History of Vijayawada
The history of Vijayawada is believed to be evolved from the mythological period. According to the legends, Arjuna, one of the brothers of Pandava in Mahabharata times, prayed on the Indrakila Hill to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. The Lord then appeared in front of him as a hunter and provided him a weapon called Pasupatastra. Thus to commemorate his victory with Lord Shiva, Arjuna installed here Vijayeswara and this region was later called as Vijayavata or Vijayawada. The archeological evidences also suggest that the town existed from the Stone Age and various remains have been found across the River Krishna to prove the same.
The historical period of Vijayawada can also be traced back to the reign of Chalukyas of Kalyani in India. During this time, Krishnadev Rai was the ruler of the Chalukya’s kingdom who designated the town as the religious and cultural capital. In 639 AD, the famous Chinese traveler Huin Tsang also visited this cultural town of Vijayawada. In 1900, the British rule got established in the region and during that time, the city was well flourished and significant changes were brought regarding the infrastructure and major facilities in the city. The well known project of Prakasam Barrage and a railway bridge over River Krishna was the result of the efforts done during the British rule in Vijayawada.
