Nandyal
Nandyal is a town in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. The town of Nandyal is surrounded by 9 temples of Nandi and hence its name is a derivative of the word - Nandi Alayam or the abode of Nandi. The 9 temples of Nandi are ancient and have drawn a lot of pilgrims to the town of Nandyal since the era of the Vijaynagar kingdom. Infact, Pingali Suranna, a famed poet from the court of Vijayanagar Emperor Krishnadevaraya was from Nandyal.
Population
As per 2013 census, Nandyal has a population of 217,000. Out of the total population, the male population is 108,000 and female population is 103,000. The literacy rate of Nandyal is 76.46% of which the literacy rate for males is 83.55 % and females is 69.43 %.
Places to See
Nandyal has historically been an important point from a pilgrimage stand-point. 9 Nandi temples surrounding the town, of which Mahanandi is the most famous one. Mahanandi has natural springs where worshippers generally bathe before entering the main temple. These natural springs have very pure and pristine water. Shivanandi, Vishnunandi, Prathamanandi, Naganandi, Somanandi, Suryanandi, Garudanandi and Vinayaknandi are the other temples of Nandi in and around Nandyal. All of these temples have their own charm and a serene atmosphere. Devotees flock to them to pray for their well-being and success from across the country.
Sri Yaganti Uma Maheswara temple is situated close to Nandyal and is famous for a Nandi statue that grows in height every year. Tourists can also visit the Lord Narasimha temple at Ahobilam, which is at a 2 hour drive from Nandyal. Belum Guhalu or Belum caves are at a distance of 60 km from Nandyal. The Belum Caves are the second largest caves in the Indian sub-continent and have a length of 3229 metres.
If you appreciate wildlife and nature, then you can head to Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary which is at a distance of 30 kms from Nandyal.
How to Reach
By Road
You get buses from several places within Andhra Pradesh like Kurnool, Tirupati, Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Chittor. Nandyal is connected to Bangalore and Chennai by road as well.
By Train
There are direct trains to Nandyal from Bangalore, Secunderabad and Howrah.
By Air
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad is the closest airport to Nandyal. It is at a distance of 270 kms from the town. You can fly to Hyderabad and possibly take a bus to Nandyal. There are both state transport and private operators who provide regular bus services from Hyderabad to Nandyal.