Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Chittoor is a city and district headquarters in Chittoor district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is also the mandal and divisional headquarters of Chittoor mandal and Chittoor revenue division, respectively. The city has a population of 153,766 and that of the agglomeration is 175,640.(2011 census)
History
Pre-history
The district abounds in several pre-historic sites. The surface finds discovered are assigned to special stages in the progress of civilization. The Palaeolithic tools are discovered at Tirupathi, Sitarampeta, Ellampalle, Mekalavandlapalle, Piler, etc. The Mesolithic tools are discovered at Chinthaparthi, Moratavandlapalle, Aruvandlapalle, Tirupathi etc. Remains of Neolithic and ancient tools are unearthed near Bangarupalem only. The existence of megolithic culture was revealed by the discovery of burials at Irulabanda, Bapanatham, Voyalpadu, Sodum, Velkuru, Nyakaneri, Basinikonda, etc.
Political history
The political history of the district commences with the Mauryas in the 4th century BC. The district of Chittoor was not a homogeneous administrative unit up to 1911. Its component parts were under the control of various principal dynasties at different periods of times, namely, the Mauryas, Satavahanas, Pallavas, Chalukyas of Badami, Rashtrakutas, Cholas, Pandyas, Royal of Vijayanagara, Qutub Shahis, Mughals, Asof Jahis, Marathas, Hyder Ali and Tipu of Mysore, and the British, besides minor dynasties such as the Renande Cholas, Banas, Vaidumbas, Nolambas, Western Gangas, Yadavas, Telugu Cholas, Matlis, Uttama Chola Ganga, Andiyaman, Siyaganga rulers, Nawabs of Kadapa and Arcot. The Zamindars of Karvetinagar, Srikalahasthi, Punganur and Kangundhi also ruled over this district.