: Cheruvukommupalem, Throvagunta, Muktinuthalapadu, Dasarajupalli, Koppolu, Narasapuram Agraharam, Pellur, Pernamitta, Vengamukkapalem.

The city is part of Ongole assembly constituency and Ongole Lok Sabha constituency.[15] Balineni Srinivasa Reddy is the present MLA of the constituency from YSR Congress Party.[16] The constituency is a part of Ongole (Lok Sabha constituency) which was won by Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy of YSR Congress Party.[17]

Economy

Agriculture is the primary industry of Ongole, and the city is a major center for tobacco trading in Andhra Pradesh.

Ongole bulls are a breed of oxen that are exported to many countries. The Brahman bull in America is an off-breed of the Ongole. Ongole Island, in Malaysia, holds many Ongole oxen. The population of Zebu off-breed descended animals in Brazil, which contain a large Ongole component, was over 100 million in 1995.[18] The original breed of Ongole stud bulls are found in a small region around Ongole town between the Gundlakamma and Musi rivers.

Transport

National Highway 16, a part of Golden Quadrilateral highway network, bypasses the city.[19] National Highway 216 connects the city with Kathipudi.[20] The city has a total road length of 738.5km (458.9miles).[21] Ongole bus station is owned and operated by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation.[22] [23] The station is also equipped with a bus depot.[24] The 'Passengers delight project' was implemented at the bus station for improving cleanliness and modernizing it.[25] Ongole railway station was established as part of Nellore - Krishna Canal section on 20 December 1898 by Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway System.[26] It is categorized as a Non-Suburban Grade-3 (NSG-3) station in the Vijayawada railway division.[27]

Education

Education is imparted through government and private institutions. Several aided schools decided to become private schools or close down after transferring the staff to the government, when the government decided to stop giving aid.[28] English became the medium of instruction for primary schools in the academic year 2020-21.

Some of the famous educational institutes include Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), QIS College of Engineering and Technology, QIS Institute of Technology,[29] RISE Groups of Institutions,[30] Indira Priyadarshini Law College, Prakasam Engineering College,[31] and the Pace Institute of Technology and Sciences.

The city is the headquarters of Andhra Kesari University, a public university established on 11 January 2022.[32]

Sports

The PDCA-CSR Sarma College Ground is one of the home grounds of the Andhra cricket team, with a first-class cricket status and hosts Ranji Trophy matches.[33] [34] The ground has recorded the first ever triple century by a wicket keeper in Ranji Trophy, achieved by Srikar Bharat of the Andhra cricket team.[35] The police parade grounds hosted the first state-level Girl Football Tournament in October 2016.[36]

Tourism

Kothapatnam beach (approx 17 km away), Valluramma temple at Valluru (about 11 km away), Gundlakamma Reservoir Project at Mallavaram (approx 20 Km away) are few nearby places of tourist interest.

