Ongole

Ongole is the headquarters for Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh. It is situated on the Chennai -Howrah Grand Trunk Road 109-km away from Guntur. The town was originally called 'Vangalaprolu', 'Vangavolu' and 'Vangolu' after the astrologer bearing the surname 'Vangolu' in the court of the Addanki kings. The earliest reference to this place is found in the inscriptions of the Pallava rulers, Vijayaskandavarma and Simhavarman, whose period of rule was assigned to the last quarter of the 3rd and the first quarter of the 4th centuries AD.
The beaches in Ongole offer both blessings and adventure or leisure, so it doesn’t matter whether you are a pilgrim or tourist, you’re sure to have plenty to do here. Kothapatanam and Voderevu, in particular, have beautiful expanses of sandy beaches overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Devotees from all over the country come to the Kothapatanam beach to take a holy dip in the waters to absolve their sins, during the religious festival of Karthik Purnima. For the rest of the year, both beaches provide the perfect spots for relaxation, as well as adventure sports and other activities.
The temples in Ongole, are architectural marvels in themselves and are also important sites of pilgrimage. The Sai Baba Mandir, the Kashi Viswesvara Swami Temple and the Chennakesava Swami Temple are a few sites that you should visit. The Tangutur village, dedicated to the Goddess Vallurama, is quaint and regional, giving you a peek into the daily life of people from Ongole.