Srikakulam

This article is about a city in India. For its namesake district, see Srikakulam district.
Srikakulam
శ్రీకాకుళం
Chicacole[1]
City

Arasavilli Temple in Srikakulam
Srikakulam
Coordinates: 18°18′N 83°54′E / 18.3°N 83.9°E / 18.3; 83.9Coordinates: 18°18′N 83°54′E / 18.3°N 83.9°E / 18.3; 83.9
Country India
State Andhra Pradesh
Region Coastal Andhra
District Srikakulam
Founded by Balarama[1]
Government
  Type Municipal council
  Body Srikakulam Municipal Corporation
Area[2]
  City 20.89 km2 (8.07 sq mi)
Population (2011)[3]
  City 125,939
  Density 6,000/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
  Metro[4] 147,015
Languages
  Official Telugu
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 532 001
Vehicle registration AP–30
Website Srikakulam Municipality

Srikakulam is a city and the district headquarters of Srikakulam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and also the mandal headquarters of Srikakulam mandal in Srikakulam revenue division.[5][6] As of 2011 census, it was ranked as the 23rd most populous city in the state with a population of 125,939. It had a metropolitan population of 147,015.[4] The city was known as Chicacole before Indian Independence.[1]

History

Stone carved ceiling at Srikurmam Temple

This region of Andhra Pradesh was part of Kalinga region at first, and later a part of Gajapati kingdom of Odisha up to the medieval period. Srikakulam was integral part of the domain of Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi during the rule of Kubja Vishnuvardhana (624- 641). During his rule the Vengi kingdom had expanded from Srikakulam in the north to Nellore in the south. They patronised Telugu.[7] It was under the rule of Kakatiya Dynasty of Warangal during the rule of Ganapati Deva in 13th century CE. Srikakulam was under the rule of illustrious Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagara Empire too. Srikakulam was under the rule of Nizam state of Hyderabad for only a brief period, namely from 1707 to 1753. It was the headquarters for revenue collection of Rajahmundry, Eluru and Kondapalli as well as Srikakulam district itself. The French defeated and ended the brief rule of Nizam in 1753, these all districts were thereafter part of French India in 1753. However French imperialists too could not hold their sway over here for a long time, and were soon driven out from here by British imperialists, during 1756 in Anglo-French wars. Thereafter Srikakulam was under was soon a part of British - Northern Circars.

Buddha statue in Nagavali river, Srikakulam

In 1759 the Fauzdhari ruling was ended and British ruling started, and Srikakulam town has been made part of Ganjam district and Palakonda and Rajam areas were included in Vizag district in the undivided Madras province. In 1936 the combined Madras-Odisha state was divided to Madras and Odisha and Parlakimidi Taluk was separated from combined Madras state. Srikakulam was renamed as Srikaklam taluk, Srikakulam town as Srikakulam municipality since 1857 under British rule. In 1947 after Indian independence, many including Potti Sriramulu fought for separate Andhra State. In 1948 many demanded for Srikakulam district as it was in combined vizag district. First 'chintada' village was proposed as district headquarters by some central leaders. On 17 July 1950, a representation was given by Challa Narasimhu naidu, an eminent leader, Pullela Vemkataramanayya (P.V. Ramanayya), who was an eminent advocate, public prosecutor, and freedom fighter, to the then revenue minister H. Sitaramareddy on his visit to this area and requested to select Srikakulam as district headquarters at his camp office in Vizianagaram. Sitaramareddy personally saw some places in Srikakulam for selection.

Demographics

As of 2011 Census of India, the city had a population of 126,003. The total population constitute, 62,583 males and 63,420 females —a sex ratio of 1013 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 940 per 1000.[3][8] 11,001 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 5,686 are boys and 5,315 are girls—a ratio of 935 per 1000. The average literacy rate stands at 85.13% (male 91.44%; female 78.95%) with 11,001 literates, significantly higher than the national average of 73.00%.[3][9]

The Urban agglomeration had a population of 147,015, of which males constitute 73,077, females constitute 73,911 —a sex ratio of 931 females per 1000 males and 12,741 children are in the age group of 0–6 years. There are a total of 115,061 literates with an average literacy rate of 85.71%.[4]

