Ongole

The name 'Ongole' is believed to be derived from the word 'Vangaprolu' which later had transformed to 'Vangavolu' and then to modern 'Ongolu'. 'Prolu' means Town in ancient Telugu.

The city's history dates from 230 BCE with the era of the Mauryas and Satavahanas who ruled most of what is now Andhra Pradesh. A few inscriptions dating to the Satavahana period have been found in China Ganjam, a village near Ongole. According to the historical inscriptions available at Sri Raja Rajeswara Swami Temple complex, the city was founded by Cholas. Ongole is also mentioned in the inscriptions of the Pallava rulers of the third and fourth century A.D. The city was also ruled by Krishna Deva Raya. This place came into the limelight again during the Kakatiya dynasty, when the nearby towns of Motupalli and Vodarevu served as major seaports. The last dynasty to rule the Ongole region before the British was the Mandapati dynasty (zamindars). Kaasi Visweswara Swami temple, Chenna Kesava Swami Temple and Veeranjaneya Swami temple were built in the early 17th century by King Vankayalapati mantri and his chief of army.

Andhra Baptist Mission High School founded in the late 19th century by American Baptist missionaries, is the oldest educational institution in the city.

Ongole district came into existence on 2 February 1970, with the carving out portions of Markapur revenue division from Kurnool, Ongole revenue division from Guntur and Kandukur revenue division from Nellore districts. It was renamed as Prakasam district in 1972 in memory of freedom fighter, later Chief Minister of the composite Madras State and the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh State, Tanguturi Prakasam, who was born at Vinodarayunipalem, a hamlet of Kanuparthi village of Naguluppalapadu mandal of this district.

Ongole is located at 15.5°N 80.05°E. It has an average elevation of 10 m (33 ft) AMSL and is situated on the plains. The city is around {{convert|149|km|mi}} to the south west of Amaravati, the stat capital.

Summer temperatures reaches as high as {{Convert|44|C|abbr=on}} during March–May.{{cite news|title=Fears of severe Rohini karte dispelled|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Fears-of-severe-Rohini-karte-dispelled/article14768389.ece|access-date=25 May 2017|work=The Hindu|date=25 May 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406131943/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Fears-of-severe-Rohini-karte-dispelled/article14768389.ece|archive-date=6 April 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/070519/nellore-and-ongole-record-seasons-highest-temperatures.html|title=Nellore and Ongole record season's highest temperatures|date=2019-05-07|website=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=2019-05-18|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131155211/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/070519/nellore-and-ongole-record-seasons-highest-temperatures.html|archive-date=31 January 2021}} During the monsoon season, the city receives lot of rain. The annual average rainfall 794.5 mm. The winter season from November to February is pleasant. Winter months are usually dry, with little to no rainfall. The average annual temperature is 24.5 C. Cyclones occur more commonly during October–December bringing rains and heavy winds.

{{Weather box

| location = Ongole (1991–2020, extremes 1944–2020)

