Mythical Arjuna city now trade & commerce hub
Vijayawada, the third largest city of the state Andhra Pradesh in India and also known as Bezawada, is placed on the banks of the renowned River Krishna in the south, the Budameru River on the north, the Bay of Bengal in the east and Indrakeeladri Mountain in the west. Vijayawada, literally means place of victory. It is a very important place having the credit of being the largest railway junction in South India. Vijayawada is located in the stretch of the Chennai-Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail routes and national highways 5 and 9 also touch the city.
Mainly inhabited by agricultural community, plenty of canals going through this place irrigate the farm land throughout the Krishna delta. Vijayawada is a significant trade and commerce hub and an important administrative center of Krishna District. It was an integral part of Vijayanagar Empire under the great king Sri Krishna Devarayar.
Vijayawada is mentioned in various legends and myths. It is believed that Lord Shiva blessed Arjuna, great warrior of epic Mahabharata, and Arjuna created Vijayawada at the top of a hill known as lndrakeeladri. Another myth states that Goddess Durga relaxed in this holy place after destroying a Rakshasa and hence the name Land of Victory or Vijayawada. This place attracts lots of tourists. Main tourist attractions are Undavalli Caves, Prakasam Barrage, Gandhi Stupa on Gandhi Hill, The Mogalarajapuram Caves and Kanakadurga Temple.
Tourist Attractions
Kondapalli Fort: Kondapalli Fort, dating back to 14th century, is constructed on a hillock near Vijayawada. The fort with a three-storied rock tower is assumed to be built by Prolaya Vema Reddi, the founder of Reddy kingdom of Kondaveedu. Some historians claim that the fort was as old as 7th century and was built by King Krishna Deva Raya. The fort got renovated later under the control of the Qutub Shahis.
Lenin Statue: The Lenin statue symbolizes the ideologies of communism and the struggle of working class in the whole world, especially in India. This is a marvelous statue and many people pay a visit to this statue. It is a dynamic place with many activities including garlanding on politically important days like May 1, World Labor Day, etc.
Mogalarajapuram Caves: Mogalarajapuram Caves are famous for three cave temples believed to be as old as 5th century. One among the three cave temples adorns a spectacular carving of Ardhanariswara, which is believed as the only one of its kind in South India. These cave temples have carved deities of Lord Vinayaka and Lord Shiva in Nataraja form. This is a good ancient temple to visit and see the ancient culture and ancient style of living.
Undavalli Caves: Undavalli Caves, located in the Undavalli village of Guntur district, near Vijayawada are 7th century four storied caves. These caves are placed at the summit, the high mount facing the charming Krishna River. A major attraction here is the mammoth statue of Lord Vishnu, sculpted from a single granite piece, in its reclining posture.
Victoria Museum: A place worth a visit for archaeology enthusiasts, Victoria Museum, the museum of the Archaeological Department, has a cautiously conserved gathering of ancient sculptures, idols, inscriptions, paintings, cutlery and weapons. This Victoria Jubilee Museum is located on Bundar Road in Vijayawada. It also exhibits pre-historic stone tools, coins, arms, metal works, Neolithic and Microlithic implements.
Bhavani Island: A beautiful estuary Island in the Krishna River, one of the largest islands on the river, Bhavani Island extends more than 130 acres and is located near the Prakasam Barrage.
Gandhi Hill: Gandhi Hill, also known as Gandhi Stupa, is a very famous place in Vijayawada that attracts many tourists due to a planetarium and the Light and Sound show depicting the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
Machilipatnam Beach: Machilipatnam Beach is a popular beach in Machilipatnam, which is small coastal town in Andhra Pradesh, around 71 km from Visakhapatnam. The beaches in Machilipatnam city are long, broad, pristine, and with pale blonde sands and are ideal for beach side fishing. Numerous temples are scattered all over the town.
Mangalagiri: Mangalagiri is an auspicious hill to visit, Mangala means auspicious and Giri stands for hill. Located on Vijayawada – Guntur Road, this is an elephant shaped mount.
Rajiv Gandhi Park: Recently built by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, the Rajiv Gandhi Park is presently the gateway to the city. The park is named after the former Prime Minister of India, to commemorate his contribution to the development of the country.
How to reach
By Train: Vijayawada is an important railway Station on the Chennai – Delhi rail route. It is connected to all railway stations in India. Regular train services are available from Vijayawada to Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
By Air: Vijayawada airport is located at Gannavaram, which is about 20 km from the city. Regular flight services are available from Vijayawada to Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. International travelers have to get connecting flights from Hyderabad.
By Bus: APSRTC buses connect Vijayawada with all other cities in Andhra Pradesh. Many tourist bus service providers offer deluxe, super deluxe and A/C bus services to many major cities in South and Central India.
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