Home :: South India Travel Destinations :: Nellore India

» Location : Southern Part Of Andhra Pradesh
» Famous For : Paddy Production
» Previously Known As : Vikramasimhapuri
» Nearby Attractions : Ranganatha Temple, Nellapattu Sanctuary, Penchalakona

Nellore City is picturesquely situated on the north bank of Pennar River. It 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. 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.

Prime Attractions of Nellore
The most important religious and tourist interest in the city include the temples of Talpagiri Ranganatha also known as 'Ranganayakulu', 'Mulaathanesvaraswami', 'Venugopalswami' and 'Dharmaraja'.

Ranganathaswami Temple: Located on the south bank of the River Penneru, the temple has a 29 Mts. tall Galigopuram with seven gold kalasams. In the Addalapatnam (Mirror Parlor) in the temple, mirrors are arranged at various angles to provide a panoramic view of the deity. The painting of Lord Krishna on the ceiling of the mantapam is unique in many aspects.

Excursions of Nellore
Nellapattu Sanctuary : Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is in Nelapattu village. It is located on the East Coast about 20-km north of the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary in the Nellore district This small water bird sanctuary was established in 1976 in the coastal village of Neelapattu, with village tank as its focal point. Tank and treetops here are transformed into a large and mixed heronry in water.
Season : November- March.

Pulicat Lake: Part of the Andhra-Tamilnadu border, a major portion of this 580 sq. km lake is in A.P. Boating facilities are available here to view the large flocks of flamingo, migrant shore birds and resident water birds. Season : October - March.

How to Get There
By Air : The nearest airport is at Chennai.

By Rail : Nellore has a railway station on the Waltair-Chennai broad gauge line.

By Road : Nellore is well connected by road with all the places in the state. Tourists can take buses from any major city to this place. For local transportation taxis, autos and rickshaws are available.

General Information about Nellore
» Climate: Tropical
» Temperature Range
- Summer: Max 42°C and Min 29°C
- Winter: Max 30°C and Min 18°C
» Rainfall: Seasonal, 981 mm
» Clothing: Light Cottons
» STD Code: 0861