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Ongole Municipal Corporation publishes voter classification list . 8 June 2019 . The Hans India . 5 June 2019 . Ongole. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210102174158/https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/ongole-municipal-corporation-publishes-voter-classification-list-535144 . 2 January 2021 .
  2. Web site: Municipality Profile . ongole.cdma.ap.gov.in . 27 April 2019.
  3. Web site: District Census Hand Book : Prakasam (Part B) . . Directorate of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh . 1 June 2019 . 48 . 2011.
  4. Web site: Population statistics . Census of India . The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India . 27 April 2019.
  5. Web site: Statistical Abstract of Andhra Pradesh, 2015 . Directorate of Economics & Statistics . Government of Andhra Pradesh . 27 April 2019 . 44 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190714020914/https://desap.cgg.gov.in/jsp/website/gallery/Statistical%20Abstract%202015.pdf . 14 July 2019 . dead .
  6. Web site: Part III, District and Sub-District (Mandals) . Census of India . The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India . 27 April 2019 . 157, 178 .
  7. Web site: Ongole Cattle. India. The Hans. 2017-12-03. www.thehansindia.com. 2019-04-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005184411/https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans-Classroom/2017-12-03/Ongole-Cattle/342713. 5 October 2020.
  8. News: Fears of severe Rohini karte dispelled. 25 May 2017. The Hindu. 25 May 2007. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210406131943/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Fears-of-severe-Rohini-karte-dispelled/article14768389.ece. 6 April 2021.
  9. Web site: Nellore and Ongole record season's highest temperatures. 2019-05-07. Deccan Chronicle. 2019-05-18. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131155211/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/070519/nellore-and-ongole-record-seasons-highest-temperatures.html. 31 January 2021.
  10. Web site: Sex Ratio. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. 3 September 2014.
  11. Web site: Census 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. 26 July 2014.
  12. Web site: Literacy of AP (Census 2011). Official Portal of Andhra Pradesh Government. 5 September 2014. 43. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213923/http://www.ap.gov.in/AP%20State%20Statistical%20Abstract%20May%202014/2%20AP%20Demography.pdf. 14 July 2014. dead.
  13. Web site: About Ongole Municipal Corporation . ongole.cdma.ap.gov.in . 9 June 2019.
  14. Web site: Statistical Information of ULBs and UDAs . Directorate of Town and Country Planning . Government of Andhra Pradesh . 20 May 2019 . 3 . 27 February 2019.
  15. Web site: Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008. 17 December 2018. The Election Commission of India. National Informatics Centre. 20,30. https://web.archive.org/web/20181003220916/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/CurrentElections/CONSOLIDATED_ORDER%20_ECI%20.pdf. 3 October 2018. 25 April 2019.
  16. Web site: MLA. AP State Portal. 13 October 2014.
  17. Web site: Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008. Election Commission of India. 11 October 2014. 22, 31.
  18. Web site: Mason . I.L . Breeds of Cattle: Nelore Cattle . Oklahoma University . 26 April 2024.
  19. Web site: National Highways Development Project Map. National Highways Authority of India. 21 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170422033110/http://nhai.org/NH5_Kolkata_chennai_english.htm. 22 April 2017. dead.
  20. Web site: List of National Highways passing through A.P. State. Roads and Buildings Department. Government of Andhra Pradesh. 11 February 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160328053359/http://aproads.cgg.gov.in/getInfo.do?dt=1&oId=33. 28 March 2016. dmy-all.
  21. Web site: DETAILS OF ROADS IN EACH ULB OF ANDHRA PRADESH. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160801101300/http://centralapp.cdma.ap.gov.in:8080/CDMAAPTaxesInfo/RoadDetails.jsp. 1 August 2016. dmy-all.
  22. Web site: Bus Stations in Districts. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. 15 March 2016.
  23. News: Ongole bus station to get five new platforms. 15 March 2016. The Hindu. 3 November 2015. Ongole. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210406132119/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ongole-bus-station-to-get-five-new-platforms/article7835252.ece. 6 April 2021.
  24. Web site: Depot Name. APSRTC. 15 March 2016.
  25. News: Murali. S. RTC on 'passengers' delight' mission. 15 March 2016. The Hindu. 7 January 2016. Ongole. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210406132255/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/RTC-on-%E2%80%98passengers%E2%80%99-delight%E2%80%99-mission/article13985898.ece. 6 April 2021.
  26. https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n90/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 82 (pdf 90)
  27. Web site: Stations – Category-wise (NEW) . South Central Railway . 23 April 2019.
  28. News: Ongole : Future of poor students hangs in balance as govt absorbs aided staff . 2021-09-28 . The Hans India.
  29. Web site: QIS College of Engineering & Technology :: Ongole. Qiscet.edu.in. 12 July 2013. 4 March 2014.
  30. Web site: Welcome to RISE groups of institutions. RISE Group. 4 March 2014.
  31. Web site: Prakasam Engineering College. Prakasamec.com. 6 April 2013. 4 March 2014.
  32. Web site: State assembly passes bill to establish two universities. The New Indian Express. 30 June 2022.
  33. News: Shridharan. J. R.. Ongole to host Ranji match. 5 November 2016. The Hindu. 31 October 2014.
  34. News: Murali. S.. Ongole cricket stadium (Sarma college grounds), a feather in ACA's cap. 5 November 2016. The Hindu. 12 January 2015.
  35. News: Srikar Bharat – First wicketkeeper to score a triple century in Ranji Trophy. 5 November 2016. Cricket Country. 12 February 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180814225209/http://www.cricketcountry.com:80/articles/srikar-bharat-first-wicketkeeper-to-score-a-triple-century-in-ranji-trophy-248618. 14 August 2018.
  36. News: First state-level girl football tournament at Ongole. 5 November 2016. The Hans India. 6 October 2016.