Vijayawada

Sister cities

• Modesto

History

Bezawada (as Vijayawada was known then) was founded around 626 A.D. by Paricchedi Kings. Vijayawada history reveals that Bezawada (Vijayawada) was ruled by King Madhava Varma (one of the kings of Vishnukundina dynasty). Chinese Buddhist scholar Xuanzang stayed a few years in Bezawada (Vijayawada) in around 640 A.D. to copy and study the Abhidhamma Pitaka, the last of the three pitakas (Pali for baskets) constituting the Pali canon, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. Mogalrajapuram hills have five rock-cut temples, built during the fourth–ninth centuries. Some of the caves can be attributed to Vishnukundina dynasty. Akkana Madanna Caves, at the foot of Indrakeeladri Hill, is a monument of national importance. At the foot of Indrakeeladri hills is the temple of Malleswara. The temple has inscriptions dating back to ninth century AD to 16th century AD by various kings. There are ten pillars and a mutilated slab (recognised as monuments by Archaeological Survey of India) with inscriptions in the Telugu language. Of them, the inscriptions issued by Yudhamalla I and II of Eastern Chalukyas are important.

Geography

Vijayawada lies on the banks of Krishna river, covered by hills and canals. and at an altitude of above sea level. Three canals originating from the north side of the Prakasam Barrage reservoir — Eluru, Bandar, and Ryves — flow through the city. Vijayawada has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen Aw). The annual mean temperatures range between ; with maximum temperatures often crossing in the month of May and the minimum in December and January. The highest maximum temperature ever recorded was in May 2002. May is the hottest and January is the coldest month of the year. It receives rainfall from the South-west and North-east monsoons }}Vijayawada has been ranked the sixth best "National Clean Air City" (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India.

Most-observed species

• Red-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  699
• Black Drongo

  Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  656
• White-throated Kingfisher

  Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  605
• Rose-ringed Parakeet

  Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769) · Aves
  583
• Spotted dove

  Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  582
• Purple-rumped Sunbird

  Leptocoma zeylonica (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  547
• Purple Sunbird

  Cinnyris asiaticus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  539
• Ashy Prinia

  Prinia socialis Sykes, 1832 · Aves
  520

Most recent

• M 4.5 — 2020-01-25
  32 km SW of Jaggayyapeta, India