HISTORY

                  The history of Madanapalle was dated back to 907 during Chola Kingdom. Previously the town was located to west of Sri Yogabhogeswara Swami Temple. The vastu sastra revealed that there would not be any development of town as it is located in that area. Then the Palegar Sriman Ahobilanayani thought to change the place of town. They left the cow to gaze the grass. The cow started gazing the grass along the forest and stopped at a particular place. That was the place decided for initiation of construction of new town. Ahobilanayani varu constructed fort around the town. Later on it destroyed with the age. The present streets in Madanapalle like Kota Street, Agarthala street, Sepoy street are the reminiscences of previous establishments.

                 Madanapalle was ruled by Vijayanagara Palegars namely Basanna and Madanna. In memory of their names, the two hills on the east of Madanapalle were named as “Madanna Hill” and “Basavanna Hill” which gradually transformed to Madinikonda and Basinikonda.

                 During 907 – 955, Yadavanayikas and Hoyasalas ruled by Vijayanagara kingdom. After its downfall, it went under the rule of Golkonda nawabs during 1565. During 1713, the Kadapa Nawab, Abdul Nabi Khan captured Madanapalle. Madanapalle was transformed from Karnataka provinson to Kadapa division. There was war between Kadapa Nawabs and Maharastra rulers for the sake of Madanapalle and Pungnaoor provision. Kadapa Nawab was defeated by Balajirao Peshi and captured Madanapalle. Later, Mysore Maharaja occupied Gurram Konda. Tippu Sultan defeated Hyder ali and took great care of Madanapalle and Punganoor divisions.

                  Sir Thomas Munro was first collector of Cuddapah. He constructed a small thatched house at the present Collector’s bunglow and visited Madanapalle every summer. In 1850, Madanapalle was developed as subdivision and F.B.Manoly was the first Sub Collector. The town experienced several natural calamities like floods, famines and epidemics. Rabindranath Tagore translated "Jana Gana Mana" from Bengali to English and also set it to music in Madanapalle.

                  Though the Bengali song had been written in 1911 itself, it had remained largely confined to the pages of the Brahmo Samaj journal, "Tatva Bodha Prakasika", of which Tagore was the editor.

                   During 1918-19, Tagore accepted an invitation from a friend and controversial Irish poet James H. Cousins, to spend a few days at the Besant Theosophical College, of which Cousins was the principal. On the evening of February 28, he joined a gathering of students and upon Cousins' request, sang the "Jana Gana Mana" in Bengali. In the days that followed, enchanted by the dreamy hills of Madanapalle, Tagore wrote down the English translation of the song and along with Cousins' wife, Margaret (an expert in western music), set down the notation which is followed till this day.

                    Today, in the library of the Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle, the framed original English translation is displayed. One interesting thing is the first radio news reader is from madanapalli. She is follower of Shri Sarojani Naidu and her name is Shri Mangamma Madam. Even she is having the copy of Jana Gana Mana translated into English by Tagore. Lastly Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were her students.

                     The other historical places include the Chennakesava Swamy Temple at a distance of 47 km from Madanapalle which was built in the 14th century by Krishna Devarayalu. The other place to visit is the Mallaya Konda temple built by Chola raja in the 14th century. The Kolabailu water falls is just 15 km from the town. Venugopalaswami temple located in Thettu is just 15 km from the town.