Punganur

What connects a breed of cattle, a religious Jatara, and an erstwhile Zamindari estate?

A small town called Punganur in Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh, also called the town of temples. Its original name was Parasurama Kshetramu, that in due course of time became Pungapuram, which later became Punganur. Another theory states that the place gets it’s name from the Grama Devata Pungamma who is believed to have saved the town from floods. There are 4 reservoirs around the town named after her, sisters Subamma and Rangamma, and brother Royappa.

The place was a prominent Zamindari estate, established in 1866 by a Vokkaliga chieftain Timma Gowda. During the Vijayanagara era, the local chieftains here assisted Sri Krishnadeva Raya against the Muslim invaders when they attacked Penugonda. In gratitude Rayalavaaru granted them the villages of Kolar and Suguturu. However post independence with the abolition of the Zamindari system, his descendants migrated to Bengaluru and settled there. The once stately Raja Mahal fell into a state of neglect.

Also the Mahal is believed to be haunted by spirits of convicted criminals, who were executed by throwing them into a well within the precincts. There was an Ashtabandhanam on the walls of the Mahal, to keep these spirits away.

The Someshwara Swamy temple in the town is quite famous, with it’s mix of Chola, Vijayanagara style architecture.

The huge Koneru here was believed to have been built by the son of Jakkanacharya, the legendary sculptor of the Beluru Temple.

One of the main attractions of Punganur is the Boyakonda Gangamma Jatara here, whose temple is located near the town on a small hillock.

As per the Sthala Puranam, the Boya tribes and the Pala Ekari caste lived here from long, and resisted the Muslim invasions of this region. The Golkonda Sultan sent a huge army to crush the revolt, and the Boyas fled into the forest, and prayed to Gangamma to save them. It’s believed Gangamma herself descended, shielded the tribals and crushed the invading army. The temple was built by Boyas and Pala Ekaris as a mark of gratitude to Gangamma, even now it is these 2 communities which serve the Ammavaru.

There is a well near the temple whose water is believed to cure many skin diseases. The devotees make a wish to Gangamma, and if it becomes true, they come again to make an offering to her, usually chicken or goat. The Jatara here is celebrated grandly and many come to take part, not just from Andhra Pradesh, but even neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The Punganur cattle is one of the two main breeds in Andhra Pradesh, along with the Ongole one. This is the smalles of the zebuine species, and is found predominantly near Punganur, and the hilly areas of Chittor district. It was an endangered breed in the past, but conservation efforts over the years have made it more widespread. The bulls stand around 107 cm, weighing 240 kg, while the cows are around 97 cm, and 170 kg in weight. They are mostly used for draught and milk production.