Eluru is a munucipal corporation in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the headquarters of West Godavari district and has a population of 189,772 (2001 census). Eluru is situated on the National Highway connecting Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. Eluru was earlier called Helapuri and has a rich cultural and political history. It was believed to have been capital of the Vishnukundinas at one time. Kolleru Lake a big fresh water lake found near Eluru.
During the division of Northern Cirkars in to districts, Eluru was made a part of Machilipatnam District. Later, it was included in the Godavari District in 1859. Subsequently, Eluru made part of the Krishna District. Finally in the year 1925, West Godavari District was formed with Eluru as its Headquarters and all the District Offices and Regional Offices were setup in Eluru Town. The government of Andhrapradesh recently upgraded Eluru municipality as a municipal corporation. Orders issued in the month of April 2005. Surrounding some villages merged in the city, thats why the city population has been raised up to 3,50,000.
It is known for its well established educational institutes like C.R.Reddy College.

Climate
Eluru town falls in the hot humid region of the country and it is less than 40 miles from Bay of Bengal. The climate of the town is very hot and it is pleasant during the winter. The hottest day falls in the month of May with some shift to June during some years. The maximum temperature observed is 51.7c and the minimum temperature observed is 12.90c.

Demography
The population of the town increased from 33,521 in 1901 to 2,12,866 in 1991 registering a growth of 55% during the period from 1901 – 1991. The literacy rate of the town has been 72% as per 1991 census. The town recorded a growth rate of 26.63% during 1981 –91. In 2001 the population increased slightly to 2,15,642. Mid of the year 2005 the city has the population 2,50,000.


Getting there
Road: Eluru is well connected to most cities and towns in Andhra Pradesh by the state road transport corporation APSRTC. National Highway 5 connects it to Chennai and Kolkatta. The town is at a distance of 40 miles North East of Vijayawada. There are buses every 15 minutes to Vijayawada.

Rail: The broad gauge railway line on the East Cost connecting Chennai to Kolkatta passes through the town. Eluru lies on the Kolkatta - Chennai railway line. There are daily passenger trains to Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkatta throughout the day. The Gouthami Express coming from Secunderabad to Kakinada at 9:15pm daily is useful to reach Eluru within 7 Hours Travel. Air: Gannavaram is the nearest airport(40km). Air Deccan flies from Hyderabad and Chennai to Gannavaram.


Education

Medical Colleges
Alluri Sitaramaraju Academy of Medical Sciences(ASRAM)
St. Joseph's College of Dental Sciences
Helapuri School of Nursing
Sir C.R.R. educational institutions

Public School
Model High School
Junior / Degree College
P.G. College
Law College
B.Ed. College
Women's College
Polytechnic College
Engineering College

St. Theresa's educational institutions
Elementary School
High School
Junior College
Degree College
P.G. College

C.S.I. educational institutions
Elementary School
High School

Divya Gnana Vidya Samithi institutions
K.P.D.T. High Schools
S.P.D.B.T. Junior College

St. Xavier's
St. Xavier's Elementary School (boys convent) (EM & TM)
St. Xavier's High School (EM & TM)
St. Xavier's ITI (Polytechnic & Vocational Courses)

St. Johns College of Education
B.Ed.
VSRI Computer Education Vegesna Suryanarayana Raju Institute of Computer Education, well known institute exclusively for M C A, started in 2002 is running effectively and efficiently in producing Software Engineers. It is located 2 km from Eluru Railway Station.


Other
In addition to the above Educational Institutions, many private Residential Junior Colleges, High Schools and Technical Institutions are present in Eluru and thousands of students from various places of the District and State study in these institutions every year.


Industries
The city of Eluru is internationally famous for Persian carpets. It is also well known for hand rolled agarabathis, and the hair and jute industries. The upland areas of West Godavari District like Jangareddigudem, Chintalapudi, etc., are now harnessing the ground water and financially became sound, due to the cultivation of rich commercial crops like Tobacco, Palm-Oil, Cocoa etc., Eluru is the major commercial centre for all these areas.


Ambica group of industries
The Corporate Office of the Ambica Group of Industries is at Eluru. This group, manufactures Ambica Agarbathi (incense sticks), Cosmetics, and other aromatic products, ships to all places in the Country and exports them as well. This group has also entered into the Film Production and distribution, Hospitality Industry, Wind Energy and Software development. Directly or indirectly around 5,000 people are dependent on this Group.


