Machilipatnam

Machilipatnam ( pronunciation (help·info)) known as Masulipatnam under British rule and as Bandar in folklore is a city and a special grade municipality and the District Administrative Head-Quarters of the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located 62 kilometres (39 mi) east of Vijayawada.

The town has existed since the 3rd century BCE (Satavahana period) when, according to Ptolemy, it was known as Maisolos. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea calls it Masalia in the 1st century BCE. The port is located on the southeastern, or Coromandel Coast, of India. Situated in the mouth of the River Krishna on the Bay of Bengal, the Masula port saw flourishing sea trade. The naming of the eastern gate of Charminar as Machili-Kaman (literally meaning "gate of fish", in this case specifically meaning a gate to the fishing town of Machilipatnam) testifies the symbiotic relationship between port and the capital. The East India Company built its first factory in India in Masulipatnam. It was a 17th-century port for French, British and Dutch trade. The port has a medium-size fishing harbour which can accommodate 350 fishing vessels and an active carpet-weaving industry. The other products from the town include rice, oilseeds and scientific instruments. This town is a railway terminus and an important educational centre. Andhra Bank was established in 1923 at Machilipatnam.

The Machilipatnam's another name is Bandar And in this area Bandar Laddoo is famous.

The area is vulnerable to storm surges caused by the frequent cyclones in the Bay of Bengal. The 2004 Tsunami affected many fishing villages around Machilipatnam. The Government and NGOs are involved in rebuilding and reconstructing devastated villages.

The Machilipatnam Port was established by the French and Dutch Countries people during 19th Ninetheenth Century and there is now a Demand for Port to Establish in Machilipatnam . There are many strikes held in this area for the circumstances to establish a Port. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has sanctioned RS 350000000 Thirty five Crores yo establish a Port.

Machilipatnam city is located at 16.17°N 81.13°E on the southeast coast of India and in the east corner of Andhra Pradesh. The city has an average elevation of 14 meters (45 feet).

Machilipatnam city gets most of its annual rainfall due to the southwest monsoon. It has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classificationAw) with hot summers and moderate winters. The hottest months are between April and June. The average normal rainfall in the district is 959 millimetres (37.8 in).

Machilipatnam city is frequently hit by cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal. The Andhra Pradesh coast between Ongole and Machilipatnam is vulnerable to high surges of the sea due to cyclones. The Andhra Cyclone of 14–20 November 1977 crossed the coast near Nizampatnam and took approximately 10,000 lives. As the storm approached the coast, gale winds reaching 200 km/h lashed Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, East Godavariand West Godavari districts. A storm surge, 5 metres high, inundated the Krishna estuary and the coast south of Machilipatnam city (Bandar)

On 8 December 2004, a high capacity S-Band Doppler cyclone warning radar was installed, commissioned and made operational at the city. It was purchased from a German manufacturer, Gematronik. With the installation of the radar, the state will be better equipped to track cyclones by the onset of monsoon, according to an official from the State Met Office talking to the newspaper The Hindu. This facility will monitor the 960 km long coastline of the state. The radar's information is posted in real-time on the Indian Meteorological Department website.Similar radars were installed in other coastal cities forming an S-Band Cyclone Detection Radar Network.

Politics and administration

For administrative purposes, Machilipatnam falls into the Bandar revenue division of the Krishna District. It is a special grade municipality with 36 panchayats and 28 villages. The city area covers an area of 28 km2. Machilipatnam is a parliament constituency in Andhra Pradesh. It is governed by the Collector and the District Magistrate of the Krishna district. It is the first municipality in Andhra Pradesh, followed by Tenali.

Economy

Machilipatnam has big industries. Fashion gold (also called rold gold or gold covering) ornaments produced there. Agriculture is the most important occupation, with rice being the main food crop.Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a unit of the Union Defence Ministry, of the Government of India, operates a manufacturing unit in Machilipatnam. BEL is involved in design, development and manufacture of Opto-electronic equipments that are used by the Indian Defence Services and paramilitary organisations. It also produces cyclone detection radar under the IMD Department of Science and Technology.

As of the 2001 India census, Machilipatnam Muncipality had a population of 183,370. The population has since decreased to 170,119 in 2011 as nearly 30,000 people migrated to surrounding villages such as Potepalli and Navinmittal colony. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Machilipatnam has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 65%. In Machilipatnam, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The city is well known for sweet dishes called Bandar Laddu, Musr Laddu and Bandar Halwa.

Sri Ramakrishna Natya Mandali, founded by Dr. Jandhyala Radha Krishna, conducts mythological dramas. Bharathiya Sahitya Parishad, Indian Cultural Association, Hasya Lasya, Kalasagar,Padmasree Gantasala Samscruthika Sangam and Yuva Vedica are some of the leading literary missions active. The literary organisation Saahithee Mitrulu was established in Machilipatnam in 1981 by Dr. Ravi Ranga Rao. It has conducted literary and cultural programmes since then without pause, functioning chiefly to bring out the creative skills of youth and new writers; it has published at least 66 books of literature and treating of language and culture. In 1999, the organisation conducted the "Sathaavadhaanam" of Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad, created a history.

