Chandole
Chandole is a village in Bapatla district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Pittalavanipalem mandal of Bapatla revenue division.
History
and Buddham are nearby villages wherein archaeologists located a stupa from 3-2 BCE with relics of the Buddha and a bronze Buddha statue dated to 8 CE, respectively.Velanadu is said to be 'an old name for Chandhavolu country' The chieftains who ruled over Velanadu came to be known as the Velanati Chodas and belonged to the Durjaya family. They were subordinate allies of the Chalukya dynasty of South India. They were entrusted with the governance of the Andhra region, which formed a part of the Chola Kingdom in the 12th century. Their capital was Dhanadapura, which is now Chandolu.
Chandolu inscriptions have illuminated the details of the history of the Telugu Chodas of Velanadu. According to the poetic work Keyura-bahu-charitramu, the country enjoyed plenty and prosperity. "The capital Dhanadapura was a magnificent city with beautiful structures and opulent markets. It was comparable to the city of Kubera". Mallikarjuna Panditaradhyudu's Śivatatvasāram and Palkuriki Somanatha's Basava Puranam reflect the prosperity of Dhanadapura. Mallikarjuna Panditaradhyudu debated with Buddhist scholars in the court of King Velanati Choda of Chandavolu. There is a mound outside village which may have Buddhist remains.
In 2019, a 855-years-old Telugu inscription on a pillar by Kulotthunga Rajendra Choda, a Velanti chief who ruled from Chandolu, was rediscovered at Enikepadu, on the outskirts of Vijayawada. A manual of Krishna district in Madras Presidency, published in 1883, saus, "The country between Tsandavolu and Tenali awaits an archeologist, for in almost every village there are inscriptions not yet properly deciphered". Rudra Deva's son Ganapati overcame Velanadu chieftains is indicated by existence of an inscription of his at Chandhavolu, their kingdom. The village was the seat of the Velanati Chodas in the 12th century, the most famous of whom was Rajendra Choda I. It was a flourishing town during the Choda era. It was also called Dhandapura or Tsandavole.
The village is mentioned in ancient ballads and poems. In the temple are four inscriptions, three bearing dates equivalent to 1154, 1171, and 1176. A ruined fort, dating to 15 -16th century, was recognized as a historical protected monument Bandlamma temple, dating to the 18th century, is another protected monument. Bandlamma is a Dravidian goddess.