Vijayawada- The City of Victory
Vijayawada,
also called as "Bezawada", is 257-km from Hyderabad and is located
on the banks of the Krishna River, and is bounded by the Indrakiladri hills
on the West and the Budameru River on the North. Situated along the Chennai-
Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail route, this is the largest railway junction of
the South Central Railway. The city forms a part of the Krishna district,
spread over an area of 58-sq- kms (urban area).
Vijayawada or the "City of Victory" if literally translated gets
its name from the legend, which says it was here on the Indrakiladri Hill,
that Arjuna, the Pandava Prince, won the blessings of Lord Shiva for his
penance. During the British rule the city experienced significant growth.
In particular, the completions of the Krishna Barrage and the Railway
Bridge on Krishna have helped the region expand its agricultural and
commercial base. The famous Chinese traveller Hieun T`sang has visited this
city. Today, with excellent communications, perhaps the best in the South
where railways are concerned, Vijayawada become one of the big business
centres of the State. Commercially, culturally and industrially the city is
a very flourishing one.
Best For A Temple Journey
Vijayawada is a must-visit if one wants to go temple hopping in Andhra. The
abode of Kanaka Durga, goddess of power, riches and benevolence, is the
presiding deity of the city. The city is also a base for visiting the
Buddhist sites located around Vijayawada like Amaravati, Gudivada,
Ghantasala and so on.
The most luscious mangoes, the king of fruits, are grown here and the
region is renowned for its tradition of pickle making. So altogether
Vijayawada presents a colourful and varied picture and can be termed as a
business - cum - pilgrim - cum - tourist centre.
Also accessible from Vijayawada are the towns of Kuchipudi, Mangalagiri and
Kondapalli, which are famous for dance, temple and handicrafts respectively.
Another important feature of the place is the Krishna Pushkaram an all-India
festival that is held once in twelve years.
Prime Attractions of Vijayawada
- Prakasam Barrage
Completed in 1957, the Prakasam Barrage is an impressive 1223.5m long,
modern regulator and road bridge that stretches across the river
Krishna. Its panoramic lake and the three canals that run through the
city give Vijayawada a Venetian appearance.
- Victoria Jubilee Regional Museum
The
Museum of the Archaeological Department situated on Bandar Road contains
beautiful sculptures and attractive paintings worth seeing. 'Buddha'
Alluru inscriptions of first and second centuries, and Mahishasura
Mardhani are some of the important exhibits.
- Bhavani Island
Located upstream the river Krishna, close to Prakasam Barrage, is
Bhavani Island. Make sure you visit this picturesque island that is a
fantastic picnic spot for holiday-lovers.
- Gundala Church
Gundala Church is situated on a hillock on the eastern side of the
town, at Gundala. It attracts a large number of devotees. A fair is held
annually in the month of February, in which thousands of devotees
participate.
- Undavalli Caves
The Undavalli caves, in the village of Undavalli, are at a distance of
8-km from Vijayawada and nearly 280-km from Hyderabad. The high hill
overlooking the Krishna river hosts fine specimens of cut-in
architectural and sculptural models.
- KanakaDurga Temple
Kanaka Durga, goddess of power, riches and benevolence is considered
the presiding deity of Vijayawada. The temple is set on the Indrakiladri
hill. The deity in the Kanaka Durga temple is regarded as Swayambhu or
self-manifested, hence is considered very powerful. It is said that Adi
Sankara visited this temple and installed the Sri Chakra here.
Nearby Cities of Vijayawada
- Mogalrajapuram Caves: 5 km
- Undavalli Caves: 8 km
- Machilipatnam: 68 km
- Amaravati : 64 km
- Hamsala Devi: 85 km
How to Get There
Vijayawada is an important link in connecting the three regions of Andhra
Pradesh and is a major transit point. Two National Highways, the National
Highway 5 from Chennai to Calcutta and the National Highway 9 from
Machilipatnam to Hyderabad 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.
- Air
The domestic airport located at Gannavaram, about 20-km, from the city
connects Vijayawada to Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam. It's about a
30-minute flight from Hyderabad.
- Rail
Situated along the Chennai- Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail route, this
is the largest railway junction of the South Central Railway. There are
a number of express and super fast trains that connect Vijayawada with
almost all the important places of the country.
- Road
Good motorable roads connect Vijayawada with all the places within the
state and also with the major cities in India. Transport by road from
Vijayawada to all the places of Buddhist interest is available in the
form of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses.
- Local Transport
Tourist Taxis, Metered Taxis, Auto rickshaws, and Cycle Rickshaws are
available. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC)
operates point-to-point bus services, which connect important places
within the city with each other.
