With the onset of picnic season, a family of five from Nellore was looking for tourist spots for a weekend trip. While 19-year-old Madan suggested the names of famous temples, beaches and waterfalls around the city, his father Gopalakrishna rejected all the places and decided to go Puducherry.
Gopalakrishna, like many residents of Nellore, chose not to visit the tourist attractions around the city primarily because of a lack of basic amenities there. Trash, lack of relevant information boards, unregulated fares, tortuous procedures and a dearth of basic amenities and hotels and homestays make visits to these localities tedious and tiring.
The combined Nellore district is known for Somasila Dam, Kandaleru Dam, Penchalakona Falls, Siva Kona Falls, Ubbalamadugu Falls, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary and several beaches, all uncut tourism gems. But trash piles and empty liquor bottles scattered around rob the locations of their appeal for family trips.
A lack of regulations and standardisation of fee and fare is another major problem as Bala Murugan, a visitor from Chennai, found out. “Recently, we went to explore Venadu and Irukkam islands near Tada. A local fisherman charged us ₹5,000 for a boat ride to the island. Empty liquor bottles and plastic bags mar the scenic islands, leaving them unfit for families and outsiders to visit,” he says.
Even historic places like Udayagiri Fort and Venkatagiri Fort in the district are losing their sheen. Pinakini Satyagraha Ashram on the banks of the Penna river at Pallipadu, which was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921, making it his second ashram after Sabarmati Ashram, is currently in a state of neglect.
Bhairavakona water falls near C.S. Puram in Prakasam district.
| Photo Credit:
Kommuri Srinivas
As for Prakasam, the district is full of natural attractions, including beaches, hills, forests and waterfalls. In the heart of Nallamala Hills, Bhairavakona cave temple in Ambavaram village of Giddaluru mandal as well as Ishtakameshwari Devi cave temple in Nekkanti village of Yerragondapalem mandal offer a mix of recreational, adventure, cultural, heritage and spiritual tourism.
Going to Ishtakameshwari Devi temple, however, is a maze on its own. There are numerous restrictions imposed by the Forest Department. Only 120 people are allowed to visit the temple a day; this includes 16 tickets that can be booked online. People aren’t allowed in during the tiger breeding season from July 1 to September 30, according to the rules of Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR).
“I wanted to visit Ishtakameshwari Devi temple, but I couldn’t do it owing to the tedious registration process. Instead, I went for the tiger safari at Thummalabailu in Dornala mandal,” says Hari Babu, a resident from Visakhapatnam who wanted to use his two consecutive holidays to their fullest after having darshan at Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy at Srisailam temple town in Nandyal district.
Nemaligundla waterfalls, also known as Rangaswamy Gundam, near Sri Nemaligundla Ranganayaka Swamy Temple is also located in the middle of Nallamala forest near Giddaluru town. Owing to the heavy rains during this season, a landslide occurred recently.A young man taking video of some scenic views on the way to the waterfalls had a narrow escape. His video, which captured the landslide, became viral on social media. “It was sheer luck that the landslide occurred on a week day when the traffic was low. Had it happened on a Saturday or a Sunday, the situation could have turned disastrous,” says Ch. Balakrishna, a local youth.
The Buddhist Stupa near Chandavaram village in Donakonda mandal, situated on the bank of the Gundlakamma river, is a major tourist attraction in the district. However, tourists are unable to understand its significance owing to a lack of information boards.
Will the directions be followed?
Chairperson of 20-Point Programme Lanka Dinakar recently visited Cumbum (Gundlakamma) Lake, the second-largest irrigation tank in Asia, and directed the officials to improve the infrastructure required for the tourism development. He also asked them to establish memorials for such great personalities as Tyagaraja and Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, who hail from the place.
Cumbum Lake in Prakasam district.
| Photo Credit:
Kommuri Srinivas
To develop west Prakasam, he suggested showcasing the uniqueness and heritage of this region to the world by launching a tourist circuit, including these areas and the temples around Cumbum Lake. He also presented a report to the authorities for the development of the existing temples.
Speaking to The Hindu, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) chairperson Nukasani Balaji says that the previous government showed no interest towards the tourism sector during their five-year tenure. Pakala Beach development works were under way till 2019 and ₹2 crore had been spent but, later, the work came to a halt, he says.
“After the Coalition government was formed, we have initiated a special drive to develop three places — Pakala Beach, Cumbum Lake and Sri Lashmi Narasimha Swami Temple in Prakasam district at ₹20 crore. We are trying to renovate Pakala Beach at ₹5-7 crore. This long beach has many features that can attract tourists,” he adds.
The sunset at Cumbum Lake amid the surrounding hills is a sight to behold. “We are planning to start boating and resort facilities here. Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, which is called as Dakshina Simhachalam, will be developed along with other famous places in the State under a tourism circuit very soon,” he says.
Tripuranthakeswara swamy temple in Prakasam district.
| Photo Credit:
Kommuri Srinivas
He has proposed a spiritual tourism circuit connecting Kothapatnam Beach, Pakala Beach, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Singarayakonda, Sri Malayadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Malakonda, Bhairavakona Cave Temples, Sri Nemaligundla Ranganayaka Swamy Temple, Tripurantakam Bala Tripurasundari Devi Temple and Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam.
Temple development on the cards
Minister for Endowments Anam Ramanarayana Reddy says the government is working on a temple tourism circuit with ₹350-400 crore Central funds under various schemes. That apart, it is also restoring ancient temples and preserving those on hills and inside forests.
He had recently laid the foundation stone for the development of Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple near Bitragunta in Nellore district at ₹5.38 crore. This historic temple is known for its unique ‘Kalaha Nivarana Puja’, which, devotees believe, resolves disputes. The reconstruction works of Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple at Moolapet have also been taken up in the district.
Last month, the Minister launched the construction of Seetha Ramanjaneya Swamy Temple at Gundemadakala village in Vinjamuru mandal with ₹1 crore from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Srivani Trust. He also announced that the historic temple of Sri Nageswara Swamy, which was unearthed at Perumallapadu after remaining buried for a long time, will be developed soon.
Former Nellore District Collector O. Anand had earlier disclosed a number of ambitious plans to develop the tourism circuits in the district, especially for those coming from Tirupati and Chennai cities. The new District Collector, Himanshu Shukla, who had earlier worked as the Manging Director of the APTDC, also have some plans on his mind.
“Mypadu, Koduru, Tupilipalyem and Katepalli are some of the most beautiful beaches in Nellore, visited by thousands. We are planning to conduct a ‘Mypadu Beach Festival’ similar to Masula Beach Festival at Manginapudi Beach. Later, we will organise such fests at other famous beaches in the district,” says Mr. Shukla.
Private players, too, are coming up with new ventures and innovative concepts. V. Harsha, an event manager, took a property of the APTDC near Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple and close to Ramathirtham Beach in Varini village, Vidavalur mandal of Nellore district, and developed it as a lavish resort with 25 rooms in a pollution-free environment.
“The APTDC property just had a compound wall and a dilapidated building. But, we were very much interested in the beach, which is stunningly bright. We wanted to arrange destination weddings here … We have invested heavily in the the resort and are planning to launch more such properties in the State,” he says.
In Prakasam district, Carlton Wellness Group will soon launch a luxury wellness resort with 40 premium villas in Ongole, in collaboration with spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and his brand Sri Sri Tattva, to offer Ayurveda, Panchakarma and holistic therapies.