| metric first = Y

| single line = Y

| Jan record high C = 36.5

| Feb record high C = 38.3

| Mar record high C = 43.3

| Apr record high C = 44.7

| May record high C = 47.4

| Jun record high C = 47.2

| Jul record high C = 41.8

| Aug record high C = 40.2

| Sep record high C = 41.0

| Oct record high C = 39.5

| Nov record high C = 36.2

| Dec record high C = 33.9

| year record high C = 47.4

| Jan high C = 30.9

| Feb high C = 32.5

| Mar high C = 34.7

| Apr high C = 36.4

| May high C = 39.8

| Jun high C = 38.0

| Jul high C = 35.7

| Aug high C = 35.0

| Sep high C = 34.8

| Oct high C = 33.3

| Nov high C = 31.5

| Dec high C = 30.8

| year high C = 34.4

| Jan low C = 20.3

| Feb low C = 21.8

| Mar low C = 24.1

| Apr low C = 26.3

| May low C = 28.2

| Jun low C = 28.1

| Jul low C = 27.0

| Aug low C = 26.5

| Sep low C = 26.0

| Oct low C = 24.9

| Nov low C = 22.7

| Dec low C = 20.7

| year low C = 24.7

| Jan record low C = 14.0

| Feb record low C = 14.4

| Mar record low C = 17.5

| Apr record low C = 19.4

| May record low C = 16.1

| Jun record low C = 22.4

| Jul record low C = 21.2

| Aug record low C = 21.3

| Sep record low C = 21.3

| Oct record low C = 18.3

| Nov record low C = 16.2

| Dec record low C = 15.1

| year record low C = 14.0

| rain colour = green

| Jan rain mm = 13.1

| Feb rain mm = 5.2

| Mar rain mm = 9.2

| Apr rain mm = 17.7

| May rain mm = 58.7

| Jun rain mm = 61.6

| Jul rain mm = 84.2

| Aug rain mm = 121.0

| Sep rain mm = 145.8

| Oct rain mm = 225.9

| Nov rain mm = 156.2

| Dec rain mm = 24.9

| year rain mm = 923.5

| Jan rain days = 0.9

| Feb rain days = 0.8

| Mar rain days = 0.2

| Apr rain days = 0.8

| May rain days = 2.2

| Jun rain days = 3.7

| Jul rain days = 6.4

| Aug rain days = 7.4

| Sep rain days = 6.7

| Oct rain days = 8.5

| Nov rain days = 5.6

| Dec rain days = 1.7

| year rain days = 44.8

|time day = 17:30 IST

| Jan humidity = 60

| Feb humidity = 57

| Mar humidity = 57

| Apr humidity = 60

| May humidity = 51

| Jun humidity = 47

| Jul humidity = 51

| Aug humidity = 55

| Sep humidity = 61

| Oct humidity = 68

| Nov humidity = 68

| Dec humidity = 63

|year humidity = 58

|source 1 = India Meteorological Department{{cite web

| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf

| title = Climatological Tables of Observatories in India 1991-2020

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| access-date = April 8, 2024

}}

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205040301/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf

| archive-date = 5 February 2020

| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf

| title = Station: Ongole Climatological Table 1981–2010

| work = Climatological Normals 1981–2010

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| date = January 2015

| pages = 571–572

| access-date = 19 February 2020}}

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf

| archive-date = 5 February 2020

| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf

| title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| date = December 2016

| page = M17

| access-date = 19 February 2020}}

}}Ongole has been ranked 17th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3  population under 3 lakhs cities) in India.{{Cite web |date=7 September 2024 |title=Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024 |url=https://prana.cpcb.gov.in/ncapServices/robust/fetchFilesFromDrive/Swachh_Vayu_Survekshan_2024_Result.pdf |website=Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024}}

Based on the 2011 Census of India, the city had a population of 252,739. The sex ratio of 994 females per 1000 males is higher than the national average of 940 per 1000.{{cite web|title=Sex Ratio|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/indiaatglance.html|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|access-date=3 September 2014}} 19,744 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 10,228 are boys and 9,516 are girls&a ratio of 935 per 1000. The average literacy rate stands at 83.04% with 153,628 literates, significantly higher than the state average of 67.41%.{{cite web|title=Census 2011|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=632135|publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|access-date=26 July 2014}}{{cite web|title=Literacy of AP (Census 2011)|url=http://www.ap.gov.in/AP%20State%20Statistical%20Abstract%20May%202014/2%20AP%20Demography.pdf|publisher=Official Portal of Andhra Pradesh Government|access-date=5 September 2014|page=43|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213923/http://www.ap.gov.in/AP%20State%20Statistical%20Abstract%20May%202014/2%20AP%20Demography.pdf|archive-date=14 July 2014|url-status=dead}}

File:Community Hall, Santhapeta, Ongole.jpg

It is constituted as a municipality in 1876 and was upgraded to municipal corporation on 25 January 2012.{{cite web |title=About Ongole Municipal Corporation |url=https://ongole.cdma.ap.gov.in/en/about-us-60 |website=ongole.cdma.ap.gov.in |access-date=9 June 2019}} The jurisdiction of the corporation is spread over an area of {{convert|132.45|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} with 50 election wards.{{cite web |title=Statistical Information of ULBs and UDAs |url=http://www.dtcp.ap.gov.in/dtcpweb/ulbs/List%20of%20ULBs-27-2-2019.pdf |website=Directorate of Town and Country Planning |publisher=Government of Andhra Pradesh |access-date=20 May 2019 |page=3 |date=27 February 2019}} The agglomerated villages that were merged into Ongole corporation are: Cheruvukommupalem, Throvagunta, Muktinuthalapadu, Dasarajupalli, Koppolu, Narasapuram Agraharam, Pellur, Pernamitta, Vengamukkapalem.

