About Visakhapatnam - Andhra Pradesh

About Visakhapatnam or vizag- An Introduction

Visakhapatnam or vizag the famous port city & second largest city of Andhra Pradesh is located at a distance of 625 Kms from Hyderabad facing Bay of Bengal on the east.

Visakhapatnam is named after the God Visakha, the son of Shiva and Parvati.

Visakhapatnam is surrounded by three amazing hills, Sri Venkateswara Konda, Ross hill and Dargah konda. Each hill carries the legacy of housing the shrines dedicated to three different religions. Venkateswara temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva on Venkateswara Konda; Church of the Virgin Mary on Ross hill and the tomb of a Muslim saint, Baba Ishaq Madina Dargah on Dargah Konda.

History of Visakhapatnam

According to local legend, the city was named Visakhapatnam by an Andhra king between the 9th and 11th century. It is said that the king stopped for a rest in this place on his way to Varanasi, or Benaras. He was so captivated by the beauty of this place that he decided to build a temple in honor of his family deity Visakha. However, according to archaeological records, Vizag was built between the 11th and 12th century by Kulottunga of the Cholas.

According to history of Visakhapatnam, the city has been ruled by a number of dynasties over the years. Some of the dynasties which had ruled over Visakhapatnam are the Kalingas, the Chankyas, the Rajahmundry Reddy kings, the Cholas and the Golkonda Nawabs. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Vizag was under the rule of the Mughals. As Visakhapatnam is located on the shores of Bay of Bengal, it was an important center of trading. Dutch, French and other European merchants used the port for trading in ivory, tobacco, muslin and other products. Towards the end of the 18th century, Visakhapatnam came under the control of the French.

Since India gained independence in 1947, Visakhapatnam has become one of the leading ports of the country. Vizag is also the seat of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

How to Reach Visakhapatnam or vizag:
By Air : Visakhapatnam is the nearest international airport, which is 16 kms away.
By Rail : The nearest railway station is Visakhapatnam.
By Road : Visakhapatnam is well connected by APSRTC & Private bus services. It is connected to all major cities nearby such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bangalore and Mumbai.