VISAKHAPATNAM – COASTAL CAPER

Situated on India’s eastern coast, cheek by jowl with the borderlands of Odisha, Visakhapatnam it might interest many to know, was once a slice of the great emperor Ashoka’s empire of Kalinga. This port city has risen to become India’s biggest shipbuilding yard and a major industrial and commercial hub. It’s also the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

Over 2,000 years ago Visakhapatnam was a vibrant nucleus for Buddhist culture. Its maritime activities during colonial times gave it special heft on the East Coast from where its humble beginnings are rooted in a fishing community.

On the Waterfront

Bheemunipatnam Beach
Straddling the spaces where the Gosthani River meets the Bay of Bengal, Bheemunipatnam Beach is one of the city’s most popular waterfront haunts. Even though it’s thronged by water sport enthusiasts, honeymooners, and picnicking families you can still find pockets of quiet away from the nature revellers. This lotus-eating spot in the city has a compelling backstory. Scroll further down to learn all about it.

Rushikonda Beach
Run away to the serene vistas of Rushikonda Beach, just 10km away for the hustle and hype of modern Vizag. That said, if you want an uncrowded experience of this beautiful spot on the coastal belt, come here on a weekday when you can have the beach to yourself along with like-minded sun, sea, and sand worshippers. Spin out your time here swimming, water skiing, windsurfing, or even jogging along the dunes by the shorelines kissed by the swelling surf. The name of the beach means ‘Hill of the Seven Sages’ being inspired by the connection to the Saptarshiswaralayam, or the temple of Lord Shiva, said to have been built on the shore by seven sages. 

By the way, the drive to this lovely spot is scenic one marked by the mountain face on one side and the lazy sprawl of the Ramakrishna Beach on the other. While the gold-speckled sands entice you to linger by the waterline for a few more hours, the rocky interruptions on the side invite you to find a perch for those spectacular sunsets.  Ramakrishna Beach does not invite you to linger…the waters here are too volatile for a beachside break!

Kailasgiri Hill
Haul yourself up to Kailasgiri Hill via the ropeway and just abandon yourself to the uninterrupted panoramas of the enchanting coastal area which is marked by the golden sprawl of the Rushikonda and Ramakrishna beaches.

Overlooking the sunlit waters of the Bay of Bengal, the hilltop with its great sprawl of landscaped gardens serves up an Impressionistic canvas of seascapes and coastal splendour at sunrise.  It’s the perfect spot to chill out for families arriving with kids and picnic hampers on a clear and sunny day. Little nooks and niches also provide some privacy for the many honeymooning couples who love this pretty beach town.

Colonial Connections

Hollanders Green Cemetery
Bheemunipatnam, also known as Bheemili, is purportedly named after the mighty Pandava, Bhima of Mahabharata fame. It served as a major seafaring hub in the 17th century and watched the rise of a Dutch settlement back in 1651, considered to be one of the oldest Christian cemeteries in India. A wander around the Hollanders Green Cemetery, located near the lighthouse about 24 km from Vizag, puts you back in those heady days of international maritime trade in these parts in the 18th century.  The skulls and crossbones symbols embossed on some of the headstones that you’ll find here give one pause, as it’s believed that the bones interred in some of these graves were those of pirates—thus it gathered popularity as the place of the “skulls and crossbones tombs”!

Though the maintenance of the site has always been the subject of hot debate, you can still find traces of its architectural inspiration such as the neo-classical funerary features of pyramids, obelisks, and pavilions. According to the inscription on its headstone, the oldest grave here is that of Frederick Kesslerus, who was buried here in 1661. 

Of Churches and Clock Towers
The British, the great trading rivals of the Dutch, too were not far behind in leaving their footprints in this coastal hub. Step into the hushed environs of St Peter’s Church or the ‘Red Church’ remarkable for its red brick façade, as well as its lovely stained windows, and the 19th century clock. Both the Dutch and the British, it appears, had a great fondness for raising clock towers. Constructed in the 18th century the Dutch-style Bheemunipatnam Clock Tower is one of the oldest clock towers in and around Visakhapatnam.

Colonial rule here got the first rumblings of the Sepoy Mutiny on October 13, 1780, shaking the British out of their sense of privilege as rulers.

