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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Nelakondapalli
| native_name = నేలకొండపల్లి
| native_name_lang = te
| other_name = Dharanigiripuram
| settlement_type = Town
| image_skyline = 100 BCE – 300 CE Viratrajgadde, Erradibba Buddhist Stupa Khammam, Telangana India - 13.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = 100 BCE – 300 CE Buddhist stupa complex in village nearby
| nickname =
| pushpin_map = India Telangana#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Telangana, India
| coordinates = {{coord|17.100|N|80.0506|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Telangana]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Khammam district|Khammam]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
| area_rank =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_footnotes =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_rank =
| population_demonym =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 507160
| registration_plate =TS
| blank1_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Khammam]]
| website = www.khammam.nic.in
| footnotes =
| demographics1_info1 = [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| blank2_name_sec1 = Literacy
| blank2_info_sec1 = 66%
| blank3_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank3_info_sec1 = Khammam
}}

'''Nelakondapally''', also referred to as Nelakondapalli or Nela Kondapalli, is a town and headquarters of a [[Tehsil|mandal]] in [[Khammam district]], [[Telangana]], [[India]]. It is also an archaeological site important to early Buddhism and Hinduism, where excavations have discovered a major stupa site near an ancient manmade lake, another site where Buddhist and Hindu artwork were carved in pre-3rd century India, both sites also yielding hundreds of ancient rare coins with Shaiva and Vaishnava inscriptions from the dynasties of [[Andhra Ikshvaku|Andhra Ikshvakus]] and [[Vishnukundina dynasty|Vishnukundinas]]. Nelakondapally is also the birthplace of [[Bhadrachala Ramadasu|Bhakta Ramadasu]].<ref name=sastry1>V.V. Krishna Sastry (1990), Recent Trends in Archaeology of Andhra Pradesh, Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, Vol. 51, pp. 771-772, {{JSTOR|44148332}}</ref>

==Location==
Nelakondapalli is located 21 kilometers southwest of [[Khammam]], 58 km east-southeast of [[Suryapet]] and close to the Telangana–Andhra Pradesh border. It is connected to the Indian national highway grid with NH365A, the link between Khammam to [[Kodad]] and [[Kusumanchi]]. Nelakondapalli is not to be confused with Kondapalli, another different ancient town in the Deccan region. Historic Telugu and Sanskrit inscriptions mention Kondapalli, where the context clarifies whether they refer to Nelakondapalli or the other Kondapalli located over a hill and was once a hill-fort. In contrast,''Nela'' means land and Nelakondapalli was linked to major Deccan cities on one of the ancient trade roads connecting north, east and south India.<ref name=Sastry2>PV Parabrahma Sastry (1995), ''Nelakondapalli'', Journal of The Andhra Historical Research Society, Volume XXXIX, Archaeology and Museums: Government of Andhra Pradesh, pages 13–15</ref>

==History==
[[File:100 BCE – 300 CE Viratrajgadde, Erradibba Buddhist Stupa Khammam, Telangana India - 12.jpg|thumb|left|The Nelakondapalle area was a significant human settlement since at least c. 100 BCE, with early Buddhist presence evidence by a vihara, pottery and coins excavated between 1970 and 1990.]]
Nelakondapalli was a major town in ancient history. This is evidenced by one of the largest Buddhist stupas discovered in the Deccan (''Dakhina'', ''Dakhinapatha'') region about 2 kilometers northeast of the contemporary village location, along with Satavahana era sites scattered around the village. Situated midst the farm fields and next to a large ancient manmade lake, this maha-stupa (mahachaitya) is co-located with brick lined vihara complex, wells, [[cistern]]s. Near this site, archaeological excavations have also unearthed [[terracotta]] figurines, hundreds of coins from early Hindu dynasties, a bronze idol of [[Buddha]] and a small model ''[[stupa]]'' carved in limestone.<ref name=sastry1/> In addition to Buddhist artwork, inscriptions stones and inscribed articles from 5th to 12th-centuries have been discovered in Nelakondapalli suggesting that the site remained active and historically important to Telugu culture through the Western Chalukya, Eastern Chalukya of Vengi, and Kakatiya eras.<ref name=Sastry2/> Its importance is confirmed by literary references in Telugu and Sanskrit texts as ''(Nela)kondapalli-300'' or ''Kondapalli-300 Panugallu''. Kakatiya era inscriptions state that the local Recherla Reddi rulers made gifts to goddess temples here in the 12th century.<ref name=Sastry2/> Another inscription called the ''Nelakondapalli inscription of Krishnadevaraya'' is dated to the Vijayanagara Empire era, attesting to Nelakondapalli in the early 16th-century.<ref>Ghulam Yazdani (1936), Annual Report of the Archaeological Department of His Exalted Highness The Nizam's Dominions, Hyderabad, pages 38-43</ref>

