This article is about the Prakasam district. For the famous leader, click here.

Prakasam district Location of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh and India
Coordinates	15°30′N 80°03′E / 15.50°N 80.05°E / 15.50; 80.05
Headquarters	Ongole
Population • Density	3,059,423 (2001[update]) • 173.57 /km2 (450 /sq mi)
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	17,626 km2 (6,805 sq mi) • 100 m (328 ft)
ISO 3166-2	IN-AP-PR
Website	http://www.prakasam.nic.in

Prakasam District (Telugu: ప్రకాశం జిల్లా) is an administrative district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in India. The district headquarters is located at Ongole town. The district occupies an area of 17,626 km² and has a population of 3,059,423 of which 15.28% were urban as of 2001 Census.

Contents 1 Formation 2 History 3 Ongole 4 Colleges 4.1 Engineering Colleges 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Formation

The Ongole district was originally constituted on the 2 February 1970, carved out of Guntur, Nellore and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh. It was renamed as Prakasam district on 12 May, 1972, in memory of the great patriot and Andhra Leader, Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu, also known as Andhra Kesari (Lion of Andhra ) who was born in Kanuparthi village of this district. It was carved out of three taluks of Guntur District, i.e. Addanki, Chirala and Ongole, four taluks of Nellore district, i.e. Kandukur, Kanigiri, Podili and Darsi and two taluks of Kurnool district i.e. Markapuram, Cumbum and Giddaluru. It is one of the nine districts in the Coastal Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh.

Some of the main towns in Prakasam district are Ongole, Addanki, Markapur, Darsi, Chirala, Kandukur, Parchur, Giddaluru, Podili, Dornala, Cumbum, Kanigiri and Chimakurthi. Markapur is India's main slate manufacturing town where the historic temple of Lord Chennakesava is situated. Chimakurthi is world renowned for its granite reserves. Dornala is also known as diguva Srisailam, since it is very near the historic pilgrimage center of Srisailam.

Cumbum lake also known as Gundalakamma lake built on Gundalakamma rivulet upon Nallamalai hills is one of the oldest man made lakes of Asia. The anicut was built by the Gajapati kings of Orissa in 15th. Century AD when the area was under their control. It was subsequently renovated by the Vijayanagar princess Varadharajamma. The lake in its present form is about 7 km long and on average, about 3.5 km wide As per the Imperial gazette of India at the turn of 20th century the height of the dam was 57 feet (17 m) and the drainage area was 430 square miles (1,100 km2). The direct irrigation land was about 10,300 acres (42 km2) in all.[3]. Cumbum lake is accessible both by the rail Guntur-Nandyal railway line and by road 108 Km from Ongole.

[edit] History

Prakasam District's past stretches back to the days when it was ruled by the Mauryas from 250 B.C. the rise of the Satavahanas saw Buddhism flourish in the region and the construction of several stupas. The Ikshvaku and Vijayanagar Kings, the Qutub Shahis and the Mughals later followed these rulers.

[edit] Ongole

Located at 138 km from Vijayawada and 450 km from Hyderabad and 300km from Chennai, the headquarters of Prakasam District, Ongole is an ancient town which finds its mention in the inscriptions of the Pallava rulers of the 3rd and 4th Century A.D

Today, Ongole is a bustling beehive of commercial activity with dairy products, cigars, cereals, pulses, groundnut and pepper being exported to all corners of the country. The bullocks from Ongole, known as Ongole Gitta, are renowned throughout the world.

In Ongole, one can visit Chennakesava Swamy Temple, Kasi Visweswara Swamy Shrine, Kothapatnam Beach, Valluramma Temple, Saibaba Temple.

Ongole was ruled by king Vangavallu thats why the name of ongole came.

[edit] Colleges

[edit] Engineering Colleges

List of Engineering Colleges in Prakasam offering Engineering Degree course in the region. Joining in Engineering colleges that are All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) accredited is preferred. Further most colleges are affiliated with a regional University

1. SSN Engineering College[1]
2. Rao & Naidu Engineering College[2]
3. QIS Engineering College[3]
4. Chirala Engineering College[4]
5. Dr Samuel Goerge Institute of Engineering & Technology[5]
6. St Anns College of Engineering & Technology[6]
7. VRS & YRN College of Engineering & Technology[7]
8. Malineni Lakshmaiah Engineering College
9. Prakasam Engineering College[8]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Prakasam district

• http://www.aptourism.com