District: Nellore, State: Andhra Pradesh, India Area: 0 Languages Spoken: Telgu Long Distance Code: +91-861 Importance: Best Time to Visit: October to March
Description
It is believed that it derived its name, as paddy is extensively cultivated in and around the other neighbouring areas of Nellore, where 'Nellu' means paddy and 'Ur' means a town. Nellore was also known as Vikramasimhapuri. Historically, the place is very important. Culturally, Nellore town stands unique among the other towns of Andhra Pradesh as it is supposed to be the place where the greatest of the Telugu poets, Tikkana Somayaji, who translated the Mahabharata into Telugu, lived.
Location
Nellore district is the southern most coastal district in Andhra Pradesh with Nellore as the District Head Quarters. The area of the district is 13076 sq. km. Situated on the north bank of Pennar River, Nellore lies in the southern part of the Andhra Pradesh State. It is at a distance of 173-km from Chennai and is the headquarters of the district.
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary provides fine breeding ground for rare and endangered species like Grey Pelicans, Open-Billed Storks, Little Cormo- Rants, Spoonbills, White-Ibises and Night Herons. It is a small fresh water irrigation tank with Barringtonia trees spread in the water, which can withstand inundation for longer periods in the tank bed. The birds for perching and nesting prefer the foreshore areas. It is a best visiting place for the migratory birds for a long time apart from it more than 1,500 pelican's breed here every year. It is also considered as an ideal roosting place for many birds like egrets, terns and ducks.
Pulicat Sanctuary is located 60-km from Chennai, spreading over Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. It covers a total area of 500-sq-km. It is famous as the second largest brackish water lagoon in India along the coast of Bay Bengal. Backwaters of the sea attract large numbers of migratory water birds. It is also a well-known feeding and breeding ground for a variety of aquatic and terrestrial birds. People living in the adjoining 16 islands and 30 villages are directly or indirectly dependent on the lake for their livelihood. It supports a rich bio-diversity. It is surrounded by southern tropical dry evergreen forest with species like Manilkara Hexandra, Albizzia Amara, Strychnos Muxvomica, Ficus Tiela, Dryopteris Sepiata, Pteriospermus, Uberifolium, Glaucum etc and mangrove forest with species like Ezcocaria, Agollocha, Auicenia Officinales, Acanthies Ilicifolius, Rhizophora Apiculata, Xylocarpus Moluecenix, Degiceros Conrniculatum.\r\nThe most important bird species that visit this lake is Flamingo. About 15,000 Flamingos visit Pulicat every year. Other birds found here are Pelicans, Painted Storks, Open Billed Storks, Grey Herons, Cormorants, White Ibises, Spoon Bills, Egrets, Reef Herons, Spot Billed Ducks, Shoe Vellers, Pintails, Sand Pipers, Gills, and River Term etc.\r\nInvertebrates like Prawn, Plankton and Mollusks and fishes of about 65 different species like Sable Fish, Sargin Fish, White, Black and Silver Prophets etc. can also be seen here. One can find reptiles like Monitor Lizard, Calottes, Cobra, Russel Viper, and Krait etc.\r\n
The most important place of worship in the village is the shrine of Ranganatha situated a furlong away from the village on an elevated place surrounded practically on all sides by the waters of 'Rangasamudram' Tank. People believe that the temple is as important as the one at Srirangam in the South.\r\n'Brahmotsavam' celebrated for ten days from 'Phalguna Suddha Ashtami' to 'Bahula Vidiya' (February-March) is the most important annual event at the place and on this occasion about 25,000 devotees congregate from all over the Telangana region as well as Kurnool. It is one of the most important pilgrim centres in the district.\r\n
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary provides fine breeding ground for rare and endangered species like Grey Pelicans, Open-Billed Storks, Little Cormo- Rants, Spoonbills, White-Ibises and Night Herons. It is a small fresh water irrigation tank with Barringtonia trees spread in the water, which can withstand inundation for longer periods in the tank bed. The birds for perching and nesting prefer the foreshore areas. It is a best visiting place for the migratory birds for a long time apart from it more than 1,500 pelican's breed here every year. It is also considered as an ideal roosting place for many birds like egrets, terns and ducks.
Pulicat Sanctuary is located 60-km from Chennai, spreading over Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. It covers a total area of 500-sq-km. It is famous as the second largest brackish water lagoon in India along the coast of Bay Bengal. Backwaters of the sea attract large numbers of migratory water birds. It is also a well-known feeding and breeding ground for a variety of aquatic and terrestrial birds. People living in the adjoining 16 islands and 30 villages are directly or indirectly dependent on the lake for their livelihood. It supports a rich bio-diversity. It is surrounded by southern tropical dry evergreen forest with species like Manilkara Hexandra, Albizzia Amara, Strychnos Muxvomica, Ficus Tiela, Dryopteris Sepiata, Pteriospermus, Uberifolium, Glaucum etc and mangrove forest with species like Ezcocaria, Agollocha, Auicenia Officinales, Acanthies Ilicifolius, Rhizophora Apiculata, Xylocarpus Moluecenix, Degiceros Conrniculatum.\r\nThe most important bird species that visit this lake is Flamingo. About 15,000 Flamingos visit Pulicat every year. Other birds found here are Pelicans, Painted Storks, Open Billed Storks, Grey Herons, Cormorants, White Ibises, Spoon Bills, Egrets, Reef Herons, Spot Billed Ducks, Shoe Vellers, Pintails, Sand Pipers, Gills, and River Term etc.\r\nInvertebrates like Prawn, Plankton and Mollusks and fishes of about 65 different species like Sable Fish, Sargin Fish, White, Black and Silver Prophets etc. can also be seen here. One can find reptiles like Monitor Lizard, Calottes, Cobra, Russel Viper, and Krait etc.\r\n
The most important place of worship in the village is the shrine of Ranganatha situated a furlong away from the village on an elevated place surrounded practically on all sides by the waters of 'Rangasamudram' Tank. People believe that the temple is as important as the one at Srirangam in the South.\r\n'Brahmotsavam' celebrated for ten days from 'Phalguna Suddha Ashtami' to 'Bahula Vidiya' (February-March) is the most important annual event at the place and on this occasion about 25,000 devotees congregate from all over the Telangana region as well as Kurnool. It is one of the most important pilgrim centres in the district.\r\n
