Page:Madras District Gazetteers - Anantapur.pdf/23

Bukkapatnam, and Penukonda (3,091 feet); Kundurpi Drug (2,996) and the Madakasira hill (2,936) come next. But these four are situated in a country which itself stands some 1,800 to 2,000 feet above the sea and though the first two are fine bold peaks with striking outlines they are all of them less prominent than the figures of their altitude would indicate. In five places the hills have arranged them- selyes into low ranges. None of these have any generally recognised names. The natives have given almost every peak within them homely appellatives such as Tellakonda (‘white hill’), Yerrakonda (‘red hill’), Nallakonda (‘black hill’) and so forth, or have called them after the gods who are supposed to reside upon them— Obalidévarakonda and Mallappakonda are instances—but there are no terms which apply to any of the ranges as such.

All the five fines run roughly north and south. In the north, between Tadpatri taluk on the one side and Gooty and Anantapur on the other, run the hills which may be called, from the forest reserve of that name which lies within them, the Muchukota range. They travel right across that part of the district, from north of Gooty town down to the Chitrdvati river (which crosses them at right angles by a deep and narrow channel) and are some 35 ales! in length and in many places seven miles wide.

. Through the centre of Gooty taluk passes another less well- marked line which may be termed (again from the reserved furest upon it) the Nagasamudram range. It begins at the northern limit of the taluk and runs nearly due south, lessening in height as it goes, into the western parts of Anantapur and Dharmavaram taluks. It is over 50 nules in length, but its continuity is interrupted by several breaks.

In the south of the district stands the confused range—the most considerable of the five—which occupies the eastern half of Penu- konda taluk. It may be named, alter its highest point, the Mallappa- konda line. It begins at Dharmavaram town and runs out of the district into Mysore State and the Cuddapah district.

In the same taluk is the almost wilder line which may be termed, also from its highest point, the Penukonda hills. This begins in the south of Dharmavaram taluk and runs south for 40 miles through Penukenda and Hindupur and on into Mysore State, Just north of Penukonda hill there is an abrupt break in its continuity,

Lastly there is the line which cuts the Madakasira taluk into two parts north and south and which may be referred to, from the highest peak within it, as the Madakasira range. This differs from the others in having more vegetation upon its slopes and in being less of a range