Vijayawada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vijayawada
Bezawada
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Clockwise from top: Prakasam Barrage, Statue of Social Justice, Kondapalli Fort, Undavalli Caves, Kanaka Durga Temple, Gandhi Smaraka Stupam, and Bapu Museum
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| Etymology: The Place of Victory | |
| Nickname(s):
City of Victory
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 Vijayawada
Location in Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada
Location in India
Vijayawada
Location in Asia
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Vijayawada
Location in Earth
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| Country |  India |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| Region | Coastal Andhra |
| Districts |
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| Incorporated (Municipality) | 1 April 1888 |
| Incorporated (Corporation) | 6 June 1981 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body |
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| Area | |
| • Metropolis | 61.88 km2 (23.89 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 8,603.32 km2 (3,321.76 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Population
(2011)
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| • Metropolis | 1,034,358 |
| • Rank | 2nd (in Andhra Pradesh) 42nd (in India) |
| • Density | 17,000/km2 (40,000/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 5,873,588 |
| Literacy | |
| • Literates | 789,038 |
| • Literacy rate | 82.59% |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Telugu |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| PIN |
520001
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| Area code(s) | +91–866 |
| Vehicle registration | AP 16 |
| International Airport | Vijayawada Airport |
| National Highways | NH 16, NH 65, NH 30 |
| Website |
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Vijayawada (pronounced Vijay-uh-waw-duh), also known as Bezawada, is a big city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It's the second largest city and a major business center. Vijayawada is located on the banks of the Krishna River, surrounded by the Eastern Ghats hills, called the Indrakeeladri Hills.
This city is home to the important Kanaka Durga Temple. It's also known as the "City of Victory" and is considered a central spot in Andhra Pradesh. Vijayawada is a fast-growing city in India. It's even ranked among the top 10 fastest-growing cities in the world!
Vijayawada is a special place because of its famous temples. The Kanaka Durga Temple on Indrakeeladri hill is very popular. People also celebrate the Pushkaram festival here, which honors the Krishna River.
Long ago, a legend says that Arjuna, a hero from the Indian epic Mahabharata, prayed on Indrakeeladri Hill. He received blessings from Lord Shiva to get a powerful weapon called the Pashupatastra. This helped him win the Kurukshetra War.
Another story tells that Goddess Durga defeated the demon Mahishasura here. She then rested on Indrakeeladri Hill by the Krishna River. Because of her victory, the place was named Vijayavatika, meaning "Land of Victory" in Telugu. Later, it became Vijayawada.
The city is very crowded, with many people living in a small area. It's also a major education hub, with many students coming here to study. Vijayawada is ranked as India's ninth most livable city. This is because it's great for entertainment, building, food, education, healthcare, and transport.
The Vijayawada Junction railway station is one of the busiest in India. It's the tenth busiest railway junction in the whole country.
Contents
- What's in a Name? The Story of Vijayawada
- A Look Back: The History of Vijayawada
- Where is Vijayawada? Its Geography
- Weather in Vijayawada
- People and Languages in Vijayawada
- How Vijayawada is Governed
- Vijayawada's Economy
- Culture and Lifestyle in Vijayawada
- Getting Around: Transport in Vijayawada
- Education in Vijayawada
- Media and News
- Sports in Vijayawada
- Awards and Recognition
- Famous People from Vijayawada
- See also
What's in a Name? The Story of Vijayawada
There are many interesting stories about how Vijayawada got its name. One legend says that Goddess Durga defeated a demon named Mahishasura and then rested here. Since she was victorious, the place became known as Vijayawada. "Vijaya" means victory, and "wada" means place. So, it literally means "The Place of Victory."
The hill here is called Indrakeeladri because the god Indra and his friends often visited it. The ancient epic Mahabharata also mentions Indrakeeladri hills. It says this is where Arjuna received a special weapon from Lord Shiva. Arjuna was also known as "Vijaya," meaning invincible. This is another reason why the city was first called Vijayavatika and then Vijayawada.
Another story explains the name Bezawada. It says that the River Krishna asked Arjuna to create a path for her to flow into the Bay of Bengal. Arjuna made a "bejjam" (which means hole in Telugu) through the mountains. So, the place was called Bejjamwada, which later changed to Bezawada.
A Look Back: The History of Vijayawada
The city of Bezawada, now known as Vijayawada, was founded around 626 A.D. by the Paricchedi Kings. King Madhava Varma of the Vishnukundina dynasty also ruled here.
A famous Chinese Buddhist scholar named Xuanzang stayed in Bezawada around 640 A.D. He spent several years studying and copying Buddhist scriptures.
