VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT

Vizianagaram, located about 18 km from the Bay of Bengal and 52 km northeast of Visakhapatnam, is the main city of Vizianagaram District in northeastern Andhra Pradesh. The district was formed on 1 June 1979 from parts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts. Known for its rich royal heritage, literature, music, education and culture, Vizianagaram is often regarded as a precious jewel of Coastal Andhra. The historic Vizianagaram Fort and the Maharaja College (established in 1879) reflect its glorious past and educational legacy. The district has been associated with eminent personalities such as Gurajada Apparao, Adibhatla Narayana Das, Kodi Ramamurthy, Devulapalli Krishna Sastry, Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu and Saluri Rajeswara Rao. Legendary singers Ghantasala and P. Susheela were also associated with the Maharaja College of Music. Ramatheertham, about 12 km from Vizianagaram, is an important archaeological and religious site representing Jain, Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Its hills contain ancient Jain and Buddhist relics, stupas, inscriptions and monastic remains. In the modern period, Ramatheertham became renowned as the abode of Vanavasa Rama. Overall, Vizianagaram is a unique blend of royal history, education, literature, music, archaeology and spiritual heritage.