Nellore
A Penna riverbank city with a reclining Ranganatha and a quiet coast
Nellore tourist places on the Penna River include the Talpagiri Ranganatha temple, the Bara Shaheed Dargah and Mypadu Beach, 20 km away.
Overview
About 170 km north of Chennai on the bank of the Penna River, Nellore is a city of roughly 600,000 people in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, and the Bay of Bengal lies about 24 km to its east. Nellore tourist places suit temple-goers, pilgrims of several faiths and travellers who want a quiet beach, and October to March is the comfortable span. Summer highs run between 36 C and 46 C, while winters sit around 23 C to 25 C.
Medieval records knew the town as Vikrama Simhapuri. Its best-known shrine is the Talpagiri Ranganathaswamy Temple, over 600 years old, where Ranganatha is shown reclining on the serpent Adisesha in an idol about 10 feet long. A second landmark of a very different kind is the Bara Shaheed Dargah, a shrine to twelve martyrs beside the Swarnala Cheruvu tank. Its annual urs, called Rottela Panduga, draws people of all faiths, who exchange rotis as tokens of prayers or thanks and take a holy dip in the tank.
The coast is the other half of a visit. Mypadu Beach is about 20 km from the city and is looked after by the state tourism corporation, and water sports, jet skis and aquatic bikes are among the activities named for it. Further south, Pulicat Lake, India's second-largest brackish lagoon, has its own page, and its main portion falls in Tirupati district. The district is nicknamed the shrimp capital of India for its aquaculture, and Krishnapatnam Port, named after the Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya, also stands on this coast.
Rain follows a clear pattern. Between 700 and 1,000 mm falls in a year, and about 60 per cent of it arrives from October to December with the north-east monsoon, so plan beach days outside that period.
For arrival, Tirupati Airport is the nearest, about 120 km away, while Chennai International Airport is about 185 to 190 km off. Nellore station is an A-grade Adarsh station on the Vijayawada division, with MEMU trains to Chennai. Vijayawada is about 279 km north by road.
Known for
A temple over 600 years old, with a reclining Ranganatha about 10 feet long
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Coming up, dates to be confirmed
Rottela Panduga at the Bara Shaheed Dargah
festivalA Sufi festival by Nellore Tank, where pilgrims of all faiths swap rotis as tokens of prayers and thanks, and take a holy dip.
The 2026 edition ran 26 to 30 June, starting the day after Ashura (25 June 2026). Ashura is listed for 16 June 2027, so the next festival is likely in the second half of June 2027; no 2027 dates announced.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesQuick facts
Hot summers of 36 C to 46 C and winters of 23 C to 25 C, with 700 to 1,000 mm of rain a year, about 60 per cent of it from October to December.
Tirupati Airport, about 120 km; Chennai International Airport is about 185 to 190 km
Nellore (NLR), in the city
Nellore is about 170 km north of Chennai and 279 km from Vijayawada. Mypadu Beach is about 20 km away. Drive times (to be supplied).
Time a visit for the days of Rottela Panduga if you want to see the roti exchange, and check the dates locally first as they have not been announced for 2027
Plan beach time at Mypadu outside October to December, when the north-east monsoon brings most of the rain
Allow for a road transfer from Tirupati or Chennai, because the airports are 120 km and 185 to 190 km away
Location
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