Raichur

Raichur is very rich from the epigraphical point of view also. It has already yielded hundreds of inscriptions, ranging right from the Mauryan period upto the end of the Muslim period, in a variety of languages like Sanskrit, Prakrit, Kannada, Arabic and Persian and belonging to almost all the dynasties that ruled over the Dekkan. The most important places from this point of view are Maski, Koppal, Kuknur, Mudgal and Raichur.Indian Travel agent provides hotel bookings, hotel booking in India.

The District of Raichur was a part of the Hyderabad State till the re-organisation of State on 1st November 1956. The recorded history of the district is traced to as far back as the third century B.C. The fact that three minor rock edicts of Ashoka are found in this district one at Maski in the Lingasugur taluk and the other two near Koppal, prove that this area was included in the dominions of the great Mauryan king Ashoka (273 - 236 B.C.). At that time, this region was under the governance of the Viceroy or Mahamatra of Ashoka. Early in the Christian era, the district appears to have been a part of the kingdom of the Satavahanas. The Vakatakas, who reigned during the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D., seem to have held sway over Raichur for sometime, after which it appears to have been included in the Kadamba dominions. The next dynasty of importance, which ruled over this region, was that of the Chalukyas of Badami. According to an inscription from Aihole, Pulikeshi-II having defeated the Pallavas, occupied this area and made it a province in his empire under the governance of his son Adityavarma. Later the whole of the present Raichur district was included in the dominions of the Rashtrakutas, who rose to power in the eighth century, as could be gathered from the inscriptions of that period found in this district. According to an inscription from Manvi taluk, one Jagattunga, a subordinate ruler under the Rashtrakuta king Krishna-II, was ruling the province of Adedore Eradusavirapranta, i.e., the area constituting the present Raichur district. Nripatunga, a Rashtrakuta king, has described Koppal in his Kannada work, Kavirajamarga, as the great Kopananagara.

Numerous inscriptions of the Chalukyas of Kalyana, found in the various parts of the district, testify to the fact that this region was under their sway for a considerable length of time between the 10th and 12th centuries A.D. It is learnt from an inscription found at Naoli in Lingsugur taluk that during the reign of Chalukya Vikramaditya-V, the Adedore-pranta, i.e., the Raichur region, was being ruled by his younger brother Jagadekamalla-I. Another inscription from Maski describes the place as a capital and makes a reference to the reign of Jayasimha. There were, however, frequent wars between the Chola kings of the south and the Chalukyan kings of Kalyana for supremacy over the Raichur region and the territory had passed into the hands of the cholas for a brief period. The Haihayas and Sindas also seem to have ruled some parts of this region for sometime. Later, after the fall of the Chalukyas, Raichur passed into the hands of the Kalachuri kings. Then came the Kakatiyas in the 13th century. From an inscription on the fort-wall of Raichur, referred to earlier, it is learn that the original fort was built by one Gore Gangayya Reddy, a general of the Kakatiya queen Rudramma Devi of Warangal, in 1294 A.D., at the instance of the latter.

The district of Raichur has a hoary past. It has had an eventful & rich beginning from the days of the Mauryan King Ashoka. A number of inscriptions, rocks edicts & other records, temples, forts & battlefields bear testimony to this fact. Lying between two important Kingdoms. In the recent past, it was a part, it was a part of the princely State of Hyderabad, and since the 1st November 1956, it is a constituent district of the Mysore State.

Origin of the name of RAICHUR
The district derives its name from its headquarters town Raichur (origin of name Rayachooru in Kannada), as do most of the other districts also in the State. Though many of the villagers round about still call the place by the earlier from of the name which is Rayachooru, however, in modern times, it has come to be generally written and pronounced in Kannada as Rayachooru. The name of this place which is of considerable antiquity, can be traced back to the Twelfth Century at least. As Dr. P.B. Desai has pointed out the Raichur fortress was one of the fortresses conquered by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana. This is evident from at least Three of the Hoysala inscriptions in Kannada. In the earliest of these three inscriptions which was found at Hulkera in Belur taluk of Hassan district (numbered Belur 193 in Epigraphyia Carnatica, Vol V, PartI, 1902) and which belong to the year 1161 A.D. and the region of Hoysala Narasimha I, mention is made of the Perddore (the Krishna river) as the northern boundary of Vishnuvardhana’s Kingdom and the Rachavoor as one of the places conquered by Vishnuvardhana while still a youth.

