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About Anakapalli

   The Anakapalli town is famous for its jaggery market. Its market is ranked second in India in terms of jaggery imports/exports. Anakapalli is also a very busy and famous business center in this region. Many people from the rural areas around the town cites Anakapalli as their destination for their shopping and medical needs.



 Anakapalli Jaggery Market ( బెల్లం మార్కెట్  )


History :

The town was originally under the rule of the Kalinga Empire (ancient Orissa), different dynasties ruled this region i.e. Chedi Kingdom of Kalinga (Orissa), Eastern Ganga dynasty of Orissa, Gajapati Kingdom of Orissa, Kakatiya, and Qutub Shahi empires. Around 1450, Appala Raju took over the rule of region under the Nawab of Arcot, with Anakapalle as his fortified headquarters. The saga of Anakapalle starts with a historian named "Tallapragada" place and found that Anakapalle. This was proved from the historical evidences found on Bojjana Konda. Satavahanas, Vishnukundina, Gajapathi's, Vijayanagara Samrats, Golkonda Samanta Rajulu ruled the area.




   

Bojjanakonda near Anakapalle .
Its alias names are Aniankapalli, Anekaphalle, Vijaypuri, Veniapalii, Kanakapuri, Bellampatnam, and Anakapalli. It is located by the side of a holy Sarada River. These historic monuments are of great interest to tourists. During the Independence struggle of India, many prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar visited Anakapalle. It is around 34 km in distance from Vishakapatnam.
One of the most significant Buddhist sites in Andhra Pradesh, Sankaram is located some 3.5 km away from Anakapalle and 41 km away from Visakhapatnam on the Sabbavaram by-pass road. The name Sankaram derives from the term Sangharama. Sankaram is famous for the whole lot of votive stupas, rock-cut caves, brick-built structural edifices, early historic pottery and Satavahana coins that date back to the 1st century AD. The main stupa here was initially carved out of rock and then covered with bricks.
In close proximity lies yet another significant Buddhist sites, Bojjanakonda, where you can see a number of images of the Buddha carved on the rock face of the caves. At Lingalametta, there are hundreds of rock cut monolithic stupas in rows, spread all over the hill. Among other Buddhist attractions here are relic casket, three chiatya halls, votive platforms, stupas and Vajrayana sculptures. The Vihara was functional for around a millennium and saw the development of the not only Theravada form of Buddhism but also Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.