The Mogalrajapuram hills have five rock-cut temples. These temples were built between the fourth and ninth centuries. Some of them are linked to the Vishnukundina dynasty. The Akkana Madanna Caves at the foot of Indrakeeladri Hill are also very old and important.
Near the Indrakeeladri hills, there is a temple dedicated to Malleswara. This temple has old writings from the ninth to the 16th centuries by different kings. These writings tell us about the city's past.
In the early 16th century, during the rule of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, diamond mines were discovered near Vijayawada, along the Krishna River.
Where is Vijayawada? Its Geography
Vijayawada is located on the banks of the Krishna River. It is surrounded by hills and canals. The city is about 11 meters (36 feet) above sea level.
Three canals flow through the city. They start from the north side of the Prakasam Barrage reservoir. These canals are called Eluru, Bandar, and Ryves.
Weather in Vijayawada
Vijayawada has a tropical wet and dry climate. This means it has hot, rainy summers and warm, dry winters. The average temperatures are between 23.4 and 34 degrees Celsius (74-93 degrees Fahrenheit). In May, temperatures can often go above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). December and January are the coolest months.
The highest temperature ever recorded was 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in May 2002. The city gets rain from both the South-west and North-east monsoons. The average yearly rainfall is about 977.9 mm (38.5 inches).
Vijayawada has been ranked as the 6th best "National Clean Air City" in India.
People and Languages in Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the second most populated city in Andhra Pradesh. It is also one of the most crowded urban areas in the world. About 31,200 people live in every square kilometer.
According to the 2011 Census of India, the city had a population of 1,021,806 people. There were slightly more males than females. The city's literacy rate was 82.59%, which is much higher than the national average.
Languages Spoken
The main language spoken in Vijayawada is Telugu. In 2011, about 89.42% of the people spoke Telugu. The second most common language is Urdu, spoken by about 7.95% of the population. A small number of people also speak Hindi, Tamil, Odia, Gujarati, Marathi, and Malayalam.
Religions in the City
Most people in Vijayawada are Hindus, making up about 85.16% of the population. Muslims are the second largest religious group, at 9.12%. Christians make up 3.64%, and Jains are 0.50%. About 1.59% of people did not state their religion.
How Vijayawada is Governed
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is the local government body that manages the city. It was the first urban local body in India to receive ISO 9001 certification for its quality management.
The corporation was formed on April 1, 1888. It became a full corporation in 1981. The corporation covers an area of 230 square kilometers (89 square miles) and has 64 wards. The current Mayor is Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi. Vijayawada is also the headquarters of the Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
The state government has declared Vijayawada and its nearby areas as a metropolitan area. This larger area covers about 230 square kilometers and has an estimated population of 1.8 million people.
City Services
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation provides many services to the city. These include supplying water from 59 reservoirs, maintaining roads, and managing sewerage. They also have an underground drainage system that has been in place since 1967–68.
The corporation works to protect the environment. They have programs for recycling solid waste and producing power. They also maintain many green parks, like Raghavaiah Park and Rajiv Gandhi Park. The corporation has won awards for its services, including the National Urban Water Award in 2009.
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department is based in Vijayawada. They are responsible for protecting the city from fire accidents, especially in the hill areas during summer.
Keeping the City Clean
In 2015–16, Vijayawada produced 550 tonnes of solid waste every day. The city is part of the Solar/Green Cities scheme by the government. It is one of 15 cities in India listed as Pilot Solar Cities.
To reduce pollution, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) introduced buses that run on CNG in 2007. This helped lower costs and protect the environment. While some diesel buses are now used, APSRTC is still committed to using cleaner fuels. They have added electric and biodiesel buses.
Many auto-rickshaws in the city also use CNG. In 2020, electric auto-rickshaws were also launched for sale in Vijayawada.
Law and Order
The Vijayawada City Police has its own Police Commissionerate. This department is in charge of an area of 1211.16 square kilometers. It is led by a Police Commissioner, who is a senior police officer.
Vijayawada's Economy
As of 2020, Vijayawada's economy (GDP) was $11.292 billion. It is one of the fastest-growing urban markets in India. The city's economy relies on areas like construction, education, entertainment, food processing, and transport.
Vijayawada is classified as a "Y-grade" city in India. This classification is based on government recommendations. One study predicted that the city's economy would grow from $3 billion in 2010 to $17 billion by 2025. Another study by Oxford predicted it would grow from $5.8 billion in 2018 to $21 billion by 2035.
Andhra Cements, established in 1937, was the first cement factory in Andhra Pradesh. Siris Pharmaceuticals, founded in 1950, was the first pharma company in the state.
The city is a major trading and exporting center for farm and industrial products. The Nunna Mango Market is one of Asia's largest mango markets. It sends mangoes to many major cities in India. Vijayawada is also a hub for storing and transporting petroleum products for big companies like BPCL and IOCL.
Many international IT companies are also coming to Vijayawada. HCL Technologies is building a campus here that will create jobs for 5,000 students in its first phase. There are two major IT parks in the area, with companies like TechMahindra and Wipro. Vijayawada is becoming a preferred city for IT services.
The city also has an APIIC Mega Food Park near Gannavaram. The growing population and economy have led to rising real estate prices. There is also a cyber security office operated by Tech mahindra. Wonderla, an amusement park, is planning to invest a large amount of money to open a branch between Guntur and Vijayawada.
Culture and Lifestyle in Vijayawada
Vijayawada is known for its rich cultural history. People who live here are often called Vijayawadians. The city is home to many different religions, languages, traditions, and festivals.
Durga Pooja and a special boat festival called Theppotsavam on the Krishna River are important events. These are part of the Hindu festival of Dussera. This is mainly because of the famous Kanaka Durga Temple in the city.
The Hazarat Bal Mosque is a Muslim holy place that holds a sacred item belonging to the Prophet Mohammed. The Gunadala Matha Shrine is an important place for Christians. It lights up beautifully during Christmas Eve and for its annual festival in February.
The city corporation organizes "Happy Sunday" on the first Sunday of every month. This event on M.G. Road promotes sports, games, cultural events, and yoga.
Locals often wear traditional clothes. Men wear dhoti and women wear saree or salwar kameez. However, western clothing is also very common.
Arts, Crafts, and Museums
The Vijayawada Art Society helps promote Telugu arts. The city hosted "Poetic Prism 2015," a meeting of poets who write in many languages. These events are often organized with the Cultural Centre of Vijayawada.
Kondapalli Toys are famous handmade wooden toys from Kondapalli, a suburb of Vijayawada. These toys were given a special status in 2007. They are known for their detailed designs and bright colors. They are made from soft wood and painted with natural dyes, making them safe for children. The artisans who make these toys are called 'Aryakhastriyas' and came from Rajasthan in the 16th century.
The Victoria Jubilee Museum in the city is an archaeological museum. It displays sculptures, paintings, and artifacts from Buddhist and Hindu history, some dating back to the second and third centuries.
City Layout and Landmarks
Vijayawada has both old and new parts. The One Town area is the old city. Newer areas include Autonagar and Labbipet.
Some residential areas are Brindavan Colony and Veterinary Colony. More upscale residential areas include Bank Colony and Gayatri Nagar. The main shopping areas are along MG Road and from Benz Circle to Ramavarappadu Ring. Other commercial centers include Besant Road and the One Town market area.
The city has many famous landmarks. The Prakasam Barrage crosses the Krishna River. The Krishnaveni Mandapam (River Museum) shows the history of the Krishna River. Gandhi Hill has the first Gandhi Memorial in India, located on a hill 500 feet high. Bhavani Island is one of the largest river islands in the Krishna River.
Getting Around: Transport in Vijayawada
Public Transport
The main ways to get around the city are city buses and auto rickshaws. People also use motorcycles, cycle rickshaws, and bicycles.
The Pandit Nehru Bus Station and the Vijayawada Junction railway station are major hubs for road and rail travel. The Pandit Nehru Bus Station is one of the largest and busiest bus terminals in India. The city bus division operates about 450 buses daily, serving around 300,000 passengers. These buses travel on major routes and to nearby areas like Kondapalli and Gannavaram.
Roads
Two major National Highways pass through Vijayawada: NH-16 and NH-65. These highways connect Vijayawada to other states and major cities. National Highway 30 also ends near the city.
The Inner Ring Road helps reduce traffic by connecting NH-16 and NH-65. The city has 16 bridges over its three canals, which helps with smooth travel. M. G. Road and Eluru Road are the main roads, with many vehicles using them daily.
The city has a total road length of 1264.24 kilometers (785.56 miles). This includes municipal roads, state roads, and national highways. Benz Circle is a very busy road junction where two national highways meet.
Rail Travel
The Vijayawada Junction railway station was built in 1888. It is one of the busiest railway stations in Indian Railways, especially in South India. It's a major junction for trains coming from Hyderabad, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam.
Suburban train services run from this station to nearby cities like Guntur and Tenali. Vijayawada is also the headquarters for the Vijayawada railway division. The station has facilities for maintaining both diesel and electric trains. There are several smaller railway stations around Vijayawada, such as Gannavaram and Kondapalli.
Future Rail Plans
There are plans for a circular train system to connect Vijayawada with nearby cities like Eluru, Guntur, and the state capital, Amaravati.
Metro Rail System
A 66-kilometer (41-mile) light rail system is planned to connect Vijayawada with Amaravati and its surrounding areas. This metro project is being managed by the Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.