The second of these inscriptions which was discovered at Hatana in Nagamamgala taluk of the present Manday district Numbered Nagamangala 70 in Epigraphia Carnatica, Vol IV-Part II,1898) and which is dated 1178 A.D. when Hoysala Vira-Ballala II was ruling, refers to Permmana (ie., Permma+na) Rachavoor as one of the numerous forts which Vishnuvardhana captured with a frown .Indian Travel Agent offers Visit India and explore India. This lithic record indicates that the place was known at the time as Permma’s Rachavoor, this Permma being probably a local chieftain, the third of these inscriptions, which is from Hirehalli in Belur taluk of Hassan district (numbered Belur 137 in Epigraphia carnatica, Vol. V-part I, 1902) and which is dated 1183 A.D. and is also the reign of Hoysals Vira-Ballala II enumerates Rachavoor as one of the places which Vishnuvardhana captured by the might of his arm.

From the context of enumeration of places in these inscriptions and other account of exploits of Vishnuvardhana, it becomes clear that the place referred to above as Rachavoor or Rachanoor is Raichur of the present days. Racha being derived from Raja (i.e., King) and oor meaning a place of town. Rachavoor (Racha + oor) or Rachanoor (Racha+na+oor) means in Kannada King's place showing that it was already an important town in Kannada country. By 1294 A.D., Permmana Rachavoor or Rachanoor had been shortened into Rachoor or Rachooru as is clear from a Kakatiya inscription of that year found on the fort-wall of Raichur itself. That this form of the name for the place continued during the Vijayanagara times, at least upto 1541 A.D., is known from two Kannada inscriptions of that year found at Alampur (now in Mahaboobnagar district of Andhra Pradesh ) which says that the king Krishnadevaraya captured Rachoor by his expendition in the north. Thus it is obvious that this historical Rachoor or Rachooru underwent a further slight change in recent times with the addition of ya between Ra and cha to become the present Rayachooru (Ra+ya+cha+oor) . The ya here might be the second letter of the word Raya meaning again king. In Hindi and Urdu the equivalent of Raya being Rai, it seems to have become the practice to spell the name as Raichur in Urdu, later bringing that usage into vogue in English as well.Special Holidays with very attractive and discounted packages and hotel bookings.

It is narrated that a chieftain on witnessing a strange spectacle of a rabbit turning on a dog that pursued him and tearing the latter (dog) to pieces at this spot, thought that the scene of this heroic and unusual action was a fit place for building a fort and accordingly constructed a formidable fort and named the place as Naichur which, in Kannada, connotes the idea of the dog being torn to pieces. The present name, Raichur, is said to be have derived from that Naichur. But this kind of the story is repeated in respect of many forts. It is also said that Rai meaning stone in Telugu, with ooru (town), gave rise to Rajooru, that is, a town of stones (because of rocks in the vicinity) which becomes Rayachooru or Raichooru. These and such other stories can be said to be only conjectures, in view of the clear historical evidence about the name already explained. It appears that Raichur had been once renamed Ferozenagar by a Bahmani Sulthan, but the appellation did not stick on to it and it continued to be called by the old name only.All tour and Travel needs for India by Indian travel agent.

General Information
Area
The district is bounded on the North by the district of Gulberga, on the West by the districts of Bijapur and Dharwar, on the East by the district of Mababoobnagar of Andhra Pradesh, and on the South are the districts of Kurnool also of Andhra Pradesh, and Bellary. The two rivers, the Krishna and the Tungabhadra from the entire North and Southern boundaries of the district.Indian Travel agent provides hotel bookings, hotel booking in India.

The geographical area of the district, according to the Central statistical organization of the Government of India, is 14,013 Sq Kilometers which works out to 5410 sq. miles. But the reporting area of the district for land utilization purposes, as worked out by the Commissioner for Survey, Settlement and Land Records in Mysore, Bangalore is 14007.9 Sq.Kilometers or 5,435.5 sq.miles. This slight difference is due to the different methods employed by them in measuring the area. The population of the district according the 1961 census, was 11,00,895. In terms of area, the district occupies the third place among the districts of the State, while in respect of population it occupies the tenth place. It accounts for 7.36 percent of the total area and 4.6 percent of the total population of the State in 1961; the density of population then worked out to 202.51 per square mile or 77 per square kilometer and this was much below the State average, which was 319 per square mile or 123 per square kilometer, and the lowest next only to North Kanara district.

