Vinukonda
Vinukonda is a town in Palnadu district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Vinukonda mandal and administered under Narasaraopet revenue division. Etymology. The town was formerly known as "Vishnukundinapuram". The hill is in the shape of tortoise. Many temples are also found on the top of hill. Srigangasametha Ramalingeswara Swamy temple (according to available sources the deity present in temple was sanctified by Lord Rama). Down the hill Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple was found which was constructed in Gupta's rule. History. Dolmens and other megalithic structures have been  found in the town's neighbourhood. Inscriptions from about 1000–1400 CE are also to be found in many old temples. The Vishnukundinas, a local dynasty, ruled the adjoining areas from here during the turn of the millennium. During the medieval era, the hill nearby was the site of a fortress. A four-hundred-year-old Jamia Masjid, built in 1640, is the only major relic of Muslim rule in the town. Geography. Vinukonda is located at . It has an average elevation of 75 metres (246 feet). Much like the rest of Palnadu district, it has very hot summers and mild  winters. Rainfall is mostly in July to September. High concentrations of fluorides are found in the underground water reserves and potable water is therefore rare. Summer storage tank is the source of drinking water for the village. Demographics. The town had a population of 60,420 and an urban agglomeration population of 63,450. Governance. Vinukonda municipality is the civic administrative body of the city. It is a second grade municipality, constituted on 29 May 2005 and spread over an area of . The urban agglomeration constituents of the town are Vinukonda municipality and a partial out growth of Brahmanapalle village. The current  Member of Legislative Assembly representing Vinukonda town area is Bolla Brahma Naidu from the YSRCP. Transport. The town has a total road length of . It is located on Guntur–Kurnool–Bellary highway. Vinukonda railway station is located on the – railway line and falls under the Guntur railway division of South Central Railway. A road through Nagarjuna Sagar located at is a way to reach its neighbouring state Telengana and a shorter route to reach the capital city of Telengana, . Education. The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided and private schools, under the School Education Department of  the state. The medium of instruction followed by different schools are English and Telugu.