Kurnool District is located in the west-central part of
Andhra Pradesh and lies in the southern banks of the
Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. Now a district administrative center, it is a market for grain, hides, and cotton. Kurnool is a center of Hindu pilgrimage and is surrounded by hill resorts. According to legends in the llth century, the Odderas carted stones for construction of the temple at
Alampur and halted at the present town of
Kurnool before crossing the river Tungabhadra. The locals supplied oil for greasing carts here and the place came to be known as Kandenavolu (Town of grease) which subsequently became Kurnool.
Kurnool covers an area of 17,658 sq km and has a tropical climate. It receives a seasonal rainfall. This district has a population that is approximately 4 million. The main cities are Sangameswaram and Srisailam.
The nearest airport is at Hyderabad at a distance of 219 km. auto-rickshaws and taxis are available for local transportation.
One of the important festivals that is celebrated in a grand manner is the car festival of Sri Anjaneyaswami. It is celebrated for eight days during the months of November and December.
The ruins of the Royal fort of the medieval kingdom of Vijayanagar which dates back to the 14th - 16th centuries is of great historical importance. Several Persian and Arabic inscriptions, which illuminate various aspects of historical interest, are present there.
Tourist destinations include Kondareddy Fort, Rollapadu Bird Sanctuary, Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Tomb of Abdul Wahab, Nallamalai Hills, Srisailam Dam, Belum Caves and Jami Mosque. Important temples are Bhramaramba Mallikarjunaswamy Temple, Jwala Narasimha Temple, Prahlada Mettu, and Sri Yaganti Umamaheswara Swamy Temple.
Ahobilam,
Adoni, Srisailam and Mahanandi are other important destinations worth a visit.