Population
The population of the district according the 1961 census, was 11,00,895. In terms of area, the district occupies the third place among the districts of the State, while in respect of population it occupies the tenth place. It accounts for 7.36 percent of the total area and 4.6 percent of the total population of the State in 1961; the density of population then worked out to 202.51 per square mile or 77 per square kilometer and this was much below the State average, which was 319 per square mile or 123 per square kilometer, and the lowest next only to North Kanara district.Indian Travel Agent offers Visit India and explore India.

Climate
The climate of the district is characterised by dryness for the major part of the year and a very hot summer. The low and highly variable rainfall renders the district liable to drought. The year may be divided broadly into four seasons. The hot season begins by about the middle of February and extends to the end of May The South-west monsoon is from June to end of September. October and November are the post monsoon or retreating monsoon months and the peirod from december to the middle of Febrary is the cold season.

Temperature
The only meteorological observatory in the district is at Raichur. The data of this observatory may be taken as representative of the conditions in the district. December is the coldest month with the mean daily maximum temperature at 29.3 Degree C. (84.8 F) and the mean daily minimum at 17.7C (63.9F) The nights are generally cool in the season, but day temperatures sometimes reach 35 to 38 Degree C.The period from about the middle of February to May is one of continuous rise in tenoeratyres, May is the hottest month, the mean daily maximum temperature being 39.8 (103.7 F) The heat is oppressive till the onset of the south-west mansoon by about the first week of June. Thereafter the weather becomes slightly cooler and continues to be so till the end of the South-west mansoon season. Day temperatures show a slight increae in October. From November, both day and night tmperatures gradually decrease till December. Special Holidays with very attractive and discounted packages and hotel bookings.

The highest maximum temperature ever recorded at Raichur was 45.6 C (114.1F) on 23rd May 1928 and the lowest minimum was 10.0 C (50.0F) on 14th January 1899 and 13th December 1945.

Rivers
The only two rivers of importance in this district are the Krishna and the Tungabhadra which form the entire northern and southern boundaries of the district, respectively. They have been associated from time immemorial with religious and cultural activities and have several famous shrines on their banks. Picturesque spots on their banks have been also abodes of spiritual sadhana. In the historical and cultural development of the country, the great rivers have played a vital role. Legend and tradition have sanctified these perennial sources of water, which have given an immense impetus to civilization and prosperity of the land. These beneficent river have exercised a strong influence on the life and imagination of the people.

Krishna River
The Krishna seems to have been serving as an artery of commerce since ancient times. The river must have been navigable a long way inland during the early centuries. Dr. Pandurangarao Desai is of the opinion that Ptolemy referred to this river, at least in its lower course, as Maisolos, which name has survived in the modern Masulipatam. He also says that the river Krishna is typical of the Deccan rivers; its maximum flood discharge is said to be almost double that of the Nile river, while in summer it dwindles down to a mere 100 cusecs. But all the same, it is a perennial river and has been the source of livelihood for a number of villages and towns on its banks. The bed of the river is rough and stony. It has low banks and is about half-a-mile wide. It has a few islands in it and when the river is in flood, it is difficult for the inhabitants of the island villages to communicate with the people of the mainland. In the rainy season, when the river generally overflows its banks, its waters enrich the soil with a rich deposit of natural manure and there is luxuriance of crops on these lands.All tour and Travel needs for India by Indian travel agent.

The Krishna is also called Hire-hole (big or great river) in the region, and old Kannada inscriptions mention it as Perddore with the same meaning. The river has its source in the Western Ghats north of the Mahabaleshwar hill station. In its upper course, it rushes through deep and narrow gorges. While flowing through the broken ridges of the Dharwars in the Deccan proper, it receives many streams. It enters Raichur district to the north of Uppinhal village in Lingsugur taluk and flows for a distance of about 104 miles in the district. There is a steep drop in the level of the river in its course through this district, as much as 300 feet, in a distance of about three miles. The river Bhima joins this river to the north of Kadlur in Raichur taluk. About 15 major and 21 minor streams and nalas also flow into the river along its course, important among them being the Hutti nala (30 miles), Chiksugur nala (22 miles), Ramdurg nala (20 miles), Mandargi nala (19 miles), Kodihal nala (17 miles), Ramanhal nala (16 miles), Hirebudur nala (15 miles) and Timmapur and Budadipad nalas (14 miles each). The river leaves the district north of Budadipad village in Raichur taluk and enters Andhra Pradesh.

