Why Visakhapatnam called Vizag

There are interesting stories about the name of Vizag or Visakhapatnam.

According to the history, the city was named after the god of Valor-Vishakha. It was a part of the Kalinga Kingdom, under Ashoka’s rule in 260 B.C. It passed on later to the Andhra Kings of Vengi.

About 600 years ago, there was a temple of Vaishakha Mata here, and in the course of time, that temple disappeared, but the city was settled in the name of Visakha after her name.

This story was written by the then British officer Francis in the Vizagapatam District Gazette.

Why Visakhapatnam called as Vizag?

In English it was s written as Vaizagapatam, but when written in Telugu, the British officials wrote it as Visakhapatnam. If you look at the seals of the then government, that will be clear. But the first three letters of that Vizagapatam are now widely used as Vizag.

History of visakhapatnam

Visakha region was ruled by Kalinga kings and Vengi kings. Many traces of Buddhism have also been found in this area. Ashoka and Krishnadevaraya directly conquered the kingdoms of the region, if not the city of Visakha.

It became the head quarter of the district in 1803. It became a municipality in 1858. Visakha became a city in 1979. In 2005 Visakha Corporation became Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation.