1) Importance of the Destination
Sri Jetprole Group of Temples
Sri Jetprole Group of Temples
“Thirumangayalvaru Charitha” a Yakshagana on Lord Sri Venkateswara was written by Kotharu Bhavanacharyalu along with Thirunagari Narasimhaiah. Nine Days Brahmotsavam Festival will be held for Sri Venkateswara Swamy at DevuniThirmalapurVillage and it will be held in the Telugu Month of Maghamasa for Fifteen Days. This festival attracts thousands of Pilgrims from the surrounding villages with sweet shops etc.
Madanagopala Swamy Jatara of Jataprole: Jataprole is known as Jatayuvu Kshetra in Puranic Tales. It has been mentioned in the Madanagopala Mahathmyam of Vishnu Rahasya Khandam of Bhavishyothara Purana. Jataprole is a small village in the Amanaganti Seema. It was mentioned in a stone inscription during 12th Century A.D. by Malla Naidu who is the son of Recharla Bethi Reddy and Eurka Sanamma who made it a capital of Paragana and wrote it to Kamineni Gopaiah. Vijayanagara Kings gave it to Surabhi Kings during 16th Century. Madhavarayalu of Vijayanagar King constructed Mantapas and Gopuras to the Jataprole and Manchala Katta temples. Lord Sri Krishna who is one of the Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu is known as Madana Gopala when he is represented with Rukmini and Satyabhama or otherwise he is known as Venu Gopala Swamy. Famous Krishna Temples in Mahabubnagar District are Kalki Gopala Swamy of Kalwakurthy Mandal, Sri Venu Gopala Swamy of KesampetVillage in Nagar Kurnool Mandal, Santhanam Gopala Swamy in Gadwal, Sri Madana Gopala Swamy of Jataprole of Kollapur Taluka, and Venugopala Swamy temples of Siddapur in Achampet Mandal, Chinchodu of Shadnagar Mandal and Vemula Narvala.
As per the History of Mahabubnagar by B.N. Sastry “Mallanaidu (Kumara Madanaidu) from the 14th Generation of Jataprole Sansthan received it from Anegondi Ramarayalu in 1527 A.D as remuneration and ruled it for some time. He built Madanagopala Swamy temple at Jataprole and started Brahmotsavam and it has 400 years of Glorious history. This temple has beautiful stone sculptures and it was shifted from its original place on 15 th February, 1989 and re-constructed it on the banks of KrishnaRiver. Beautiful sculptures could be spot on the top of Gopuram of the temple complex.
2) National Importance
Very few pilgrims from Karnataka and Maharashtra have been visiting this temple due to lack of awareness among the public even though there is good sculpture and heritage importance.
3) Location and Reach
Road: Visitors can reach the destination from Pebber (NH-7) or Kollapur. The temple is located about 36 km from Pebber (NH-7); about 16 km from Kollapur, 158 km from Mahabubnagar and about 85 km from Kurnool.
Rail: The nearest railway station is located at Gadwal, which is about 50 km away from the destination.
Air: The nearest Airport is located at ShamshabadInternationalAirport (Hyderabad).
4) Jurisdiction of the Destination
The Temple is under the jurisdiction of Endowments Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh and the temple is maintained by Kollapur Raja Samsthan.
5) Road Condition
120′ BT Road is available from Hyderabad to Pebber. The road condition is very good and recently the authority is laying down 4 lines road (120′). 12′ BT Road with average conditions is available from Pebber to Jetprole.
6) Present Status of Tourist Attractions around the Destination
The following are the main nearest tourist places/attractions available around the proposed destination.
