Tel: అనంతపురం anantapuraṁ(u)

‘Boundless Ocean’  [Anantapuramu] – City/District, Andhra Pradesh

From Skt: ananta, ‘endless’, ‘infinite’; and pur, ‘town’, ‘city’.

Anantapur was named after a big tank/reservoir called Anantasagara  [Skt: sāgara, ‘sea’, ‘ocean’].

The reservoir, originally 8.5 km2, was constructed by Chikka Vedaya, a Minister to Bukka Raya I, a 14thC Vijayanagara king. It was named after Ananthamma, Chikka Vedaya’s wife. 

A memorial stone at the tank commemorates the remarkable Musalamma:

“(and) records the heroism of this woman who sacrificed herself to close a breach in the dam. She is still worshipped with animal sacrifice on the day when the waters are released for irrigation” [Storm (2015)].

For related place names see Indian Place names and Andhra Pradesh place names.

 

Anantapur Clock Tower             Maheshrig