Ongole
General Information
District: Prakasam, State: Andhra Pradesh, India
Area: 0
Languages Spoken: Telgu
Long Distance Code: +91-8592
Importance:
Best Time to Visit: October to March
Description
The town was originally called 'Vangalaprolu', 'Vangavolu' and 'Vangolu' after the astrologer bearing the surname 'Vangolu' in the court of the Addanki kings. The earliest reference to this place is found in the inscriptions of the Pallava rulers, Vijayaskandavarma and Simhavarman, whose period of rule was assigned to the last quarter of the 3rd and the first quarter of the 4th centuries AD.<br />Ongole is a good business centre. Food and other items like Butter, Ghee, Cigar, Cereals, Pulses, Groundnut, and Pepper etc are being exported from here to different parts of the country. Bullocks from Ongole known as "Ongole Gitta" are renowned in the state. It is a prestige to have Ongole Bullocks in one's flock of cattle.<br />Location
Ongole is the headquarters for Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh. It is situated on the Chennai -Howrah Grand Trunk Road 109-km away from Guntur.
Among the temples dedicated to 'Chennakesavaswami', 'Kasivisweswaraswami', 'Venugopalaswami', 'Veeranjaneyaswami', 'Prasannajaneyaswami','Annantasitaramaswami','Rajarajeswaraswami', 'Kanyaka Parameswari', the first two are presumed to relate to the 18th century AD. The main idol of Chennkesavaswami with his consort Lakshmi is beautifully sculptured and quite inspiring. The shrine of Kasivisweswaraswami, which is situated by the side of the Chennakesavaswamy temple on the same hill, is famous for its "Addala Mandapam" constructed in 1945 by a local philanthropist. \r\nThe Muslims have a number of mosques and Dargas at the place for their religious congregation and the festivals like Muharram, Bakrid and Ramzan are celebrated on grand scale.\r\n