Vizianagaram is a district in the northern coastal region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It lies in the cultural and geographic zone known as North Coastal Andhra (Uttarandhra), bordered by the Bay of Bengal on a short stretch to the south-east, by Srikakulam district to the north-east, by Visakhapatnam district to the south, by the newly carved Parvathipuram Manyam district to the north-west, and by the state of Odisha. The town of Vizianagaram serves as the district headquarters.
Key facts
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Region | North Coastal Andhra (Uttarandhra) |
| Headquarters | Vizianagaram |
| Formation | 1 June 1979 |
| Carved out of | Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts |
| Reorganisation | 4 April 2022 (parts moved to form Parvathipuram Manyam district) |
| Official language | Telugu |
History
The name Vizianagaram derives from Vijaya Nagaram, the "City of Victory", traditionally associated with the rise of the Pusapati family of Gajapati rulers in the eighteenth century. The town was developed as the seat of the Vizianagaram Samsthanam (estate) by Pusapati Pedda Vijaya Rama Raju and his successors, and the family later held the title of Maharaja of Vizianagaram under the British. The Pusapati rulers were notable patrons of Telugu literature, music and Sanskrit scholarship; the Maharajah's College and Sanskrit College, founded in the nineteenth century, were among the early modern educational institutions in this part of the Madras Presidency.
The district was constituted on 1 June 1979 by combining taluks taken from the existing Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts, with Vizianagaram town as its administrative seat. On 4 April 2022, as part of the Government of Andhra Pradesh's reorganisation that increased the number of districts in the state to 26, the Parvathipuram and Salur areas of the district were detached to form the new Parvathipuram Manyam district, leaving a smaller Vizianagaram district along with newly added coastal mandals.
Geography
The district occupies a transitional landscape between the Eastern Ghats in the interior and the coastal plains along the Bay of Bengal. The terrain rises towards the north and west, where ranges of the Eastern Ghats include hills around Ramatheertham and the higher elevations near the borders with Odisha. The principal rivers are the Nagavali and the Champavathi, along with the Gosthani in the south. The climate is tropical with a pronounced south-west monsoon, and paddy, sugarcane, mesta, cashew and pulses are the main crops.
Administration
The district is divided into revenue divisions and mandals for civil administration, headed by a District Collector. It contains both rural mandals and the urban centres of Vizianagaram, Bobbili and Gajapathinagaram, among others. For policing, the district falls under a Superintendent of Police. It is part of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly's representation through several constituencies, and the Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency covers the bulk of the district.
Economy and transport
The economy is predominantly agrarian, supported by allied activities such as dairying, fisheries along the small coastal stretch, and cashew processing. Industrial activity includes the ferro-alloy and steel-related units at Garividi and Bobbili, sugar factories, and ancillary engineering units linked to the larger industrial belt around Visakhapatnam. The district is served by the Howrah–Chennai trunk route of the East Coast Railway, with Vizianagaram Junction being a major railway node connecting lines towards Raipur via the Kirandul–Kottavalasa section. National Highway 16 (the old NH-5) passes through the district, linking it with Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam.
Culture and education
Vizianagaram has a strong association with Telugu literary and musical traditions. The poet Gurajada Apparao, author of the play Kanyasulkam and the patriotic song Desamunu Preminchumanna, lived and worked in Vizianagaram under the patronage of the Maharaja. The town was also home to the composer Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu and was an important centre of Carnatic music. Educational institutions in the district include the Maharajah's College, Maharajah's Sanskrit College, JNTU-affiliated engineering colleges, and Centurion University's Vizianagaram campus.
Notable temple and heritage sites include Ramatheertham, with its rock-cut and ruined Buddhist–Hindu remains; the Pydithalli Ammavari temple in Vizianagaram, whose annual Sirimanotsavam draws large crowds; the Bobbili Fort, associated with the historic Battle of Bobbili of 1757; and the Punyagiri Sri Lakshmi Umakothandarama Swamy temple.
Related topics
- Andhra Pradesh
- Vizianagaram (town)
- North Coastal Andhra
- Parvathipuram Manyam district
- Bobbili
- Gurajada Apparao
- Districts of Andhra Pradesh
References
- Wikidata entity Q15392 — Vizianagaram district.
- Government of Andhra Pradesh, notification on reorganisation of districts, April 2022.