About Zamindars
It was a Zamindari before independence. There is a fort with a palace inside. At present both are in ruins. There is a school "BASAVA RAJA BOARD HIGH SCHOOL" which was established more than 100 years ago.One of the oldest high schools in the Chittoor district. The place was ruled by a benovelent zamindari family. Most of the employees in the palace were from (Mala and Madiga castes) Daliths, in those days when Untouchability was very prevalent. Children from the zamindari family were also studying the same school along with commoners and were given no special treatment. It was very famous for its tamarind business,its have lot of tamarind trees around the city. In addition to Telugu people Tamil and Muslim people are also staying here in a large number.Punganur is also called as Temple town because of various old and fine temples in it.
The Ex-Zamindar of Punganur had contested the General Elections to the Andhra Assemble in 1955 and Sri Raja Veera Basava Chikkarayala was declared elected as in independent candidate defeating his nearest (Sitting MLA) Sri Badala Krishnamurthy Rao with a thumping majority. It is said to be the highest percentage of votes poled against him in the state nearly 92%. Even currency was pored into the Ballot box in favour of their Ex. Zamindar by the voters, there after his wife, smt. Rani Sundarammanni was elected A.P. state Assemble for twice.
Role of Zamindars :
This was under the rule of local Zamindars (erstwhile taluk comprised six mandals) for more than 500 years starting the middle of 14th century A.D. The Zamindars were Lingayath (Jangama) by caste and from Karnataka. They were subordinates to Maharaja of Mysore and late onto Sri Krishna Devaraya during 16th century. The Zamindars are remembered ever for today by virtue of their patronage and remarkable service to the people in the fields of agriculture, building of tanks, perculation tanks, soil conservation, education, patronaging building of temples, kin, charitable and phylonthrophic attitude, in olden
One hundred years back a Christian Medical centre was also established here, in the place and building provided by the Zamindars, it was affiliated to CMC Vellore and also it was one of the biggest hospitals accessible for poor people. An amaging hung to note is the present sanatorium being run near Madanapalli was upto 1904 and with the fear of spreading of TB all over the Taluk the Zamindars with drew their patronage and requested for shifting. Then it was shifted to (Arogyavaram) Madanapalli.
