Vijayawada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Somaroy (talk | contribs) at 08:01, 6 June 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Infobox Indian urban area Vijayawada pronunciationⓘ (విజయవాడ) literally translates to "The Place of Victory". It is also known as Bezawada or Blazewada because of its heat. It is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India and is located on the banks of the Krishna River, bounded by the lndrakeeladri Hills on the west and the Budameru canal on the north. It is situated along the Madras-Howrah, and Madras-Delhi rail route, this is the largest railway junction of the South Central Railways. The city is in the Krishna District, about 275 km from the state capital Hyderabad and is known as the business capital of Andhra Pradesh. It is spread over an area of 58 km² (urban area) with a population of 825,436 (agglomeration 1,011,152) (2001 census) and 1,025,436 (agglomeration 1,411,152) (2006 census).

History

The discovery of pre-historic remains belonging to the stone-age man all along the banks of the river Krishna from Machilipatnam to Nagarjuna Sagar provides evidence that this part of the river valley was inhabited by the stone age man.

  • A legend narrates that Vijayawada was established by Arjuna around the Malleswara temple and Indrakiladri hills in commemoration of Lord Shiva's Darsan that he had, and thus named it after him as Vijayawada.
  • Another legend states that Goddess Durga rested here after killing a Rakshasa (Demon) and since she was victorious (Vijaya), it is called Vijayawada.

Besides being an important religious centre for Buddhists and Hindus, Vijayawada is also a centre of Andhra culture. The Chalukyas of Kalyan and the great king Krishna Deva Raya once conquered this place, and the famous Chinese traveler Xuanzang (Hsuan-tsang) had visited this place in 639 when Buddhism was at its zenith in the region.

During the British Raj the city experienced significant growth. In particular, the completion of the Prakasam Barrage in 1959, and railway bridge on the Krishna River have helped the region expand its agricultural and commercial base. And Vijayawada Railway station is one of the busiest railway junctions in India. The regions around the city have fertile soil and are irrigated by the river.

Regional setting

Vijayawada is an important link in connecting the three regions of Andhra Pradesh and is a major transit point. Two National Highways, No. 5 from Chennai to Kolkata and the No. 9 from Machilipatnam to Pune pass through the City connecting it to other parts of the country. It is connected to other areas of the state by state highways and district roads. Vijayawada is also one of the busiest railway junctions in India. The domestic airport[1] located at Gannavaram, is about 20 km from the city and connects Vijayawada to Hyderabad by air. Ananda Raja the great was brought up here.

Education

Vijayawada is also known as "Vidyalawada" (Educational area). Many great people were educated from the colleges in Vijayawada. Some prominent colleges are Andhra Loyola College, Maris Stella College, Koneru Lakshmaih College of Engineering, P.V.P Siddhartha Institute of Technology, P.B. Siddhardha College, D.M. Siddardha Women's College,S.R.R. College , V.R. Siddhardha Engineering College (VRSEC), Siddardha Law College etc. N.T.R. University of Health Sciences is located in Vijayawda itself. Vijayawada is also famous for pre-university education. Some of the very first private pre-university institutions like Nalanda, Chaitanya, Goutham etc... which are now very popular in the entire state of Andhra Pradesh had been started in Vijayawada. And these are the choicest places of pre-university and post-schooling institutions across Andhra Pradesh, with students coming in from across it.

Places of interest

Godess Kanaka Durga on the hills of Indrakeeladri
  • Kanaka Durga Temple: One of the most popular temples in and around Vijayawada, it is located on a hill (Indrakeeladri) overlooking the city as well as the River Krishna. One can either motor up the ghat road or take to the steps on foot. Inscriptions of different dynasties are found in the temple. During Dasara Festival, thousands of devotees from the city and its environs throng the temple after a holy dip in the River Krishna close by.
  • Gunadala Matha Shrine: In 1925, Rf. Arlati, the Rector of St. Joseph's Orphanage at Gunadala, installed a statue of Our Lady and later a church was built and consecrated in 1971, now popularly known as St. Mary's church. Since then the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became an annual event here, attended by hundreds of people. The church is situated on a hillock on the eastern side of the city.
  • Prakasam Barrage: Built across the river Krishna, Prakasam Barrage has created a panoramic lake. Its three canals that run through the city give Vijayawada a Venetian look.
  • Besant Road: The busiest business area in Vijayawada. And also most of the theatres in the city are situated near this place. The major source of entertainment for the citizens is cinema in this city.
  • Undavalli Caves: Eight kilometers from Vijayawada, these caves are said to be carved in 7th century A.D. Buddhist monks used this two-storeyed cave structure as a rest house during the monsoon. A huge monolith of the Lord Buddha in reclining posture is a magnificent sight.
  • Rajiv Gandhi Park: Created by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation with great care, this park welcomes the tourists at the entrance of the city with its impressive horticultural network. A mini zoo and a musical water fountain are added to it.
  • Gandhi Hill: The first Gandhi Memorial with seven stupas in the country was constructed on this hill at a height of 500 ft (150 m). The 52 ft (16 m) stupa was unveiled on 6 October 1968 by Dr. Zakir Hussain, the President of India. Gandhi Memorial Library, a Sound and Light Show on Mahatma Gandhi's life and a planetarium are the other attractions.
File:Leninvijaywada.JPG
Lenin statue in Vijayawada
  • Victoria Museum: A place for archaeology lovers, Victoria Museum has a carefully preserved collection of ancient sculptures, paintings, idols, weapons, cutlery, and inscriptions.
  • Mogalarajapuram Caves: These caves are said to be excavated in 5th century A.D. The caves are reputed to be the first of their kind in South India. The idols of Lord Nataraja, Vinayaka & Arthanareeswara are carved here.
  • Bhavani Island: Perhaps one of the largest islands on a river, Bhavani Island is located on Krishna River close to the city. AP Tourism is converting this 133-acre (54 hectare) island into an attractive tourist spot and a River Front Resort. Journey to the island by boat is very pleasant.
  • Hazarat Bal Mosque: A holy relic of the Prophet Mohammed is kept here which is displayed once a year. A large number of non-Muslims too join the celebrations.
  • Mangalagiri: Located in Guntur district, 12 km from Vijayawada is the renowned temple of Lord Narasimha in Mangalagiri, on a hillock. The unique feature of this temple is that the mouth of the idol accepts half the quantity of panakam (jaggery dissolved in water) offered by devotees, irrespective of the size of the vessel.
  • Hinkar Thirtha (Jain Temple), Mangalagiri: A Jain temple here with great artistic work, it is slated to be the biggest Jain temple in the region.
  • Kondapalli Fort: Kondapalli village is situated 16 km from Vijayawada. A 7th century fort on the hill with an impressive three storeyed rock tower was witness to the glory of many dynasties. This fort was built by King Krishna Deva Raya. It served as a business centre. Finally the fort was used as a military training base by the British rulers. A good picnic spot, the village is famous for toy making with light-weight wood available on the hill forest. These toys are famous world-over as "Kondapalli toys".
  • Amaravati: Amaravati of Guntur, formerly called as Dhanyakataka and Andhranagari, is one of the most important Buddhist sites in the country. Acharya Nagarjuna constructed the country's largest stupa here, 2000 years back. Amaravati is considered the most sacred pilgrim centre for Buddhists in South India. It also has an Amareswara temple.

Information Technology

The city has a very good educational background and Historical importance but still is not really upto the expectation in the IT and Internet fields. Recently a site has been launched with all the business telephone number listings in the city and its neighbouring towns. I encourage more people from vijayawada to create something like Vijayawada Directory.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vijayawada&oldid=57143759"