The city is part of Ongole assembly constituency and Ongole Lok Sabha constituency.{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/CurrentElections/CONSOLIDATED_ORDER%20_ECI%20.pdf|title=Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008|date=17 December 2018|website=The Election Commission of India|publisher=National Informatics Centre|page=20,30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003220916/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/CurrentElections/CONSOLIDATED_ORDER%20_ECI%20.pdf|archive-date=3 October 2018|access-date=25 April 2019}} Damacharla Janardhan Rao is the present MLA of the constituency from Telugu Desam Party.{{cite web|title=MLA|url=http://www.aplegislature.org/web/legislative-assembly/member-s-information|publisher=AP State Portal|access-date=13 October 2014}} The constituency is a part of Ongole (Lok Sabha constituency) which was won by Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy of Telugu Desam Party.{{cite web|title=Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/CurrentElections/CONSOLIDATED_ORDER%20_ECI%20.pdf|publisher=Election Commission of India|access-date=11 October 2014|pages=22, 31}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2019}}

File:The Ongole Bull of Moses.jpg

Agriculture is the primary industry of Ongole, and the city is a major center for tobacco trading in Andhra Pradesh.

Ongole bulls are a breed of oxen that are exported to many countries. The Brahman bull in America is an off-breed of the Ongole. Ongole Island, in Malaysia, holds many Ongole oxen. The population of Zebu off-breed descended animals in Brazil, which contain a large Ongole component, was over 100 million in 1995.{{cite web |last1=Mason |first1=I.L |title=Breeds of Cattle: Nelore Cattle |url=https://breeds.okstate.edu/cattle/nelore-cattle.html?Forwarded=afs.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/nelore/ |website=Oklahoma University |access-date=26 April 2024}} The original breed of Ongole stud bulls are found in a small region around Ongole town between the Gundlakamma and Musi rivers.

File:Ongole railway station.jpg

National Highway 16, a part of Golden Quadrilateral highway network, bypasses the city.{{cite web|title=National Highways Development Project Map|url=http://nhai.org/NH5_Kolkata_chennai_english.htm|website=National Highways Authority of India|access-date=21 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422033110/http://nhai.org/NH5_Kolkata_chennai_english.htm|archive-date=22 April 2017|url-status=dead}} National Highway 216 connects the city with Kathipudi.{{cite web|title=List of National Highways passing through A.P. State|url=http://aproads.cgg.gov.in/getInfo.do?dt=1&oId=33|website=Roads and Buildings Department|publisher=Government of Andhra Pradesh|access-date=11 February 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328053359/http://aproads.cgg.gov.in/getInfo.do?dt=1&oId=33|archive-date=28 March 2016|df=dmy-all}} The city has a total road length of {{convert|738.50|km|mi}}.{{cite web|url=http://centralapp.cdma.ap.gov.in:8080/CDMAAPTaxesInfo/RoadDetails.jsp|title=DETAILS OF ROADS IN EACH ULB OF ANDHRA PRADESH|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801101300/http://centralapp.cdma.ap.gov.in:8080/CDMAAPTaxesInfo/RoadDetails.jsp|archive-date=1 August 2016|df=dmy-all}} Ongole bus station is owned and operated by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation.{{cite web|title=Bus Stations in Districts|url=http://www.apsrtc.gov.in/Bus%20Stations.aspx|website=Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation|access-date=15 March 2016}}{{cite news|title=Ongole bus station to get five new platforms|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ongole-bus-station-to-get-five-new-platforms/article7835252.ece|access-date=15 March 2016|work=The Hindu|date=3 November 2015|location=Ongole|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406132119/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ongole-bus-station-to-get-five-new-platforms/article7835252.ece|archive-date=6 April 2021}} The station is also equipped with a bus depot.{{cite web|title=Depot Name|url=http://www.apsrtc.gov.in/Depots.aspx|website=APSRTC|access-date=15 March 2016}} The 'Passengers delight project' was implemented at the bus station for improving cleanliness and modernizing it.{{cite news|last1=Murali|first1=S|title=RTC on 'passengers' delight' mission|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/RTC-on-%E2%80%98passengers%E2%80%99-delight%E2%80%99-mission/article13985898.ece|access-date=15 March 2016|work=The Hindu|date=7 January 2016|location=Ongole|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406132255/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/RTC-on-%E2%80%98passengers%E2%80%99-delight%E2%80%99-mission/article13985898.ece|archive-date=6 April 2021}} Ongole railway station was established as part of Nellore - Krishna Canal section on 20 December 1898 by Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway System.[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n90/mode/1up “Administration Report on Railways 1918” page 82 (pdf 90) ]; Retrieved 24 Dec 2017 It is categorized as a Non-Suburban Grade-3 (NSG-3) station in the Vijayawada railway division.{{cite web |title=Stations – Category-wise (NEW) |url=https://scr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,291,358,748,2213 |website=South Central Railway |access-date=23 April 2019}}

