Vijayawada; the largest conurbation of the Krishna District and the third largest metropolis of the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh derives its appellation from the title of the presiding deity; ‘Goddess Kanaka Durga’ – also worshipped here by the sobriquet ‘Goddess Vijaya’. The term ‘Vijayawada’ means ‘the Land of Victory’. Also reckoned by the moniker ‘Bezawada’, Vijayawada, nestled on the southern banks of the river Krishna is bordered by river Budameru to its north, the Bay of Bengal to its east and the Indrakeeladri Mountain to its west. Making headway in all the possible domains including sociological, political, agricultural, industrial, economical and educational, Vijayawada is rightly conferred upon the laurel; ‘the business (commercial) capital of Andhra Pradesh’.

As the legend goes, Vijayawada is identified with the place where one of the five Pandava brothers; Arjuna performed austerity to appease Lord Shiva and was blessed with his Pasupatastra atop the Indrakeeladri Mountain. Another myth suggests that the victorious (Vijaya) Goddess Durga after killing a demon king named Mahishasura had rested here for a while and thus the settlement received the name ‘Vijayawada’ i.e. ‘The land of the Victorious Goddess Durga’. The nickname of Vijayawada viz. ‘Bezawada’ also boasts of its grand mythological background. When Arjuna had alighted at the Indrakeeladri Mountain for undertaking penance, the river Krishna (Krishnaveni) appealed him to form a channel for her to unite with the Bay of Bengal. On Krishnaveni’s request Arjuna made a bejjam (meaning a hole or opening) from side to side the mountains and thus the vicinity came to be known as ‘Bejjamwada’. Gradually Bejjamwada was altered to ‘Bezawada’. What is more, the term ‘Bezawada’ was interpreted during the British Rule as ‘Blaze-Wada’ i.e. ‘the land of lights’.

The present day Vijayawada, the abode of the largest railway junction on the South Central Railway Line and a thriving tourist destination of Indian Peninsula is also the home to some of the best quality mangoes available in abundance here, particularly during summer. A nearby village named ‘Kondapalli’ happens to be a much loved picnic spot around Vijayawada and also a home to the renowned light weighted Kondapalli toys festooned in vibrant colors.

The mythological account of Vijayawada’s inception suggests that this township was originally established by Arjuna to commemorate the episode of his combat with Lord Shiva in the form of a Kirat (hunter) over a pig and the subsequent ‘Darshana’ of Lord Shiva attained by Him. The factual and veritable roots of Vijayawada lead us back to the prehistoric era as the extraordinary remnants of the pre-historic man as well as the society and lifestyle during the Stone Age have been discovered on the banks of the river Krishna. The Vijayawada Territory had been governed by the kings of several royal dynasties over the centuries namely the Gajapathis of Orissa, the Chalices of Kalyan, the Krishna Deva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire and so on. When the Vijayanagara Sovereign ‘Krishna Deva Raya’ was passing through Vijayawada during his Kalinga campaign, he conquered Vijayawada and the Fort of Kondapalli along with the surrounding terrain. Not only that, the world famous Chinese traveler ‘Xuanzang’ has recorded the acount of his visit to Vijayawada in 639 AD in his travelogues. This was the period when Buddhism was enjoying its prominent position in the Vijayawada Region. Under the British Rule the city experienced momentous growth in alomost all the fields including infrastructure and technological facitities. The Prakasam Barrage and a railway bridge was built over the Krishna River around in 1959 which rendered rail and road connectivity easier. Additionally, these bridges also assisted the region to expand its agricultural and commercial limits. The present day Vijayawada, the largest burghal of the Krishna District and a prospering civic that has wholly developed in almost all the realms enjoys its status as the commercial capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh.