Vizianagaram is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vizianagaram district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Located in the northern coastal region of the state, the city lies in the cultural and geographic area historically known as Uttarandhra, a short distance inland from the Bay of Bengal and from the major port city of Visakhapatnam.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| District | Vizianagaram |
| Region | Uttarandhra (North Coastal Andhra) |
| Languages | Telugu |
| Civic body | Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation |
The name Vizianagaram is an anglicised form of Vijayanagaram, meaning "City of Victory" in Telugu and Sanskrit. The town takes its name from the fort founded by Pusapati Vijayarama Raju, the ruler whose dynasty came to be associated with the place.
Vizianagaram is closely linked to the Pusapati royal family, the rulers of the erstwhile Vizianagaram estate (one of the larger zamindari estates of the Madras Presidency under British rule). The fort at Vizianagaram, which still stands at the heart of the old town, was constructed in the eighteenth century and became the seat of the Pusapati Maharajas.
The town and its surroundings were the scene of the Battle of Bobbili (1757) and the related conflict between the Pusapatis and the French-allied forces of the period, episodes that are well known in the regional historical memory of north coastal Andhra.
Under the British, the Vizianagaram estate was a prominent zamindari, and members of the Pusapati family were noted patrons of education, classical music, and Telugu literature. After Indian independence and the creation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, Vizianagaram remained part of the wider Visakhapatnam region until Vizianagaram district was carved out as a separate district on 1 June 1979, with the city designated as its headquarters.
The city lies in the Eastern Ghats foothills belt, on the plains between the hills and the coast. It is connected by road and rail to Visakhapatnam to the south and to Srikakulam and the Odisha border to the north. The Champavathi river flows in the vicinity, and the surrounding district is largely agricultural, with paddy, sugarcane, cashew, and horticultural crops being important.
Civic affairs in the city are administered by the Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation. The city is the headquarters of Vizianagaram revenue division and houses the principal district-level offices, including the collectorate, district court, and superintendent of police.
Vizianagaram is an important junction on the Howrah–Chennai main line of the Indian Railways. Vizianagaram Junction is one of the busiest stations on the East Coast Railway zone, with the Kothavalasa–Kirandul line branching from the area to serve the iron ore belt of the Bailadila region. The city is served by National Highway 16 (the Chennai–Kolkata section of the Golden Quadrilateral) and is linked to other towns in the region by state highways. The nearest airport is Visakhapatnam Airport.
Vizianagaram has a long tradition of patronage of learning. The Maharajah's College, established by the Pusapati family in the nineteenth century, is among the oldest colleges in the region and is associated with several distinguished alumni, including the social reformer Gurajada Apparao. The city is also the location of the Maharaja's Sanskrit College, which has historically been a notable centre for traditional Sanskrit learning. Modern technical and higher education is represented in the wider district by institutions such as JNTU-GV (Gurajada Vizianagaram) and the Centurion University campus, among others.
The city has a strong association with Carnatic music and Telugu literature, owing in large part to the patronage of the Pusapati Maharajas. The poet and playwright Gurajada Apparao (1862–1915), author of the play Kanyasulkam and of the patriotic song Desamunu Preminchumanna, lived and worked in Vizianagaram for much of his life. The musicians Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu (violin) and members of the Adibhatla Narayana Das tradition of Harikatha are also closely identified with the town.
The annual Sirimanu Utsavam, held at the Pydithalli Ammavari temple, is the most prominent local festival and draws large numbers of pilgrims and visitors from across north coastal Andhra and southern Odisha. The Three Lanterns (Moodu Lanthala) junction and the fort area are landmarks of the old town.