Log in Sign up
Back to Discover
🗺️

Kadapa

geography Maturity 7-9

Kadapa is a city in India.

Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
It sits near some big hills. The city can be very hot. People there eat spicy food. It is a busy place to live. Do you like spicy food?

37 words

Kadapa is a city in India.

Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
It sits near big hills.

The city can be very hot. It has a dry climate.

Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
Kadapa Bus Station.jpg

Many people live there. They speak Telugu. They also speak Urdu.

People eat spicy food. They like to eat dosa. They also like ragi food.

Service road Kadapa.jpg
Service road Kadapa.jpg

It is a busy place to live. It is a growing city.

67 words

Kadapa is a city in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
It sits in the Rayalaseema region. The city is south of the Penna River. Hills surround the city on three sides. These are the Nallamala and Palkonda Hills. The name Kadapa comes from the Telugu word "Gadapa." This means a threshold or a gate. In the past, people passed through here to reach a temple.
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg

Many different groups ruled this land long ago. These included the Cholas and the Vijayanagara Empire. The city also had many different names in history. The weather here can be very hot. In the summer, it feels hot and humid. It can even reach 45 degrees Celsius.

Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
Kadapa Bus Station.jpg

Many people live in Kadapa. Most people speak Telugu. Many also speak Urdu. People love spicy food. A famous meal is ragi sangati with chicken curry. The city is a busy place. It has a big airport and an old railway station.

Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
It is a fast growing city.

170 words

Kadapa is a busy city in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
It sits in a region called Rayalaseema. The city is located south of the Penna River. On three sides, the city is surrounded by hills. These are the Nallamala and Palkonda Hills. The land here has black and red soil. The name Kadapa comes from the Telugu word "Gadapa." This word means a threshold or a gate.
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
In the old days, people passed through this city to reach the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala.

The history of this place is very long. It goes back to the second century BC. Many different groups have ruled the area over time. The Pallava dynasty was the first to rule the city. Later, the Cholas and the Vijayanagara Empire held power here. One famous ruler was Pemmasani Thimma Nayudu in 1422 CE. He built many temples and water tanks in the region.

Vijayanagara 1450s.png
Vijayanagara 1450s.png
Other groups like the Marathas and the British also ruled the land. The British took control of the district in 1800 CE.

The weather in Kadapa can be quite intense. It has a hot and semi-arid climate. This means it stays warm throughout the year. In the summer, it can feel very hot and humid. Temperatures have reached as high as 45 degrees Celsius.

Service road Kadapa.jpg
Service road Kadapa.jpg
Most of the rain comes during the monsoon seasons. These are the southwest and northeast monsoons. The best time to visit is during the winter. In winter, the air is much drier and the weather is milder.

Many people live and work in this growing city. In 2011, the population of the urban area was 344,078. Most people there speak Telugu as their first language. About 31% of the people speak Urdu. The city is known for its delicious and spicy food. Many people enjoy eating ragi sangati with chicken curry.

Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
It is also a place where many people work in government or private jobs. The economy is supported by mining and farming crops like cotton and groundnut.

Kadapa is very well connected to other parts of India. It has a large railway station that opened around 1866. This station sits on the busy Mumbai–Chennai line. The city also has its own airport. It opened for flights in June 2015.

Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
You can fly from here to places like Bangalore and Chennai. There are also many roads for buses and cars. These roads connect Kadapa to many other major cities. The city is a growing hotspot for the country.

438 words

Kadapa is a significant city located in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
It serves as the district headquarters for the YSR Kadapa district within the Rayalaseema region. Geographically, the city sits south of the Penna River. It is nestled within a tectonic landscape between the Eastern and Western Ghats. The city is physically framed by the Nallamala and Palkonda Hills on three sides.
Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
The local ground consists of black and red ferrous soils. This unique setting has shaped the city's development for centuries.

