Rajahmundry

Rajahmundry is the biggest city of the East & West Godavari districts and first municipal corporation in the Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh state in India. Poet Nannayya gave Telugu script here which made it a language. It is the birthplace of poet Nannayya, who is also called the first poet of Telugu. The City is known as the Cultural Capital of Andhra Pradesh, Rajahmundry is noted for its versatile Vedic culture and intellect. It is one of the oldest cities of India and the seventh most populous city in Andhra Pradesh. City population is around 1 million, but census shows 413,616 (Census 2011).In Madras Presidency,The district of Rajahmundry was created in 1823.The Rajahmundry district was reorganized in 1859 into two - the Godavari and Krishna districts. During British rule, Rajahmundry was the headquarters of Godavari district. Godavari district was further bifurcated into East and West Godavari districts in 1925. It is situated 400 kilometres (249 mi) east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. It is the birth city of Andhra Pradesh. This is probably due to the fact that the Telugu language originated here.

The city origins can be traced back to the rule of the Chalukya king Raja Raja Narendra who reigned around 1022 AD, after whom it is named Rajamahendri or Rajamahendravaram. Remains of 11th-century palaces and fort walls still exist. However, new archeological evidence suggests that the town may have existed much before the Chalukyas. Rajamhendravaram was renamed Rajahmundry during the rule of the British, for whom the city was the headquarters of the Godavari district. When the district was split into East and West, subsequently, Kakinada - became the headquarters of East Godavari.

Some Memorable years in the Rajahmundry History:

• 1802 - The district court was constructed in Rajahmundry 
• 1823 - The district of Rajahmundry is created. 
• 1853 - The Government Arts College was established as the District School in Rajahmundry 
• 1867 - Establishment of Sub-collector's office. 
• 1885 - Establishment of Secondary grade college. 
• 1894 - Establishment of Govt Training college. 1898 - Establishment of Gowtami Grandhalayam (Library) by Mr. NalamKrishna Rao and Vaddadi Subbaraidu.

Fort Gate (Kotagummam):

The area covering the old-Godavari railway station, Statue of Mrityunjaya (Lord Hanuman), Statue of Mr. Potti Sriramulu and Hotel Ajanta is called Fortgate. Today, the Fortgate is not there, but a wall (only a part) covering the main street (through which elephants, horses etc. were taken for a bath) is still found. This wall is slant on both sides.

City Central Jail: The fort of the Dutch Rajahmundry-

In 1602, the Dutch constructed a fort in Rajahmundry. The British empire converted it into a jail in 1864, and then elevated it to a central jail in 1870. The jail is spread over 196 acres (79 ha) out of which the buildings occupy 37.24 acres (15.07 ha) Rajahmundry was under the Dutch rule for some time. This fort was constructed nearly two centuries ago. In 1857 the British conquered the Dutch and they converted this big fort into central Jail.

First Flim Studio of Andhra Pradesh-[1936, Rajahmundry]

Telugu Talkie era started with Bakta Prahalada (1931). Andhra was not yet been identified as a competent area for cinema shooting so. The shooting was being done in the places like Kolhapur, Kolkata Studios. In 1936, a studio, by name Durga CineTone was started in Rajahmundry. It was started by Nidamarti Soorayya whose father Jaladurga Prasad's name was after it. The first talkie film was shot in Andra Pradesh. Those days, there were only three film studios in south India - two in Chennai and Durga Cinetone in Rajahmundry, He produced films, built three cinema halls in Rajahmundry.