Tungabhadra River
The Tungabhadra is formed by the union of two rivers, viz., the Tunga and the Bhadra, both of which rise at Gangamula in Varaha Parvata of the Western Ghats. This is also a perennial river, very deep in certain places and almost unaffordable even in the dry season. This river enters the district near Kesalapur village at the south-western tip of Koppal taluk. The general slope of the land in the district being north-west to south-east, the Tungabhadra has a large number of rivulets and streams serving as tributaries, as compared to the Krishna. But none of these streams is of any great importance by itself and they generally go dry during the summer.

Old Kannada inscriptions have hailed the river as the Ganga of South India. In the past, notably during the days of Vijayanagar kings, it had been dammed at several places for purposes of irrigation and, in this district also, anicuts of large blocks of stones were constructed in several places in Koppal and Gangavati taluks. Canals were laid along both sides of the river. Most of these canals had been silted up and the water courses were in a dilapidated state. If kept in constant repair, these canals can serve as effective means of irrigation for the cultivation of rice and surgarcane, in places not benefited by the recent Tungabhadra Dam at Munirabad. The Tungabhadra river also is reputed as one of the important rivers of South India.Indian packages with Indian Travel Agent.

The river which forms the southern boundary of the district flows for a distance of about 130 miles along the district touching Koppal, Gangavathi, Sindhanur, Manvi and Raichur regions and leaves the district to the south-east of Talamari village in Raichur taluk. As stated above, a number of streams and nalas flow into the river along its course in the district, the more important among them being the Maski nala (70 miles), Hirehalla (50 miles), Alawandi nala (20 miles), sindhanur nala (50 miles), Siddapur stream (32 miles), Marli stream (26 miles), Inchnal nala (50 miles), Kanakgiri nala (32 miles), Nandihal nala (26 miles) and Kapgol nala (24 miles).

Geography
The district is bounded by the Krishna River on the north and the Tungabhadra River on the south. The wedge of land between the rivers is known as the Raichur Doab, after the city of Raichur. Bijapur and Gulbarga districts lie to the north across the Krishna River. Bagalkot and Koppal districts lie to the west. Across the Tungabhadra lies Bellary District of Karnataka to the southwest and Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh to the southeast. Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh state lies to the east, and includes the lower portion of the Raichur

Demographics
The population of the district, by the 2001 Census of India, was 1,669,762 of which 25.20% were urban. [1] Raichur District has five taluks: Raichur, Devadurga, Sindhanur, Manvi and Lingsugur. The capital of the district is the city of Raichur, which is 409 km from the state capital, Bangalore.Indian Travel agent provides hotel bookings, hotel booking in India.

Tourism
Among the historical attractions in the district, notable are the Raichur fort, built in 1294, and the nearby town of Anegundi, which has a number of monuments from the Vijayanagara empire, including the Ranganatha temple, Pampa lake and Kamal Mahal, Jaladurga fort of Lingsugur taluk.

Raichur is an administrative district of Karnataka with its head quarter at the same town of Raichur. The district is bounded by the Krishna River on the north and the Tungabhadra River on the south. The wedge of land between the rivers is known as the Raichur Doab, after the city of Raichur. Bijapur and Gulbarga districts lie to the north across the Krishna River. Bagalkot and Koppal districts lie to the east. Across the Tungabhadra lies Bellary District of Karnataka to the southwest and Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh to the southeast. Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh state lies to the east, and includes the lower portion of the Raichur Doab.

There are some worth visiting sites in and around Raichur. Anegundi, a small town located 135 kms from Raichur, has some beautiful temples from the Vijayanagara period such as the spectacular Ranganatha Temple and the Huchchappayana Matha. The Pampa Sarovara, the Kamal Mahal and Nava Brindavana are worth seeing inside the Matha. Incredible India Tours with Indian Travel agent.