Nellore

Nellore (officially Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore) is a historic city of coastal Andhra Pradesh with deep roots in the fertile Pennar River basin. The region’s prosperity has long come from agriculture, tanks, and river-based irrigation, which supported early settlements and temple culture across this part of the Coromandel coast. In ancient and early medieval times, Nellore’s surrounding areas were influenced by major South Indian powers such as the Pallavas and Cholas, and later by the Kakatiyas, whose administration and agrarian systems strengthened many towns in coastal Andhra.

From the 13th–16th centuries, the region experienced political shifts linked to the rise and reach of the Vijayanagara Empire, followed by periods of control by Deccan sultanates and local chiefs. These transitions left a layered cultural landscape, seen in forts, temples, and traditions that blend coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema influences.

Under British rule, Nellore became an important district headquarters within the Madras Presidency. Roads, canals, markets, and civic institutions expanded, and the city grew as a centre for trade in rice and other agricultural produce. In the modern era, Nellore developed further with education, transport links, aquaculture along the coast, and industries connected to agriculture and minerals. Today, Nellore remains known for its rich coastal economy, historical temples, and its role as a key urban hub in southern Andhra Pradesh.