Kuchipudi, a popular Indian Classical Dance form originated at Kuchipudi, 25 kilometres from Machilipatnam. The dance form is in practice in Machilipatnam.

The Kalamkari fabrics of Machilipatnam and Kalahasti, with their intricate designs, are used in clothing and wall hangings. Kalamkari refers to dye-painted cloths and the technique used to create them. Their name derives from kalam, for a pen-like tool used to draw outlines on the cloth, and kari (work). Fabrics are outlined with a cotton-tipped bamboo stick and dyed in vegetable or mineral colours. The process involves washing, rinsing, soaking and bleaching muslin, and applying mordants and dyes using natural substances like indigo for blue, madder for red, mango bark and dried myrobalan fruit for yellow, palm sugar and rusted iron for black. The dyeing process is very elaborate and can take several days to complete. While some pieces are hand-drawn, large canvas and sheets are block-printed. The work done in Machilipatnam, often using block printing in conjunction with hand painting, features decorative floral and vegetable designs that appealed to local kingdoms and to export trade. This culminated in European demand for Machilipatnam chintz, which derives its name from the Hindi word chint (spotted cloth). Machilipatnam is also famous for imitation jewellery called Chilakalapudi Bangram – an industry involving over 200 companies and 30000 artisans. The jewellery is exported to countries in South East and Middle East Asia and is also sold domestically to the South Indian film industry. Weaving of sarees and cloth is another primary occupation.

Seafood is the most famous and delicious food; it is part of the servings in many restaurants served in Andhra, along with other cuisines. Sweets, mainly Bandar Laddu and Bandar Halwa, are also very famous here.

Machilipatnam is a city with a rich history of foreign conquests, business and trade. The relics of Bandar Kota (Machilipatnam Fort) can be visited. The old light house is still standing.

Sai Baba Temple at Machilipatnam

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Batchupet, Sri Nageswara Swamy Temple, Kojjillipet, Sri Ramalingeswara and Sri Ranganayakaswamy Temples, R.Pet and Sri Bhadradri Sri Ramulavari Temple, Main Road, are the most famous temples in Machlipatnam.

Sai Maharaj Devalayam at the district court centre of Machilipatnam is the main attraction of the town. It has the biggest statue of Sri Saibaba of Shirdi. The Indian Book of Records has recognised it as the "Tallest Saibaba statue" by Shri. BLV Rao and Shri. Srinivas Kishan on 25 August 2011.

Dattashram is a pilgrimage site on the coast. Dattashram has an ancient Shiva temple and a recently built Datta temple. Manginapudi is popularly known as "Datta Rameswaram" due to the consecration of 12 wells for bathing (recalling those at Rameswaram).

Panduranga Swamy temple at Chilakalapudi near the city, is a famous pilgrimage site. It is a temple of Lord Vishnu, said to be similar to the temple at Pandaripur.

Sivaganga Temple is a historical temple maintained by Challapalli jameendars rather than the Government. It is one of the oldest temples in the area. Located on the Avanigadda road, it attracts tourists and devotees all through the year. On Shivaratri major celebrations are carried out by the temple trustees.

Anjaneya Swami Temple, in Paraspet, was built by Samarth Ramdas, the guru of Chatrapathi Sivaji. Ghantasala, 21 km from Machilipatnam. It includes the remains of an old Buddhist stupa.

Agastheeswara Temple, 36 km from Machilipatnam, is a temple of Lord Shiva and pilgrimage site. At this temple Lord Shiva is called by the name Ekaratri Mallikarjunaswamy. An annual festival is celebrated here and the deities are taken out in procession. At Gudivada, North west of Machilipatnam, visitors are attracted by the old ruins of the stupas.

Further up the coast of Machilipatnam there are five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. These ancient temples are located at Amravati, Samalkot, Bhimavaram, Draksharama and Chebrolu. Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy temple, located at Godugupet, has a history of over hundred years.

The Jodugudlu temple in Edepalli is also one of the oldest temples with more than 150 years of history. The remple was built during the 19th century, by Velama Doralu which is a social group found mainly in Andhra Pradesh. Velamas are classed as "warrior caste". The temple was handed over to the Endowments Department in the year 1936. Currently the temple has been developed by an un-organised 

The beaches in Machilipatnam city are long, broad, pristine, and with pale blonde sands. Apart from Manginapudi beach, Palletummalapalem is a beach side fishing hamlet 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Machilipatnam; it is well known for its scenic beauty and also as a historic port city. During its heyday this port served as a gateway to India. The beach has a natural bay with shallow waters. Recently access to the beach was recently banned due to some natural holes appearing underwater.

The Sri Ganganamma Temple was constructed in the year of 1977 when the great cyclone came i.e. uppena at Rajupet, Machilipatnam. The Sree Ramalam temple is 2 kilometres from Palletummalapalem.