Ø A cluster of 20 Sivalayams (Siva Temples) are located at one place at Jetprole, which are directly under the control of Endowments Department
Ø Krishna River is flowing nearby the temple and famous for river bath and Pushkaramulu
Ø Siva Temple, Sangam (V)-32 km
Ø Proposed Circuit Temples/ Destinations covered under Heritage Tourism Circuit in Mahabubnagar District
7) Visitors Flow at the
Destination
The flow of visitors to the destination has been increasing every year. As per the local people and officials of destinations, the visitors’ flow during the three years is as below:
Year
Approximate No. of Visitors
2006-07
1,93,600
2007-08
2,17,800
2008-09
2,42,000
It is found that 100 people per day on an average are visiting the temple and the number goes up to 200 persons on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. On all festival days (Ugadi, Dasara, Sankranthi, etc), the flow will be more than 500 tourists per day. During important occasions viz., Brahmotsavalu (5 days), Kalyanotsavam (1 day), Rathotsavam (1 day), Gokulastam (1 day) and Sravana Masam, the tourists flow is very high and about 3,000-5,000 pilgrims on an average visit this destination. KrishnaRiver is flowing nearby this destination and tourists flow during Sravana Masam & Karthika Masam is very high. The authority celebrates Krishna Puskaralu at the destination and the authority constructed Bath Ghat for river bath.
8) Estimated Future Visitors Flow
The visitors’ flow to the destination has been increasing every year and the estimated future flow of visitors/tourists is as follows.
Year
Estimated Visitors
2009-10
3,63,000
2010-11
4,59,800
2011-12
5,56,600
Justification for Tourist Flow
The logic behind the estimation of future visitors’ flow is that there is huge potential to attract the visitors. The rationale is as follows.
Ø During important occasions viz., Brahmotsavalu, Kalyanotsavam, Rathotsavam, Gokulastam and Sravana Masam, the tourists flow is very high
Ø The destination is having 108′ height Galigopuram, which is 3rd heighest Galigopuram in Andhra Pradesh
Ø The destination is having 20 Sivalayams (Siva Temples) located at one place as a group in addition to main temple.
Ø The destination has historical importance. The flow to this temple(s) has been increasing now-a-days at high rate due to increase in awareness about the temple in general public, temple attraction, existing beautiful environment/ climate at the destination with water body, etc
Ø The pilgrims who are residing villages/mandals located surrounding the destination have been performing pujas from ancestors/ hereditary
Ø The crowd in May, June and July is high due to holidays to the students.
Ø Increasing number of intra state-tourists from Karnataka & Maharashtra and other districts of AP
Ø The average growth of visitors flow is increasing on an average of 15% – 20%. Apart from this, if the Tourism Department provides infrastructure and promotional facilitates to the tourists, that can add another 30% – 40%.
9) Special Days of Attraction and Visitors Flow
It revealed from the field survey that the visitors prefer the following days in general.
* Sundays and Public Holidays – Tourist flow is more
* Festival Days; Ugadi, Sivaratri, Dasara, Sankranthi, whole month of Karthika Masam, Sravana Masam, 1st January, Pushkaralu, etc – Tourist flow is high
* Very few marriages are performed at the destination
* Public Holidays increase the flow to some extent
* Special occasions like family tours, marriages, educational tours, etc
bd14581_ Vacations (like Summer Vacation and Winter Vacation)
10) Income Profile of Visitors
The approximate income profile of visitors to the destination is as below:
Lower Income People: 40%
Middle Income People: 40%
Higher Income People: 20%
The residents, who are living around the temple are visiting the temple frequently. Most of the visitors, who visit the temple belongs to middle and lower income and are coming from surrounded villages to visit the destinaiton.
11) Purpose of Visit
Most of pilgrims (about 90%) visit the destination primarily for devotional purpose but some of the visitors (about 10%) also visit for sightseeing as the KrishnaRiver is flowing nearby this location as well as devotional purpose.
12) Origin of Tourists
The approximate percentage of tourists and places from where the tourists have been visiting the destination are as follows.
Ø 30% from surrounded villages & mandals of Mahabubnagar district
Ø 40% from villages & mandals of Kurnool District of AP
Ø 10% from Hyderabad and Rayalaseem Districts
Ø 15% from other districts of AP
Ø 5% from Karnataka and MaharashtraStates
13) Mode of Transport
The pilgrims, who visit from long distances comes by 4-wheelers (jeep, car, DCM Vans, lorries, tractors, etc); and the pilgrims who resides around the villages & mandals are visiting by APSRTC buses and other mode of transport.