Jute industry
East India Commercial Corporation's Jute Industry is one of the major industries in Eluru Town. This industry buys locally grown jute as well as imports raw jute from other States and manufactures varied Jute products which are then transported and sold in different parts of the state and the country. Close to 10,000 people are dependent on this industry.


Gupta Group
The Gupta Group is mainly an export-oriented industry. They export human hair, cattle horn-tips, and carpets to different countries. Many people are dependent on this Industry too. They also honour distinguished people in various fields through the "gupta foundation awards"


Carpets and handlooms
Eluru is famous for its thriving woollen pile carpet industry. The Persians who migrated to this part of the world during the Muhammaddin regime have developed the carpet industry. Most of the carpets produced here are exported.


Others
Eluru has many export companies, exporting all kinds of spices and related products such as chillies, chilli powder, coriander seeds, mustard, cumin, ginger, fenugreek, turmeric, cloves, cinnamom, nutmugs, mace, poppy seed, black pepper, garlic, cashew nuts, pickles, caraway, cardamom, asafoetida, curry powder, rasam powder, pappads, mango pulp, sugar, tomato paste, basmati rice.


Hospitals
District Hospital Eluru
This hospital acts as "District main hospital" which serves people of three districts with latest and advanced technology Medicare constituting of " well equipped operation theatres, Air conditioned rooms with generator facilities, ultra sound scanners, X-ray, blood bank with 24 hour service, ambulance which can serve emergencies, ICU working 24 hours. Recently "Tele medicine" was started on 27.4.2003 by the M.L.A of Eluru Sri.Ambika Krishna to provide better means of aid from distant places. A National Blind Control program is also taken up as a free service with food and traveling allowances. Hospital environment is kept clean and green with good sanitation facilities undertaken by the supervisor of the "Sulabh" International, Hyderabad.

This Hospital is centrally located in Eluru with a capacity of 350 beds and people from all corners of the District visit the Hospital for medical treatments.


ASRAM Hospital
Alluri Sitarama Raju Academy of Medical Sciences (ASRAM), Eluru is a contemporary medical institution that compares to the “best of medical institutions worldwide”. This medical college and teaching hospital is spread over an area of 90 acres of land on the outskirts of Eluru town.

The 500 bedded hospital is fully operational and functions round the clock. It has all required outpatient and inpatient facilities for service to the patients, education and training, and clinical research. Patients are offered superlative medical and health care almost free of cost. While the Motto of ASRAM is “In service of Humanity”, the mission of the institute is to bring about appropriate changes in the teaching and training methodologies so that the alumni of the college will orient themselves to absolute professionalism and towards uplifting the standards of health care delivery.


In and around
As the town of Eluru was built up very near to the ancient capital of Vengi there are many historical monuments in and around it. Muslims who brought stones from the temples at Vengi built the Fort of Eluru. There are 25 inscriptions to be seen on one stone near the mosque. The places of historical importance around Eluru are Vengi, Vatluru, Denduluru and Kolleru.

The main attractions of the town are the temples of Janardhana and Jalapaharesvara.

Kolleru Lake is a large freshwater lake in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It is 15 km from Eluru. It is known the world over for the famous Kolleru Bird Sanctuary. This 673 km˛ wet land marsh habitat supports a large variety of Water birds which include Garganys, ducks,Open bill storks, Herons, Flamingos & grey pelicans.

Dwaraka Tirumala (Chinna Tirupathi) which is nearer to Eluru Town. It is a very important pilgrim centre. Everyday, thousands of pilgrims from various places of the State and other States are visiting Lord Venkateswara at Chinna Tirupathi. Eluru is the nearby Railway Station and access point.

Guntupalli The rockcut caves of Guntupalli are situated in the Kamavarapukota mandal of west Godavari district and are about 40km from Eluru. The site is appoachable through a motorable road. The nearest railway station is located at Eluru. Guntupalli is dotted with some of the finest specimens of monolithic and structural Buddhist remains datable to the 3rd-2nd century BC to 5th-6th century AD. The important monuments located are: Rock cut temple or vritta Chaitya, large monastery, small monastery, brick Chaitya, ruined Mandapa, stone Stupa and cluster of Votive Stupas.