Air Travel
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The Vijayawada Airport at Gannavaram connects the city to major cities across India by air. On May 3, 2017, the airport was upgraded from a domestic to an international airport.
Airlines like Air India and Spice Jet operate here. International flights to Singapore started in December 2018 but stopped later. In 2019, the airport saw a 70% increase in domestic passenger traffic.
Education in Vijayawada
Education in Vijayawada starts with primary and secondary schools. These are run by the government, private organizations, and schools that receive government help. In the 2015–16 school year, 133,837 students were enrolled in 529 schools. Schools follow either the state or CBSE syllabus. Lessons are taught in English, Urdu, and Telugu.
For higher education, there are several colleges. Some of the oldest include S.R.R. & C.V.R. Government College (established in 1937) and Andhra Loyola College (established in 1953). Velagapudi Ramakrishna Siddhartha Engineering College, founded in 1977, is the oldest engineering college in Andhra Pradesh.
The School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada (SPAV) was started in 2008. It is a higher education institute that is fully funded by the central government.
The Sarvotthama Grandhalaya is a city library established in 1987. It has 22,000 books and serves about 200 readers daily. The VMC & VBFS Research and Reference Library is another library maintained by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society.
Media and News
Visalaandhra was the first newspaper in Andhra Pradesh, and it started in Vijayawada. Today, many large Telugu daily newspapers are published from Vijayawada. These include Andhra Jyothy, Eenadu, and Sakshi. English newspapers like Deccan Chronicle and The Hindu are also published here.
All India Radio Vijayawada began broadcasting on December 1, 1948. Its building is named after Pingali Venkayya, who designed the Indian flag. All India Radio broadcasts channels like Rainbow Krishnaveni FM. The Telugu Doordarshan Saptagiri television channel is also located in Vijayawada.
Sports in Vijayawada
The Indira Gandhi Stadium in Vijayawada is the main office for the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh. This stadium has hosted international cricket matches. It held a men's One Day International (ODI) game in 2002 between India and West Indies. It also hosted a women's ODI match in 1997 during the Women's Cricket World Cup.
The Makineni Basavapunnaiah Stadium is another stadium in the city. Indoor stadiums include the Dandamudi Rajagopala Rao Indoor Stadium (DRRIS) and the Chennupati Ramakotaiah Indoor Stadium (CRIS). The DRRIS is named after Dandamudi Rajagopal Rao, a famous weightlifter who participated in the Olympics. This stadium has hosted many national and international sports events.
The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) is building a new international cricket stadium near the city. The Vijaya Madhavi Tennis Academy is located at Loyola College. Loyola College Grounds have also hosted many national-level sports events, including cricket matches.
The Railway Sports Stadium, near the railway station, has hosted national railway sports events. This stadium can hold over 10,000 people. The Dandamudi Rajagopal Rao Indoor Stadium is a well-known stadium for Badminton in Andhra Pradesh. It has hosted many national badminton and table tennis championships.
Awards and Recognition
Vijayawada was recognized as the third cleanest city in India in the Swachh Survekashan 2021 survey. This is a big improvement from its sixth place ranking in 2020. The city also received a five-star rating for being a "Garbage Free City." These achievements are due to efforts like introducing new waste disposal vehicles in the city.
Famous People from Vijayawada
Many notable people were born in or are connected to Vijayawada. Some of them include:
- Nadeem Baig – A Pakistani actor, singer, and producer.
- Siva S. Banda - An Indian-American aerospace engineer.
- Saraswathi Gora – An Indian social activist and leader of the Atheist Centre.
- Koneru Humpy - The current women's world rapid Chess champion.
- Lavanam – A social reformer and follower of Mahatma Gandhi's ideas.
- Prasad Murella, An Indian film cinematographer.
- Teja Nidamanuru - An Indian-born cricketer who plays for the Netherlands national cricket team.
- Dandamudi Rajagopal - An Olympic weightlifter.
- Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga - A politician from Vijayawada.
- Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao - An Indian freedom fighter and the first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh.
- Goparaju Ramachandra Rao – The founder of the Atheist Centre.
- Kanuri Lakshmana Rao – A three-time MP from Vijayawada and Chief Engineer of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam.
- N. T. Rama Rao – The founder of the Telugu Desam Party and a famous actor in Telugu films.
- Akkineni Nageswara Rao - A Telugu film actor and founder of Annapurna Studios.
- Viswanatha Satyanarayana- A writer who won the Jnanpith Award in 1970 and the Padma Bhushan in 1971.
- Puchalapalli Sundarayya – A founding member of the Communist party (Marxist) and a former MLA from Vijayawada.
- Pingali Venkayya – The person who designed the National Flag of India.
See also
In Spanish: Vijayawada para niños