Most of the historic Buddhist and Hindu structures were missing by the 19th-century, including the Hindu temples mentioned in various inscriptions. A survey commissioned by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1934 reported scattered temple ruins and a beheaded Nandi in Nelakondapalli.<ref>Zoolcadar Jung (1937), Annual Report of the Archaeological Department of His Exalted Highness The Nizam's Dominions, Hyderabad, page 37</ref> Archaeological excavations began after local farmers reported finding buried reliefs and statues. This initiative began in the 1970s and were completed in stages through the 1990s.<ref name=sastry1/><ref name=Sastry2/>

The Nelakondapalli village is the birthplace of Bhakta Ramadasa who helped established the major Rama temple in [[Bhadrachalam]], where textual records refer to Nelankondapally as Bhugiri.<ref name=census2011>R.V.V. Durga Prasad and C. Chandramouli (2014), Census of India 2011 ANDHRA PRADESH: DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK KHAMMAM, Series-29, Part XII-A, Government of India, pages 144–147, 166</ref>

[[File:Virata Raju Gadde - Nelakondapalli.jpg|thumb|This information plaque describes a Buddhist Stupa excavated by Archeological Survey of India. In Telugu language is a description of Virata Raju Dibba and a location Kichaka Gundam nearby that locals believe are related to events in Mahabharata.]]

===Buddhist archaeological site===
About 2 kilometers northeast of Nelakondapalli village is a large ancient manmade lake. Along it, midst the farms, are three sites locally known as Viratrajgadde, Erradibba and Byragulagutta. In the 1970s, the villagers accidentally stumbled upon portions of limestone panels and broken parts of a Buddha statue. They reported their findings to the state archaeological department – then under Andhra Pradesh, now Telangana. The state archaeology department undertook excavations between 1976 and 1985, over several seasons given the state's budget constraints.<ref name=vvks1990/> These excavations uncovered one of the largest stupas (54 feet high, 84 feet inner diameter, 138 feet outer diameter) with a ring and spoke architecture. The entire site is about 200 meters by 200 meters, includes brick lined foundation of east-west and north-south oriented vihara complexes. The unearthed foundation were in two layers, the older layer below the upper layer, likely a repair and reconstruction in a later century. In addition to the foundation, numerous coins, panels, statue parts, figurines, and wares were found in the upper strata from Ikshvaku and Vishnukundin era, similar to those found in many other parts of India. These findings suggest that the Nellakondapalli Buddhist site was likely a monastery on a trade route, likely in existence before the 1st century CE according to some scholars, and active till at least the 4th to 5th century.<ref name=sastry1/><ref name=vvks1990>V.V. Krishna Sastry (1990), Annual Report Of The Dept Of Archaeology and Museums 1986-87, Andhra Pradesh Government, Hyderabad, pages 26–27</ref>