Climate

Climate data for Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28.8
(83.8)
31.0
(87.8)
33.3
(91.9)
35.5
(95.9)
37.9
(100.2)
36.9
(98.4)
32.9
(91.2)
32.4
(90.3)
32.4
(90.3)
31.3
(88.3)
29.7
(85.5)
28.6
(83.5)
32.56
(90.59)
Average low °C (°F) 19.3
(66.7)
20.5
(68.9)
22.8
(73)
25.8
(78.4)
27.9
(82.2)
27.4
(81.3)
25.7
(78.3)
25.5
(77.9)
25.6
(78.1)
24.7
(76.5)
21.7
(71.1)
19.6
(67.3)
23.88
(74.97)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0
(0)
5
(0.2)
4
(0.16)
10
(0.39)
53
(2.09)
126
(4.96)
204
(8.03)
204
(8.03)
162
(6.38)
228
(8.98)
66
(2.6)
13
(0.51)
1,075
(42.33)
Source: en.climate-data.org

Governance

Civic administration

Srikakulam Municipal Corporation is the civic body of the city. It was constituted as a municipality in the year 1856 and was upgraded to corporation on 9 December 2015.[10] Its jurisdictional area has an extent of 20.89 km2 (8.07 sq mi). In 2012-13, the total income generated per annum by the municipality was 50.55 crore (US$7.5 million) and the total expenditure spent during the same year was 49.86 crore (US$7.4 million).[2]

The Srikakulam urban agglomeration constituents include Srikakulam municipality, census town of Balaga, fully out growths of Arasavalli, partly outgrowths of Kusulapuram, Thotapalem, Patrunivalasa and Patha Srikakulam (rural). While, Ponugutivalasa of Santhakavati mandal is now a part of Rajam Nagar Panchayat.[11]

Politics

Srikakulam is a part of Srikakulam (Assembly constituency) for Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Gunda Lakshmi Devi is the present MLA of the constituency from Telugu Desam Party.[12] It is also a part of Srikakulam (Lok Sabha constituency) which was won by Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu of Telugu Desam Party.[13][14]

Transport

Srikakulam Road- Railway Station
APSRTC Srikakulam Bus station entrance

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation operates bus services from Srikakulam bus station.[15]

Tourism

Sculptures at Srikurmam Temple

The Temple of Sun God is located at Arasavalli, 2 kilometers away from the city is the only Sun God temple in Southern India and was constructed by a Kalinga dynasty king. Mukhalingam: Sri Mukhalingam is another temple in Srikakulam which is believed to have been built in the 9th century. This holy place is on the left bank of Vamsadhara. This is a group of three temples built by the Eastern Ganga dynasty kings in the 10th century AD. The deities are Mukhalingeswara, Bhimeswara and Someswara. Salihundam on the right bank of the river Vamsadhara, about 16 km from Srikakulam town, there are a number of Buddhist stupas and a huge monastic complex on a hillock. The shrine of a famous Sufi saint lies in Kalingapatnam is 35 km away from Srikakulam. Kalingapatnam also has an old lighthouse. From its top one can see the confluence of beautiful Vamsadhara River into the sea which is a nature beauty and popular tourist spot. Kurmanatha temple dedicated to Kurma Avatar (Tortoise) of Vishnu, in village Sri Kurmam. It is approximately 13 kilometers east of Srikakulam.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Srikakulam Municipality". Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Basic Information of Municipality". Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration. Municipal Administration & Urban Development Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Andhra Pradesh (India): Districts, Cities, Towns and Outgrowth Wards - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts". citypopulation.de.
  4. 1 2 3 "Andhra Pradesh (India): State, Major Agglomerations & Cities - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts". citypopulation.de.
  5. "Srikakulam District Mandals" (PDF). Census of India. pp. 202,219. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  6. "District Census Handbook - Srikakulam" (PDF). Census of India. p. 27. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  7. http://indiatext.net/chalukya-dynasty/
  8. "Sex Ratio". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  9. "Chapter–3 (Literates and Literacy rate)" (PDF). Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  10. "Masula, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram upgraded into corporations". The Hindu (Vijayawada). 10 December 2015. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  11. "District Census Handbook - Srikakulam" (PDF). Census of India. p. 27. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  12. "MLA". AP State Portal. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  13. "MP (Lok Sabha)". Government of AP. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  14. "Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008" (PDF). Election Commission of India. p. 22,31. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  15. "Bus Stations in Districts". Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. Retrieved 9 March 2016.

External links

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