Nandyal

Nandyal is a historic town in the Nandyal district region of Andhra Pradesh, located on the edge of the Nallamala hills and long known as a spiritual, trade, and administrative centre in Rayalaseema. Its name is closely linked with the ancient Sri Mahanandi Temple, one of the famed Nava Nandis, which reflects early Shaiva traditions and the region’s long-standing temple culture. Because Nandyal lies on routes connecting the Deccan plateau with coastal Andhra, it developed as a stopping point for pilgrims, merchants, and armies moving between these regions.

Across different periods, the surrounding area came under the influence of major South Indian and Deccan powers, including the Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, and later the Vijayanagara Empire, which strengthened temple patronage and local governance. After Vijayanagara’s decline, the region saw shifting control among local chiefs and larger states of the Deccan. In the 18th century, Rayalaseema’s politics were shaped by the Nizams of Hyderabad, Mysore, and eventually British influence, bringing new administrative systems and market growth to towns like Nandyal.

In modern times, Nandyal expanded with irrigation-based agriculture, trade in grains and cotton, and later industrial activity, including cement and related industries. Today, it blends pilgrimage heritage with growing urban and economic importance.