Chebrolu, Guntur district
Chebrolu is a village in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Chebrolu mandal in Tenali revenue division. It was once a Buddhist site and territorial capital of Kakatiya dynasty. The Archaeological excavations revealed Buddhist artefacts of Satavahana and Ikshavaku period.
Etymology
During the Satavahana dynasty, it was referred as Tambrapuri. Chattúrmukhapuram is the other name, which translates to the city facing the four points of the compass and was coined by Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu, a zamindar of Chintapalle.History
Chebrolu has deep historical roots. It was once known as Sambhole, from which the modern name Chebrolu is derived. The village played a significant role as a regional fort for the Pallavas, Chalukyas, and Kakatiyas, with numerous temples and inscriptions reflecting its rich past. Many famous Chalukya inscriptions have been found in the temples here, and Chebrolu is mentioned in the Yuddamalluni Vijayawada inscriptions. During the Kakatiya period, Chebrolu gained prominence under the rule of the great general Jayapa, who also authored the well-known book on Indian dance, Nrutyaratnavali. In 2019, a Sanskrit language inscription dated to the reign of the Satavahana king Vijaya was found during the restoration of the local Bheemeswara Temple. The inscription records the construction activities related to a Saptamatrika temple at Tambrape—an ancient name for Chebrolu. Several temples were built during the reign of Chalukya king Bhima. It was also a place where several inscriptions of Cholas like the Velanadu Chodas were found. Satyashraya of the Eastern Chalukyas sent an army under his general Baya Nambi to seize areas held by the Chalukya Cholas. The general entered Vengi from the south, reduced the forts of Dharanikota and Yanamadala to ashes, and established himself at Chebrolu.The Chaturmukha Brahmalingeswara Swamy temple, built by Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu about 200 years ago, is one of the rare temples dedicated to Lord Brahma, who is worshipped alongside Lord Shiva. Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu also strengthened other temples and undertook the restoration of Chebrolu. The village was a known Buddhist site during the Satavahana and Ikshvaku periods, and several Buddhist artefacts have been unearthed. The presence of inscriptions suggests that Jain and Jewish communities also had a presence, with a Jain temple from the 11th century and a Jewish synagogue dedicated to the Children of Yacob. The famous Nageswara Swamy Temple and Galigopuram were built by the Devabhaktuni brothers Kanttanna and Murthanna. An inscription by Jayapa mentions a Jain temple of Ananta Jina, to which he made grants in 1213 AD.