14) Frequency of Visits
· It found that 20% of the visitors are new persons and visited the destination first time after knowing the importance of the destination.
· About 80% of the pilgrims have been repeating the visit to the destination at least once in a year along with their friends and relatives.
15) Group Size
The group size consists of 3 to 10 persons in general and also 10 to 15 pilgrims as a group, visit the destination.
16) Accommodation Facilities
There are no accommodation- facilities exist at the destination. Pilgrims can stay at either Kollapur or Kurnool for getting lodging facilities. Some of the pilgrims stay and sleep in the open hall of TempleMandapam for one day at free of cost. Due to non-availability of accommodation facilities, the pilgrims/ tourists generally visit in the morning and leave this place in the evening.
17) Food & Beverages Facilities
Two meal hotels are available at the destination. About six tiffin hotels are available at the destination and these provide tiffin, tea, coffee, beverages, biscuits, etc to the visitors/tourists. These hotels prepare food on order.
18) Illumination Facilities
Illumination facilities are available inside of MadanaGopalaSwamyTemple. There are no proper illumination facilities outside & around the temple and at KrishnaRiver (water body).
In the case of Jetprole Group of 20 Siva Temples, there are no illumination facilities either inside the temples or outside the temples’ premises.
19) Sewerage and Public Toilets
There is no drainage facility available either inside or outside the temples. No urinal blocks/public toilet facilities are available at this destination.
20) Water Facilities
One open well is available in the premises of MadanaGopalaSwamyTemple. The pilgrims get the water from this well and drink the same as drinking water.
21) Banking/ATM Facilities
There is no bank available at the destination (Jetprole). SBI, SBH, Andhra Bank, Central Bank, DCC Bank, etc are available at Kollapur. SBH and Andhra Bank are providing ATM facility at Kollapur.
22) Emergency Health Facility
Four RMP Doctors (Registered Medical Practitioners) are available at JetproleVillage. Primary Health Centre (PHC) run by Government is available at Kollapur. In addition, there are private nursing homes, medical shops, diagnostic centres, specialist doctors, etc are available at Kollapur.
23) Cleanness
The authority is maintaining cleanness inside the temple of Madana Gopala Swamy and Jetprole Group of Temples. The authority is not maintaining any cleanness outside the temples and there is no tourist infrastructure available except temples and water body.
24) Landscaping and Park Maintenance
The authority is neither maintaining any landscaping nor park at the proposed destination.
25) Safety/Security of Tourists
There are three sweepers, two watchmen and one priest for MadanaGopalaSwamyTemple and another priest for Group of Jetprole Temple. The temple personnel lookafter and guide on safety matters of tourists. There are no thefts, threats or robberies occurred at the destination.
26) Guide Services
There is no guide available at the destination. The priests explain about the history and importance of the temples and guide the tourists.
27) Wayside Amenities
There are no wayside amenities available at the destination except air, puncture facilities and petrol in loose form. At Kollapur, where minor support services viz., air, petrol bunks, minor repairs, etc available. All type of major services available at Kurnool.
28) Communication Facilities
It noticed that almost all mobile phones viz., BSNL, Airtel, Idea, and Vodafone receive signals at the destination. About 12 PCOs with Coin operated boxes are available at the destination.
29) Marketing Facilities (Arches, Information Centre, Destination Boards, Direction Boards, etc)
The temple authority has been publishing pamphlets on the occasion of Brahmotsavs and distributes among the pilgrims. The authority has not established any destination and direction boards. No arches are available for the temple.
30) Shopping Facilities
No shopping facilities are available at the destination except puja items. Shopping facilities are available at Kollapur or Kurnool.
31) Local Transport
Sharing autos, 7-seater autos, jeeps, private vehicles, etc are available from Pebber to Kollapur and tourists can get down at Jetprole.
32) Parking Facilities
Tourists are parking their vehicles in front of the temple as plenty of vacant land available and pilgrims are parking vehicles as per their convenience.
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