During the 17th century, it was known by the names Masulipatnam , in local Telugu language, 'Masuli'/'Machili' means fish[citation needed] and 'Patnam' means city. Masula and Bandar (Bandar translates to 'port' in Persian language).[8][9][10] The port town in the ancient times was also referred with the name Maesolia.[11]
History
View of Masulipatam in 1676
The town has existed since at least the 3rd century BCE (Satavahana period) when, according to Ptolemy, it was known as Maisolos. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea calls it Masalia in the 1st-century BCE.[12] The port is on the southeastern, or Coromandel Coast, of India. At the mouth of the River Krishna on the Bay of Bengal, the Masula port saw flourishing sea trade.[citation needed]
Muslin was traded by ancient Greeks from the town and the word muslin originated from the name Maisolos.[13] Muslin was an important source of income for the town, being a favourite of Roman traders for domestic consumption. Several Roman coins were found during excavations of Buddhist towns near Machilipatnam.[14]
The town served as the primary sea port for the Kingdom of Golkonda. It was an outlet for textiles produced in the Godavari Delta. It was a major source of income for the kingdom, and contributed to its immense prosperity in the 1620s and 1630s.[15]
By the end of the 17th century, the port city had fallen into decline. This coincided with the Mughal conquest of Golkonda. However, mismanagement prior to the conquest may have also been a factor in the city's decline.[16]
Salabat Jung, the son of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I, who was indebted for his elevation to the throne to the French East India Company, granted them in return for their services the district of Kondavid or Guntur, and soon afterwards the remainder of the Circars. The Circars were captured by the British from the French in 1759 and were returned to the Nizam, however, Masulipatnam was retained by the East India Company.[17]
The town was the district headquarters of the then, Masulipatnam district and now to the Krishna district, which was formed in 1859 in the composite Madras state.[6][18]
Machilipatnam (city) gets most of its annual rainfall due to the southwest monsoon. It has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classificationAw) with hot summers and moderate winters. The hottest months are between April and June. The average normal rainfall in the district is 959 millimetres (37.8 in) and Machilipatnam is vulnerable to high surges of the sea due to cyclones. The 1977 Andhra Pradesh cyclone crossed the coast near Nizampatnam and took approximately 10,000 lives. As the storm approached the coast, gale winds reaching 200 km/h lashed Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari and West Godavari districts. A storm surge, 5 meters high, inundated the Krishna estuary and the coast south of the city (Bandar).
On 8 December 2004, a high capacity S-Band Doppler cyclone warning radar was installed, commissioned and made operational at the city[21] by the German manufacturer Gematronik. With the installation of the radar, it is hoped the state will be better equipped to track cyclones. The facility will monitor the 960 km long coastline of the state.[22]
Climate data for Machilipatnam (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2020)
Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[25]
Masulipatam port in 1759
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1871
36,188
—
1881
35,056
−3.1%
1891
38,809
+10.7%
1901
39,507
+1.8%
1911
42,123
+6.6%
1921
43,940
+4.3%
1931
56,928
+29.6%
1941
59,146
+3.9%
1951
77,953
+31.8%
1961
101,417
+30.1%
1971
112,612
+11.0%
1981
138,525
+23.0%
1991
159,110
+14.9%
2001
179,353
+12.7%
2011
169,892
−5.3%
Demographics
As of 2011[update]census, Machilipatnam had a population of 2,32,000. The total population constitutes 1,13,286 males and 1,18,714 females — a sex ratio of 1047 females per 1000 males. 13,778 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 7,076 are boys and 6,702 are girls. The average literacy rate stands at 83.32% with 130,173 literates, significantly higher than the state average of 67.41%.[2][26]
Governance
Civic administration
Machilipatnam Municipal Corporation is the civic body of the city. It was constituted as a municipality in 1866 and was upgraded to corporation from special grade municipality on 9 December 2015.[27][28] It covers an area of 26.67 km2 (10.30 sq mi) under its jurisdiction. The present commissioner of the corporation is Sampath and the municipal chairperson is Motamarri Venkata Baba Prasad.[29]