One of the inscribed votive stupa discovered during these excavations is dated by Himanshu Prabha Ray between the 3rd to 4th-century CE.<ref>Himanshu Prabha Ray (2006), Editor: Patrick Olivelle, ''Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE'', Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0-19-530532-6}}, page 136</ref> According to Ray, the site should be dated to a bit later era based on the epigraphical evidence and the fact that ancient coins tended to remain in circulation for an extended periods of time. The Nelakondapalli site, states Ray, is of historic significance, and was one of many located along the trans-peninsular trade route of ancient Greater India, connecting the Krishna river valley to other parts of the Indian subcontinent. The other sites that traders and monks likely frequented via Nelakondapalli were Kondapur, Dhulikatta on their way to Ter and Paithan.<ref>Himanshu Prabha Ray (2006), Editor: Stanley Wolpert, Encyclopedia of India, Volume 1, Thomson Gale, {{ISBN|0-684-31512-2}}, pages 204–205</ref>

===Satavahana site===
Additional though limited excavations in and around Nelakondapalli has unearthed wares, coins, brick foundations, and similar evidence of a much larger ancient town where Buddhist and Hindu panels and artwork were produced. The discovery of hundreds of Satavahana coins which are commonly found in Deccan sites and of Ikshavaku coins that are rare in Telangana – southwestern parts of Nalgonda district being only other site – attests to Nelakondapallu's importance to the regional trade networks, economy and its ancient prosperity.<ref name=sastry1/>

Most of the major discoveries from the Nelakondapalli site have been relocated. A few inscribed pillars and broken parts are now in the modern era Hindu temples and a small village library.<ref name=sastry1/><ref name="Becker2015"/> Larger, more sophisticated, and damaged Buddhist and Hindu statues and artworks from Nelakondapallii were moved to Vijayawada museum and other locations, though since the early 1990s, the regional tourism departments have printed marketing brochures showing Nelakondapalli site with Buddhist and Hindu artifacts.<ref name="Becker2015">{{cite book|author=Catherine Becker|title=Shifting Stones, Shaping the Past: Sculpture from the Buddhist Stūpas of Andhra Pradesh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v3sTDAAAQBAJ|year=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-935939-4|pages=208–213}}</ref>

==Temples==
There are several Hindu temples in the village, one mosque and one denominational church.

=== Bhaktha Ramadas===
{{POV section|date=September 2021}}
Nelakondapalli was the birthplace of 17th-century [[Kancharla Gopanna]], popularly known as ''[[Bhakta Ramadas]]''. He was the builder of the ''Sree Seetha Ramachandra Swamy'' temple at [[Bhadrachalam]], one dedicated to Sita and Rama of the epic ''Ramayana'' fame.<ref name=census2011/> He was cherished by the Hindus of his time, and punished by the then Muslim officials. He was accused of misappropriation of revenue he collected in order to build the major Rama temple, instead of depositing it to the treasury of the Sultanate. He was then arrested under the orders of the Sultan of Golconda [[Abul Hasan Qutb Shah]] (Tana Shah, Tanishah).<ref name=census2011/> He served several years in Golconda Sultanate prison, where the Hindu god Rama appeared in a dream per a local legend. Gopanna was released from the prison when someone donated the disputed amount to the Sultan. Gopanna's contributions to Bhadrachalam and the regional Hindu community is commemorated every year in a festival at Nelakondapalli and Bhadrachalam as ''Bhakta Ramadasa Utsavalu''.<ref name=census2011/>

==Educational institutions==
* Ushodaya Vidyalayam
* Vikas High School
* Goutham concept school
* Gouthami Junior college
* Vasundhara Vocational Junior College
* Govt Degree College, Nelakondapalli
* Sri Chaitanya Junior College

==Popular culture==

Nelakondapalli is featured in the Telugu movie [[Rajanna]], the character "Rajanna" played by [[Nagarjuna]] hails from this place.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article2728809.ece | title=Chapter from history | date=19 Dec 2011 | accessdate=2013-05-08 | author=Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi | location=Hyderabad}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Nelakondapally}}
*[https://www.jstor.org/stable/29757390 God, Trade and Worship: A Glimpse into the Religion of Early Āndhradeśa], P. Krishna Mohan Reddy (1998)

{{Cities and towns in Khammam district}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Khammam district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Khammam district]]

Nelakondapalli - Revision history

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