Education is imparted through government and private institutions. Several aided schools decided to become private schools or close down after transferring the staff to the government, when the government decided to stop giving aid.{{Cite news |title=Ongole : Future of poor students hangs in balance as govt absorbs aided staff |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/ongole-future-of-poor-students-hangs-in-balance-as-govt-absorbs-aided-staff-708426 |date=2021-09-28 |publisher=The Hans India}} English became the medium of instruction for primary schools in the academic year 2020–21.

Some of the famous educational institutes include Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), QIS College of Engineering and Technology, QIS Institute of Technology,{{cite web|url=http://www.qiscet.edu.in/ |title=QIS College of Engineering & Technology :: Ongole|publisher=Qiscet.edu.in|date=12 July 2013|access-date=4 March 2014}} RISE Groups of Institutions,{{cite web|url=http://www.risegroup.edu.in/|title=Welcome to RISE groups of institutions|publisher=RISE Group|access-date=4 March 2014}} Indira Priyadarshini Law College, Prakasam Engineering College,{{cite web|url=http://www.prakasamec.com|title=Prakasam Engineering College|publisher=Prakasamec.com|date=6 April 2013|access-date=4 March 2014}} and the Pace Institute of Technology and Sciences.

The city is the headquarters of Andhra Kesari University, a public university established on 11 January 2022.{{cite web|title=State assembly passes bill to establish two universities|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2021/nov/25/state-assembly-passes-bill-to-establish-two-universities-2387845.html|publisher=The New Indian Express|access-date=30 June 2022}}

The PDCA-CSR Sarma College Ground is one of the home grounds of the Andhra cricket team, with a first-class cricket status and hosts Ranji Trophy matches.{{cite news|last1=Shridharan|first1=J. R.|title=Ongole to host Ranji match|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/ongole-to-host-ranji-match/article11091124.ece|access-date=5 November 2016|work=The Hindu|date=31 October 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Murali|first1=S.|title=Ongole cricket stadium (Sarma college grounds), a feather in ACA's cap|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ongole-cricket-stadium-a-feather-in-acas-cap/article6778995.ece|access-date=5 November 2016|work=The Hindu|date=12 January 2015}} The ground has recorded the first ever triple century by a wicket keeper in Ranji Trophy, achieved by Srikar Bharat of the Andhra cricket team.{{cite news|title=Srikar Bharat – First wicketkeeper to score a triple century in Ranji Trophy|url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/srikar-bharat-first-wicketkeeper-to-score-a-triple-century-in-ranji-trophy-248618|access-date=5 November 2016|work=Cricket Country|date=12 February 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814225209/http://www.cricketcountry.com:80/articles/srikar-bharat-first-wicketkeeper-to-score-a-triple-century-in-ranji-trophy-248618|archive-date=14 August 2018}} The police parade grounds hosted the first state-level Girl Football Tournament in October 2016.{{cite news|title=First state-level girl football tournament at Ongole|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Amaravati-Tab/2016-10-06/First-state-level-girl-football-tournament-at-Ongole/257467|access-date=5 November 2016|work=The Hans India|date=6 October 2016}}

File:Kothapatnam-beach.jpg

Kothapatnam beach (approx 17 km away), Valluramma temple at Valluru (about 11 km away), Gundlakamma Reservoir Project at Mallavaram (approx 20 km away) are few nearby places of tourist interest.

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in India}}

Ongole is twinned with:

• Uberaba, Brazil{{cite web |title=Câmara aprova Uberaba como Cidade Irmã de duas cidades indianas|url=http://camarauberaba.mg.gov.br/noticias/camara-aprova-uberaba-como-cidade-irma-de-duas-cidades-indianas/|website=camarauberaba.mg.gov.br|publisher=Uberaba|language=pt|date=2017-06-22|access-date=2020-11-18}}

• List of cities in Andhra Pradesh by population
• List of municipal corporations in Andhra Pradesh

{{Clear}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Ongole}}

{{Prakasam district}}

Category:Cities in Andhra Pradesh

Category:Mandal headquarters in Prakasam district

Category:District headquarters of Andhra Pradesh