Anakápalle : A municipality of 18,539 inhabitants CHAP. XV. Anakapalle. on the trunk road and the Madras railway, 21 miles west of Vizagapatam in the midst of a level expanse of rich wet land watered by the Sárada, which river runs close by the town and is crossed by both the road and railway bridges. The place is badly-built and overcrowded, but is reputed to be extremely healthy and is a favourite place of residence with natives of the district. Its municipality is referred to in Chapter XIV. It contains a hospital, a school, a travellers' bungalow constructed on a highly original plan (opposite which is the much revered tomb of a woman who committed sati), a dharmasála and, to the south, the remains of a fort called after the famous Páyaka Rao mentioned in the account of Páyakaraopéta on p. 312 below. In this last are shrines to Bhógésvara and to the goddess Núkalamma, at the latter of which a largely-attended festival and buffalo sacrifice occur on each Telugu New Year's Day.
Anakápalle is known for its brass and iron vessels, made by Kancharis; for its cotton cloths and sheeting woven by Dévángas, the latter of which are called nágabandham from their diamond patterns and are popular in the Gódávari district; for the sugar-cane growing conducted by those industrious and enterprising agriculturists, the Gavaras; for its large market on Sundays; and as being the head-quarters of the principal estate of the rich and influential family of landed proprietors known as the Godé family, who pay more peshkash to Government than any one in the district except the Rája of Vizianagram.
The founder of this family, whose members say that tho} are Perike or Puragiri Kshatriyas by caste, was Godé Jagga Rao, who was dubash (agent and interpreter) to Mr. Andrews, the Chief at Masulipatam, and came with him to Vizagapatam when (see p. 35) he became the first Chief of the latter district. He had two sons, Súrya Prakása Rao and Súrya Náráyana Rao. The former of these was a naturalist and botanist of repute (rare qualifications among men of his station in those days) and laid out the excellent garden at Anakápalle in which the Godé bungalow now stands. Dr. Benza, in his notes of his journey through the Northern Circars with the then Governor, Sir Frederick Adam, in 1835, says of him that 'he speaks and writes the English language uncommonly well, and his pronunciation evinces hardly any foreign accent. He disregards the show and glitter, the suite of attendants, the umbrella-carriers, and other indispensable appendages of his countrymen of rank corresponding to his own; and wears none of their ornaments. He came