Madakasira

Madakasira is a town with a population 19,432 in 2001 and also a mandal in Sri Satya Sai district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.^[2][3] It is located near the state border with Karnataka. The Madakasira Hill Fort in the town is a centrally protected monument of national importance.^[4]

Madakasira
Madakasira Location in Andhra Pradesh, India Show map of India Madakasira Madakasira (Andhra Pradesh) Show map of Andhra Pradesh
Coordinates: 13.9369°N 77.2694°E / 13.9369; 77.2694
Country	India
State	Andhra Pradesh
District	Sri Sathya Sai
Talukas	Madakasira
Area [1]
• Total	30.17 km2 (11.65 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	21,464
• Density	710/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Telugu
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	515301
Telephone code	91–8493
Vehicle registration	AP
Website	Madakasira website

History

According to a mythological tradition mentioned in the medieval kaifiyat (bureaucratic record), the site of the village was once a hermitage of the sage Mandavya. Rama installed a shivalinga, called Rameshvara, on the local hill after defeating Ravana. A Chola king later built a Shiva temple and tank to the south-west of the present-day town centre, to atone for his sin of killing a Brahmin. A village called Mandavya-palle developed around the temple. It came to be known as Madakasira, because the majority of the inhabitants were potters who manufactured madakas (earthen pots).^[5]

In the 17th century, the area was under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Empire and the Bijapur Sultanate.^[6] The members of the family that established present-day Madakasira, near the former village of Madakapalle, were apparently chiefs of Sira. After defeating Vijayanagara and capturing Sira, the Bijapur rulers granted Madakapalle and the nearby Ratnagiri to these chiefs. The rulers of Bijapur revoked and restored the grant several times.^[7]

In the 18th century, the Madakasira Fort was held by multiple powers, including the Maratha noble Murari Rao,^[8] Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore,^[9] and the Nizam of Hyderabad. In 1800, the Nizam surrendered the fort to the British.^[8]

In various historical records, the name of the village appears as "Marke Sira", "Merg Sera", "Marcassira", and "Madaksira".^[9][6]

Geography

Madakasira is located at 13.9369°N 77.2694°E / 13.9369; 77.2694.^[10] It has an average elevation of 676 metres (2221 ft). The height of the Madakasira hill is 2936 feet from the Sea Level.Formerly Madakasira is called as SIMHAGIRI because hill from one side looks like a sleeping lion. Around Madakasira there are numerous isolated Peaks and Rocky Clusters which are devoid of any vegetation. Madakasira town is cooler compared to the climate of elsewhere in Sri Sathya Sai District, hence aptly known as Ooty of Sri Sathya Sai District.^{[citation needed]}

There are more than 20 villages in the Madakasira Mandal, they are Halukur, Amidalagondi, Eguva Ramagiri, Maruvapalli, E Achampalli, Kothalam, Chandakacherela, Gowdanahalli, R Anantapuram, Chatram, Mallinayakkanahalli, Cheepuleti, Madakasira, Melavoi, Govindapuram, Jadrahalli, Karesankanahalli, Yerrabommanahalli, Upperlahalli, Haresamudram, Bullasamudram, Manur, Kallumarri, C Kodigapalle and Thirumaladevarahalli. Mandals in this Assembly region are Madakasira, Amarapuram, Rolla, Gudibanda and Agali.^{[citation needed]}

Historical places

Besides the Madakasira Fort, there are many historical places in and around Madakasira, including Shiva temples and inscriptions. The hill on which the fort is located has a temple built during the Vijayanagara rule. The town has recently constructed a large Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.^[11]

• 
  Madakasira Fort
• 
  Madakasira Fort -Large bastion
• 
  Madakasira Fort - Old gateway

Education

The medium of education is Telugu, Kannada and English, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University's College of Agricultural Engineering is there in Madakasira town Near Tulasidaama vruddasramam Village, Penukonda Road. There is branch of Karnataka Bank at Madakasira^[12]

Demographics

Majority of the Madakasira population belongs to Kunchitiga community of Gowdas which is more than 60% of the total population. There are 120 Yadav dominated villages in the Madakasira assembly constituency.^[13]

Indian census, 2001, the demographic details of Madakasira mandal is as follows:^[14]

• Total Population: 73,222 in 15,413 Households.
• Male Population: 37,344 and Female Population: 35,878
• Children Under 6-years of age: 9,709 (Boys - 4,972 and Girls – 4,739)
• Total Literates: 34,125

References

1. "Municipalities, Municipal Corporations & UDAs" (PDF). Directorate of Town and Country Planning. Government of Andhra Pradesh. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
2. "List of Sub-Districts". Census of India. Archived from the original on 14 May 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
3. "Anantapur District Mandals" (PDF). Census of India. p. 415. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
4. "Centrally Protected Monuments". Archeological Survey of India. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
5. T.V. Mahalingam, ed. (1976). Mackenzie Manuscripts: Summaries of the Historical Manuscripts in the Mackenzie Collection. Vol. 2. University of Madras. pp. 316–317.
6. Mark Wilks; Murray Hammick (1980). Historical Sketches of the South Indian History. Vol. 2. Cosmo.
7. Census of India, 1961: Anantapur district. Registrar General of India. 1964. p. cxii.
8. S. S. Jaya Rao, ed. (1986). "Census of India 1981: District Census Handbook - Anantapur" (PDF). Government of Andhra Pradesh. p. 3.
9. C.N. Wadia (1952). "Career of Bishop Noronha (1752-1762)". Journal of Indian History. 30 (3): 283.
10. "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Madakasira, India". www.fallingrain.com. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
11. Sewell, Robert (1882). Lists of the antiquarian remains in the Presidency of Madras. Printed by E. Keys, at the Government Press. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
12. "Karnataka Bank Ltd Madakshira Branch IFSC Code - Anantpur, KBL Madakshira IFSC Code". Retrieved 13 April 2023.
13. "Here, SCs can't step into Yadav-dominated villages | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
14. Madakasira mandal at Our Village India.org