Machilipatnam is known for its handloom industry, which produces Kalamkari textiles exported to United States and other Asian countries.[citation needed]
Other notable local industries are boat building and fishing.[34] Machilipatnam was a trading base for the Europeans in the 17th century and known for minting copper coins, exporting diamonds, textiles etc., through the port.[35]
The AP state government is taking measures to bring back the glory of the former port city. On 7 February 2019, it has started construction of a deep seaport and associated industrial corridor under the Machilipatnam Area Development Authority.[34][36]
Culture
Art and handicrafts
Machilipatnam Kalamkari is a handcrafteddyed block-painting of a fabric.[37] It is performed at the nearby town of Pedana and was registered with geographical indication from Andhra Pradesh.[38] Machilipatnam and Srikalahasti styles are the only existing Kalamkari style works present in India.[39]
The city is well known for a sweet known as Bandar Laddu and Bandar Halwa.[41] Almond Milkshake is also largely famous in Machilipatanam which are Mostly centred in Koneru Centre. Bandar Biryani is delicious,which is made by Shia Muslims in Moharram rituals .
Religious worship
There are many religions with worship centers in and around the city, such as Panduranga Temple at Chilakalapudi, Agastheeswara Temple etc. Dattashram is a pilgrimage site on the coast and home to ancient Shiva and Datta temples. Manginapudi is popularly known as "Datta Rameswaram" due to the consecration of 12 wells for bathing (recalling those at Rameswaram).[42]
Shia Muslims
Machilipatnam is home to the largest Shia Population in Entire Andhra Pradesh state .There are more than 100 Astanas/Imambargahs (Moharram ritual places).The Famous Chest beatings happens on Ashura in the Koneru Centre circle,attracting thousands of mourners and Visitors from other religions too .There are Imambargahs that are more than 600 years old like Zari Astana ,Baraimam Astana,Naqla Astana..etc .The Baraimam Alam is taken out for procession around streets of Machilipatnam ,It is taken out a night before Ashura and the krishna district police offers dhati (A cloth) to the Alam .Hundreds of Shia Muslisms from Hyderabad ,Chennai,Bangalore,Visakhapatnam
visit Chehlum Astana for the 17th Safar of Islamic Calendar,where Hazrat Abbas(as)'Arabaeen is done attracting many mourners across south India .
Tourism
Manginapudi Beach is on the coast of the city.[43] Machilipatnam also has the ruined buildings built by the Europeans who settled here.[citation needed]
Machilipatnam port was damaged by a giant ocean wave on 1 November 1864.[35] Since then, there were many efforts to build a new port. Navayuga Engineering Company Limited is in the process of building a deep water port at Gilakaladinne of the city.[50]
The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided, and private schools of the School Education Department of the state.[51][52]Krishna University is located in Machilipatnam.
Master Venu - Music composer of the Telugu and Tamil cinemas.
C. S. R. Anjaneyulu - C. S. R., was an Indian film method actor, and thespian best known for his works in Telugu cinema and Telugu theater.
Nirmalamma - Telugu actress known for her grandmother roles in old films.
Maruthi - Indian director, screenwriter, producer who works primarily in Telugu cinema.
Mani Sharma - Indian composer, singer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and music producer known for his works primarily in the Telugu and Tamil cinema along with Hindi and Kannada films.
^Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India: Their History and Their Contribution to Indian Culture by Sukumar Butt, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1988, p. 132
^Varma, Sujatha (13 April 2013). "In search of Bandar Laddu". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 July 2015. Vani sweets, near to the Koneru center and RK sweets, near to the bus stand are famous in the city
^"Details of Roads in Each ULB of Andhra Pradesh". Commissioner and Directorate of Municipal Administration. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department - Government of Andhra Pradesh. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
^"School Education Department"(PDF). School Education Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh. Archived from the original(PDF) on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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