143-Year-Old Anantapur Sub-Jail Opens to Children for the First Time

Anantapur: World Heritage Week celebrations in Anantapur featured a heritage walk that opened the 143-year-old Sub-Jail to children and the public for the first time in its history. The programme was organised jointly by Discover Ananthapur, the Ananthapur Municipal Corporation (AMC), the District Tourism Department and the Department of Archaeology.

Speaking at the valedictory session held at the Padmasri Kallur Subbarao Archaeology Museum on Tuesday, collector O. Anand stressed the importance of safeguarding heritage monuments for future generations.

As part of the week-long celebrations, participants and local historians walked through the town’s key heritage landmarks, including the historic Collectorate, Victoria Hospital, Arts College, the old Sub-Jail, Peace Memorial Hall and finally the District Museum. The curated route offered a guided immersion into Ananthapuram’s colonial and pre-Independence heritage.

Discover Ananthapur founder A.G. Anil Kumar thanked collector Anand and Municipal Commissioner Balaswamy, whose support enabled the restoration of the 143-year-old Sub-Jail in just seven days — making it possible for children and citizens to finally step inside a structure closed to the public for more than a century.

This year’s walk was designed to be highly interactive and child-friendly. Participants received heritage-themed memorabilia including fridge magnets, coffee mugs, calendars, customised canvas bags and exclusive badges featuring Ananthapur landmarks.

Discover Ananthapur also showcased its major restoration achievements, including: Revival of the 13th-century stepwell near Tank Bund, which earned the organisation the International Tourism Award 2024 for community-led conservation. Restoration of the early-20th-century Rachanapalli Bridge, highlighting the district’s engineering heritage.