Buddhist Legacy

Sanakaram
Set amidst the hilly folds of Bojjanakonda and Lingalametta.  the ruins of Sanakaram, often referred to as Bojjannakonda, yielded precious documentation of Andhra’s ancient Buddhist linkages from over 2000 years ago. To the great delight of archaeologists working at the dig the appearance of numerous votive stupas, small viharas, and rock-cut cave dwellings was a treasure trove far beyond their dreams. Also found here were shards from ancient pottery and Satvahana-era coinage.

Bavikonda
Set atop a hillock, approached by a steep path, the Bavikonda Buddhist site dates to the 3rd century BC-3rd century CE. Access to the site is from the beach road running between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam. What stands from those days of bustling activity at this site are just some remnants of the original setting. One may trace the influences of the Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhist schools in the structures that remain in this complex. There has even been talk, about the bone found in a funerary urn, belonging to the Buddha himself. A point of interest here is the rock-cut wells used for water harvesting in the rainy season.

Thotlakonda
A random aerial survey of the region by the Indian Navy resulted in the discovery of Thotlakonda.  As ascertained by archaeologists who worked on the site it probably dates to the 3rd century BC-3rd century CE. Thotlakonda is conveniently situated close to Bavikonda so tourists can easily club visits to both sites together.  The sprawl of the 48-ha complex is awash with remnants of chaityas, pillared assembly halls, viharas, a main stupa as well as some votive stupas, Buddha paadas, and rock-cut wells.

Temple trail

Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Temple
Raised in the name of Lord Vishnu the humongous Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swami straddles the hilly summit of Simhachalam or ‘the Hill of the Lion Lord’, 16 km from Vizag. It is one of the most sacred temples of Lord Vishnu. Dating to 1098-99 its structure was masterminded by the Chola King Kulothunga who had conquered some territories of Kalinga, He chose to have the temple built in the Nagara style. The Simhachalam Temple still features inscriptions left here by Sri Krishna Devaraya of the legendary Vijayanagara Empire recounting his successes and relating how he and his queen presented the Lord with a necklace of 991 pearls and other expensive gifts.

The temple features the inner sanctum space for the deity, 16-pillared Mukhamandapa, a congregational hall or Asthanamandapa, and a 96- pillared natya mandapam — all wrapped around by a raised circumambulatory passage.

Covered in a coating of sandalwood paste, Lord Vishnu, in his avatar as Narsimha Varaha awaits the annual Chandanotsav Festival (March-April) to reveal his full powers.  Every year, on akshaya thritheeya, the third day of Vaisakhamasam, the sandal paste is ceremoniously washed away at the festival, and after the Abhishek, the Nija roopa darsanam of the Lord is provided to devotees, who are rapt in the vision of the lord in all his glory.  It is believed that the heat of the power of the deity is so strong it has to be contained by the cooling sandalwood paste for the rest of the year.

Sri Someswara Swamy Temple
Marked for its Chalukya-style architecture this 12th-century temple stands a little outside town, in the village of Appikonda village, set along the shoreline. But that has never been a deterrent for citizens or folks around Vizag to arrive in droves to pay homage to Lord Shiva. The celebrations of Shivaratri are particularly hectic. Built in 1070 by the Chola king Kulottunga I it is believed the idol in the installed in sanctum was the work of the noted sage Kapila Maha Muni. A Nandi bull carved out of black stone stands at the entrance.

ACCOMMODATION

The city offers stay options for all budgets, ranging from five-star hotels to inexpensive guesthouses.

ACCESS

Air: The airport at Visakhapatnam is just 16 km from town. Vizag has excellent air links to Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Bhubaneswar. 

Rail: Vizag offers very convenient rail links with Hyderabad, Chennai, Vijayawada, Kolkata, and Bhubaneswar.

Road: The RTC Complex, the main bus stand, is located in New Town, 3 km from the port. The Andhra Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation (APSRTC) also links Hyderabad and other major cities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Vizag has an excellent bus network with India’s major cities.

Sea: The Vizag Port Trust, 20 km from downtown offers connections to Kolkata, Chennai, Port Blair, Ganjam, and Kakinada.