History of Sullurpet

About Sullurpet

Sullurupeta is a municipality in Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh state, India. It is the mandal headquarters for sullurupeta mandal. It is the gateway of SHAR, Shriharikota Rocket Launching Station and often called as Rocket Town. Other names used Sullurupet.

Location

Geography & Demographics

Sullurupeta is located at 13.7000°N 80.0167°E. It has an average elevation of 11 meters (39 feet). Its pin code is 524121.

Weather

Sullurupeta is located 13 degrees N and 80 degrees E. Since it is close to the equator, summers are hot and winters are pleasant. Since it is close to Bay of Bengal, one can expect high humidity.

Languages

Telugu and Tamil are the main languages that are spoken. Other languages spoken are: English, Hindi and Urdu. Due to its proximity to Sriharikota and Sri City there are many people from across the world speaking multiple languages.

Distances

It is considered a suburb of Chennai due to its proximity, since it is just 83 km away from the place and has excellent rail and road connectivity to Chennai. It is 100 km (62 mi) from Nellore. With excellent 4 lane road, one can reach Chennai in 1 to 1¹⁄₂ hrs and Nellore in 1¹⁄₂ hrs. It is 80 km (50 mi) from Tirupati-Tirumala. Sullurpeta is at a distance of 12 km (7.5 mi) from Sricity which is a developing satellite city in the epicentre of Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu.

One can reach Tirupati via road either going through Naidupeta-Srikalahasti-Tirupati (city) or going directly to Kalahasti. Since southern railway tracks passes through Sullurpeta, communication via train from Sullurpeta has become very convenient for folks in and around Sullurpeta. There are multiple suburban trains travelling from Sullurpeta to Chennai.

History

The origin of name "Sullurupeta" came from "Sullu" meaning rounds or circles and "peta" meaning town. Goddess Chengalamma, a grama devata or shakti has a temple in Sullurupeta. Legend goes that Chengalamma idol was found in the nearby river by few boys who were swimming and they brought it to the current location. Periodically there will be celebrations called tirunallu. During this time, thousands of people from surrounding villages take part. During these 'tirunallu', during one day a goat will be tied one end of the pole and will be circled in the air in front of the temple. This process is called "sullu", hence the name Sullurupeta. In addition to the 'sullu', there is also 'teppotsavam' where the idol of Sri Chengalamma will be carried on a "teppa", a boat, in the Kalangi river, which flows near the temple. Tirunallu also involve Mahishasura mardini and fireworks.

Education

There are government run Elementary, High school, Intermediate college, Degree college, Girls High school in Sullurupeta providing education to people in and around Sullurupeta. There are numerous private schools and two engineering colleges. Private schools Holy Cross High School, Lorven School, Tiny tots school, Railway school, Sri Satyam High School, Sandhya High School, Teja High School, Ramakrishna school, Takshasila school, etc. Inter College like SriSathyam Jr College, SriPratibha Jr College, Vikram Jr College, Leo Jr College e.tc, Degree College like V.S.S.C Degree college, Vidyanjali College of Arts and Science, Sri Prathibha Degree college etc., Engineering colleges Gokula Krishna Engg College and Priyadarshini Engineering college.

Apart from Kendriya Vidhyalayas, the schools that provides education in C.B.S.E. are Padmavathi Vidhyalaya formerly known as Lorven School and Space central school , sriharikota. For Hindi language development a institute has been established named Padmasani Hindi Mahavidyalay.

Assembly constituency

Sullurupeta is an assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh. It is reserved Scheduled Castes.

List of Elected Members:

• 1962 - Pasupuleti Siddaiah Naidu
• 1967, 1972 and 1978 - Pitla Venkata Subbaiah
• 1983 - Satti Prakasham
• 1985 - Madanambeti Manaiah
• 1989 - Pasala Penchalaiah
• 1994 and 1999 - Parasa Venkata Ratnaiah
• 2004 - Nelavala Subhramanyam..
• 2009 - Parasa Venkata Ratnaiah

Panchayats and Villages

There are 21 panchayats and many villages in Sullurupeta mandal.

• Abaka (Village and Panchayat)
• Atchu-katla
• Ata-kanithippa
• Chenigunta(K.C.Babu)
• Dama-nellore (Village and Panchayat)
• Dama-raya (Village and Panchayat)
• Davadi-gunta
• Degala-palem
• Gopal-reddy Palem (Village and Panchayat)
• Illupuru (Village and Panchayat)
• Jangala-palle
• K.C.Narasimhuni Gunta (Village and Panchayat)
• Kadaluru (Village and Panchayat)
• Kadapatra (Village and Panchayat)
• Kasva-reddy-palem(K.R.P)
• Kommineni-palle
• Konnembattu
• Koridi (Village and Panchayat)
• Kota-poluru (Village and Panchayat)
• Kudi-rithippa-khandriga
• Kundiri (Village and Panchayat)
• Mangalampadu (Village and Panchayat)
• Manga-nellore (Village and Panchayat)
• Mannaru-poluru (Village and Panchayat)
• Manne-mutheri (Village and Panchayat)
• Mathaka-mudi (Village and Panchayat)
• Nadendla-vari Kandriga (Village and Panchayat)
• Nookala-palem
• Pandala-gunta
• Pantangam
• Rama-chandra Gunta
• Samantha-mallam (Village and Panchayat)
• Sarva-reddi-kandriga
• SHAR Project (Village and Panchayat)
• Sudda-Madugu-Tageli(MangaNellore Panchayat)
• Suggupalle (Village and Panchayat)
• Sullurpeta (Panchayat and Headquarters)
• Sulluru-japthi-kattubadi
• Uggumudi (Village and Panchayat)
• Utchuru (Village)
• Vatrapalem
• Velagala Ponnuru (Village and Panchayat)
• Yerrabalem

Important Places

Satish Dhawan Space Center, SHAR

Sullurpeta in Nellore district is the gateway to the India's spaceport - Satish Dhawan Space Center, SHAR, Sriharikota High Altitude Range, which is 17 km (11 mi) from Sullurpeta. It called SHAR (Sriharikota range) by the local people. It is also near a bird sanctuary called Nelapattu.

National highway 5, which starts from Bharagora, in Odisha, passes through Sullurpeta en route to Chennai.

Chengalamma Temple

Goddess Chengalamma Parameswari manifested herself in the village of Sullurpeta on the Kolkata-Chennai highway and the temple for her was built on the bank of the Kanlangi river. History tells us that it was established during the fourth and fifth centuries. People also refer to her as the village goddess “Tenkali”. With the passage of time, she is being worshipped regularly by devotees as Chengalamma. Devotees turn up in large number to witness “Chengalamma Jatara” (fair).

The Village goddess who was called Tankali gained reputation as Sullurpeta Chengalamma Thalli and her idol in the temple faces the sea. Devotees from different parts of the State visit the place and fulfil their vows, referring the goddess as the mother who grants boons liberally. The naturally-formed image of the goddess adorning the hanging roots (vooda) of the banyan tree is really an awe-inspiring spectacle.

Banks

State Bank of India, State Bank of Hyderabad, Syndicate Bank, Pinakini Grameena Bank, and Andhra Bank has their branch offices in Sullurpeta.