Gangeswara Temple at Tadikalapudi

Ratnaalamma Talli at Ratnalagunta

NAM Datta Natha Kshetra at Eluru Undoubtedly Eluru Ashrama is the most beautiful Ashrama in India. It has shrines of Dattatreya, Anagha Devi, Ganapati, Venugopala, Karya Siddhi Hanuman and Navagrahas. A prayer Hall, Guru Nilayam, priest quarters, A shiva temple has been built. This Eluru Ashrama has Karya Siddhi Hanuman temple. Karya Siddhi means fulfilment of work. Click here for more details


Festivals
Vengi Ustsav
The Vengi Ustsav will be held at Eluru. The festival would also be held at Pedavegi, the once capital of Vengi kings, and Patteseema, an abode of Siva temple located right in the middle of the picturesque Godavari in Polavaram mandal.

Nukalamma Jathara
Pedintlamma Theerdham
Kolletikota situated in the middle of the Kolleru Lake has got a temple of the local deity. Every year thousands of people visit the temple on a particular day during the annual 'Jatara'.

Bhaleve Theerdham

ANCIENT History
HELAPURI (ELURU) WAS A PART OF THE BUDDHIST KINGDOM CALLED VENGI FROM THE ANCIENT TIMES. THE EASTERN CHALAKYAS RULED THE COASTAL ANDHRA FROM 700AD-1200AD WITH VENGI AS THEIR CAPITAL .THEN ELURU ( HELAPURI) WAS A PROVINCE OF CHALAKYA EMPIRE. IT REMAINED A PART OF KALINGA EMPIRE TILL THE INVASION OF THE MUSLIMS IN 1471.LATER IT FELL IN THE HANDS OF THE GAJAPATHIS AND CAME UNDER THEIR RULE. IN 1515 SRIKRISHNADEVARAYA CAPTURED IT FROM THE GAJAPATHIS. IT WAS AGAIN CAPTURED BY KUTUB SHAH, THE NAWAB OF GOLKONDA MANY HISTORICAL EVIDENCES ARE AVAILABLE TO THIS EFFECT AT THE NEAR BY VILLAGES PEDAVEGI AND GUNTUPALLI (zeelakarragudem).


Topographical Features
The town is situated on the border of the Kolleru Lake. The Tammileru river passes through the town. The Eastern part of Tammileru boarders the entire North of the town, while the Western Tammileru flows to the West of the town. The Krishna – Eluru canal passes through the heart of the town from South – West towards North – East.

The Godavari - Eluru canal, The Krishna – Eluru canal and the Tammileru River and join together at the border of Eluru in a village called Malkapuram ( Palagudem) on their way to Kolleru Lake.

Tammileru
It originates from the reserve forests near Palvoncha in Khammam district. On its way of emptying itself into Kolleru after traversing through Khammam, Krishna and West Godavari districts for a distance of 120 miles, it struggles hard for a hassle-free movement. Tammileru divides into two streams near FCI godowns and joins the lake at two different points — Mondikodu and Pedayadlagadi. Bold text


Games and Sports

List of Grounds
Alluri Seetharamaraju Stadium, Eluru
Andhra v Karnataka First-Class Match played in Eluru At this stadium on 1995 December 9 for Ranji Trophy South Zone.

Exhibition Ground, Eluru
Andhra v Hyderabad First-Class Match played in Eluru At this stadium on 1976 October 6 for Ranji Trophy South Zone.

Sir C.Ramalinga Reddy College Ground, Eluru
Andhra v Madras First-Class Match played in Eluru At this stadium on 1965 Dec 10 for Ranji Trophy South Zone.


Famous Personalities
L.V. Prasad
From a remote village, Somavarapadu, in Eluru Taluk in Andhra Pradesh, India. Born into an agricultural family, Prasad became a major figure in Indian cinema and founder of one of India's leading film studios, Prasad Labs. External link: http://www.lvprasad.org/.

G Krishna
Noted Telugu film actor Krishna studied in prestigious C.R.R. college in Eluru. There, he shared a room with two aspiring actors, Shoban Babu and Murali Mohan, who later became stars in their own right. Krishna played an active role in various cultural events organized by his college. During Rajiv Gandhi times, he was inclined towards Congress and won from the Eluru constituency.

Murali Mohan
Muralimohan, an artiste who completed more than 200 films, has begot a name as man of no controversies, a good entrepreneur, and a good producer. He was born and brought up in Chataparru near Eluru. He studied in Chataparru and then in Eluru CRR College.

Ambica Krishna: Ambica Group
Lunani family: notably the three brothers - Brij Gopal Lunani, Venu Gopal Lunani and Hari Gopal Lunani. These people established managing the couple jute industries in Eluru.