Vasavi Penugonda
village in Penugonda mandal, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India
Penugonda, officially known as Vasavi Penugonda is a historic town in West Godavari district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh known as the birthplace of the goddess Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari.
Narasapuram to Nidadavolu main line passes through Penugonda. It is the junction for the people to go to Rajahmundry, Nidadavolu, Palakollu, Pekeru, Tanuku, and Bhimavaram.
North Peravali Mandal, South Achanta mandal and Poduru mandal, East Godavari River, West Iragavaram mandal and Penumantra mandal sharing boundaries with Vasavi Penugonda.
Etymology
Penugonda name originates from Telugu, traditionally associated with the concept of a "big" or "ancient" hill/abode ("Penu" - big/great; "Gonda/Konda" - hill/abode), linked to myths of saints performing penance.
On 31st December 2025 Penugonda has officially renamed as Vasavi Penugonda by the Government of Andhra Pradesh because it is the birthplace of the goddess Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari.
Demographics
As of 2011 Census of India, Penugonda had a population of 16038. The total population constitute, 7857 males and 8181 females with a sex ratio of 1041 females per 1000 males. 1377 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, with sex ratio of 1046 females per 1000 males. The average literacy rate stands at 82.50%.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Vasavi Penugonda” as village in Penugonda mandal, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as village in Penugonda mandal, West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7165343. VIAF identifies the subject as 235663190. Authority coordinates are 16.657, 81.746. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2025, 2011, 1041 and 1000.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Vasavi Penugonda”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Vasavi Penugonda primary sources, Vasavi Penugonda archive and Vasavi research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Vasavi Penugonda”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Vasavi Penugonda” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.