Penukonda

Coordinates: 14°05′06″N 77°35′46″E / 14.085°N 77.596°E / 14.085; 77.596
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Penukonda
Penugonda
UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationAP 02
Nearest cityHindupuram
Sasana Sabha constituencyPenukonda

Penukonda also called Penugonda is a town in the

Anantapur town.[1]

Demography

According to

Penner River flows along its western and Chitravati river along its eastern boundary.[citation needed
]

History

This region was controlled at different points in history by the

Hoysala kings, who were practitioners of Jainism.[citation needed
]

Parsvanath image in Penukonda style

After Krishna Deva Raya, Venkatapathi Rayalu, the Emperor of Vijayanagar, took over.[citation needed] He made Raya Dalavayi Koneti Naidu (son of Kasturi Naidu, grandson of Akkappa Naidu, great-grandson of Kanaka Naidu of Chandragiri), as the governor of Penukonda and conferred him the title with Maha-Raja-Raja-Sri and celebrated Koneti Naidu's marriage with Swarna. Koneti Naidu ruled Penukonda, Rayadurga and Kundurpi Forts for about 17 years (1635-1652 AD). After the ruling of Koneti Nayudu his descendants Raya Dalavayi Sri Venkatapathi Nayudu, Peda Timmappa Nayudu, Venkatapathi Nayudu, Koneti Nayudu, Rajagopala Nayudu and Timmappa Nayudu ruled this Penukonda.[citation needed] Following Vijayanagara's defeat at the Battle of Talikota in 1565, Tirumala moved the capital of the Empire to Penukonda, where it stayed until 1592.[4]

Because of its ancient Jain history and presence of many temples it is one of the most revered places for Jains. In the Tamil Jain tradition, this is counted as one of the four Jain centers of learning (Vidystahana) i.e. a Bhattaraka matha which are

Mula Sangh Nandisangha's Balatkara Gana, Saraswathi Gachha, Kondakundanvaya's Priyarajaguru Mandalacharya Maghanandi Siddantha Deva. It was once the seat of a Jain Bhattaraka, established in A.D. 1359. The seat became extinct and the local Jain population declined. However the temple is well preserved. Also located here is the historic Ajitnath temple from the same period. After renovation by the Gowdanakunte family of Amarapura, it was preserved by Muni 108 Sri Ajithakeerthi Maharaj. After his samdhi in 1966, the temple was in poor condition byt has recently been renovated by the Dharmasthala institution.[8]

Kumbakarna garden here spreading over 5 acres has a Gigantic statue of the sleeping Kumbhakarna, measuring 142 feet in length and 32 feet in height into whose cavernous belly one can walk. Several asuras are seen trying to wake up the sleeping Giant, depicting the famous story of this in invincible brother of Ravana in Ramayana.[9]

a Tomb of Baba Fakruddin a sufi saint who settled in Penukonda.

Assembly constituency

Penukonda is an assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh.

Notable names in history – The Penukonda family name was responsible for developing the popular Kadapa stone that is used for granite countertops.

References

  1. ^ "Anantapur District Mandals" (PDF). Census of India. p. 421. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  2. ^ Penukonda in The Imperial Gazetteer of India vol 20, pp: 104-5.
  3. ^ http://www.anantapur.com/travel/penu.html
  4. ^ Eaton, Richard (2019). "The Deccan and the South, 1400-1650". India in the Persianate Age, 1000-1765. Penguin Books. p. 175.
  5. ^ Jain Monuments of Andhra, G. Jawaharlal, Sharada Publishing Houe, 2002, p. 74
  6. ^ A speed-breaker called Penukonda, The Hindu, Jul 10, 2004[dead link]
  7. ^ Penukonda
  8. ^ "Sri Ajithanatha Digambar Jain Temple Penkonda, 2019". Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  9. ^ "::anantapuramu::". Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
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