The name Kadapa is deeply connected to its physical role as a gateway. It originates from the Telugu word "Gadapa," which means a threshold or a gate. In the past, travelers had to pass through this city to reach the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala. Because of this connection, the city earned the nickname "Gadapa." While it was once spelled "Cuddapah," the spelling was officially changed on 19 August 2005. This change was made to better reflect the local pronunciation. Some historical records even refer to the area as Hiranyanagaram or Nekanamabad.

The history of Kadapa spans over two thousand years. Archaeological evidence suggests the area was home to the Maurya and Satavahana dynasties as early as the second century BC. The Pallava dynasty was the first to rule the city during the fifth century. Following the Pallavas, the Cholas ruled until the eighth century. Many other groups held power, including the Banas, Rashtrakutas, and the Telugu Cholas. King Indra III, who ruled around 915 AD, brought great power and influence to the region.

Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Later, the Vijayanagara Empire ruled for about two centuries. One notable figure was Pemmasani Thimma Nayudu, who built many temples and tanks in 1422 CE.
Vijayanagara 1450s.png
Vijayanagara 1450s.png

Political control of the region shifted frequently through the centuries. The Golkonda Muslims conquered the area in 1594 after a raid on Gandikota fort. By 1740, the Marathas had taken control from the Nawab of Kurnool and Cuddapah. The city was also ruled by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan between 1784 and 1792. Following the Treaty of Seringapatam, the area fell to the Nizam. The British eventually took control of the Kadapa District in 1800 CE.

Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Under British rule, it became a subordinate collectorate. In 2004, the city's status was upgraded to a municipal corporation.

Kadapa experiences a hot semi-arid climate, classified as BSh under the Köppen system. This means temperatures remain high throughout the year. Summer months can be particularly difficult due to heat and humidity. Temperatures have been recorded as high as 45 degrees Celsius. During these months, humidity levels can reach around 75%. The city receives rainfall from both the southwest and northeast monsoons. Most of the annual rain falls between June and October.

Service road Kadapa.jpg
Service road Kadapa.jpg
Winters are much milder and offer a drier climate. This makes winter the best season for visitors to explore the area.

The city is a growing economic center with a GDP of $2.038 billion as of 2020. The economy relies heavily on mining and agriculture. Local farmers grow crops such as cotton, groundnut, red gram, and Bengal gram. Many residents work in government or private sector jobs. The city is also recognized as one of 49 growth hotspots in India by McKinsey & Company.

EPFO,Kadapa.jpg
EPFO,Kadapa.jpg
Culturally, the city is diverse, with traditions from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Jainism. Visitors can explore historic sites like the Ameen Peer Dargah or the Shilparamam crafts village. The local cuisine is famous for being spicy, featuring dishes like Ragi Sangati with chicken curry.

Kadapa is well-connected to the rest of India through multiple transport systems. The railway station is one of the oldest in the state, having opened around 1866. It sits on the busy Mumbai–Chennai line. For air travel, the Kadapa Airport opened on 7 June 2015.

Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
This airport allows travelers to reach cities like Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The city also has an extensive road network totaling 803.84 km. These roads, including major 4-lane routes, connect the city to many important destinations across South India.
Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
Kadapa Bus Station.jpg

695 words
🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Vijayanagara_1450s.png
Vijayanagara_1450s.png
File:Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
Siddhout Fort near Kadapa.jpg
File:Palkonda Hills.jpg
Palkonda Hills.jpg
File:Service road Kadapa.jpg
Service road Kadapa.jpg
File:EPFO,Kadapa.jpg
EPFO,Kadapa.jpg
File:RIMS Medical college entrance.jpg
RIMS Medical college entrance.jpg
File:Plvd-Kdp road.jpg
Plvd-Kdp road.jpg
File:Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
Kadapa Bus Station.jpg
File:Long View of Station Building.jpg
Long View of Station Building.jpg
File:Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
Kadapa Airport terminal.jpeg
Up Next
🗺️
Kurnool
Geography
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.