Vijayawada, nestled on the banks of Krishna River, has a glorious history associated with it and is famed for its spiritual and mythological stories, beautiful temples, picturesque forts, and interesting legends. Popularly known as ‘The Place of Victory’, spirituality and culture have been part of the many legends associated with the rich and colourful history of the city. Besides housing a stunning past, this beautiful city today offers its visitors a perfect place to relax along its pristine and alluring beaches and an ideal place to relive the past through majestic historic monuments, traditional artefacts, scenic beauty, imposing forts, and colourful bazaars.
Pilgrims belonging to different religions throng to this sacred city almost round the year owing to the wide number of temples and shrines that adorn the quaint city. The old-world charm never fails to invoke a feeling of ecstasy in the heart and mind of every traveler visiting it, and deserves a visit at least once in your lifetime for the spiritual wealth that is reflected through its incredible temples.
This is one of the most significant temples in the city, housed atop Indrakeeladri Hill on the banks of the River Krishna, and is visited by devotees from all corners of the country. The temple is dedicated to the mighty Goddess Durga and is believed to be one of the most sacred religious sites in the city. Overlooking the city settlement, the temple is said to have been built thousands of years ago by the great Pandava from the epic Mahabharata, Arjuna. The 4-feet tall idol enshrined in the temple is said to be Swayambhu or self-manifested and is one of the many Shaktipeethas that are situated in the country. The magnificent temple is built in the Dravidian style of architecture and finds mention in many sacred texts and Vedic literature as well.
Like most other ancient Indian temples, Kanaka Durga Temple too has a rich history and legend associated with it. Sage Indrakila performed rigorous penance to Goddess Durga to end the menace of Mahisasura demon. Not only did she defeat and kill the demon, but made the hillock her permanent abode and hence the shrine is also known as Indrakeeladri Temple. As per another story, Arjuna prayed to Lord Shiva on the top of the Indrakeela Hill for seeking his divine blessings and he was successful in passing the test that Lord Shiva had posed for him and gifted him with Pasupat weapon, and hence the name Vijayawada was created.
Address: Indrakeeladri, Arjuna Street, Mallikarjunapeta, Vijayawada
Timings: 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM, 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM, 12:15 PM to 4:00 PM and 6:15 PM to 10:00 PM, open all days
How to reach: 2 kilometres from Vijayawada Railway Station and 20 kilometres from Gannavaram Airport
Best Time to Visit: Navaratri, Dusshera, and Shakambari festival
This temple is one of the top religious sites in Vijayawada and is frequented by devotees who can be seen chanting verses related to the lord in the most troublesome situations owing to their firm belief in the God. The temple is perched on the top of the Indrakaladri hillock and is dedicated to the worship of Subramanya Swamy or Kartikeya, who is also the Lord of Serpents.
The temple is made out of glistening white stone with intricate stonework embellishing the façade, and features a silver-covered Garuda pillar, which holds great religious significance for the devotees. There is an anthill by the temple, the natural habitat of snakes, which is worshipped by the devotees with great zeal and belief. A visit to the temple remains incomplete without taking a holy dip in the Kumaradhara River that leads to the temple gates.
Address: Kothapeta, Indrakeeladri, behind Komala Vilas Hotel, Vijayawada
Timings: 4:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, open all days
How to reach: 4.8 kilometres from Kanaka Durga temple and 20 kilometres from Gannavaram Airport
Best Time to Visit: Skanda Shashti, Padi Utsav, Kavadi and Navaratri
Dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, this beautiful temple is considered to be one of the finest pilgrimages in this ancient city. The temple is located in Chittinagar and is maintained by a community called Nagarala, from which it derives its name. Being one of the most popular religious sites in Vijayawada, it remains brimmed with devotees throughout the year, who come here to seek the divine blessings of the Goddess and relax and rejuvenate their mind and soul.
Address: Chitinagar, Krishna, Vijayawada
Timings: 5:30 AM to 6:00 PM, open on all days
How to reach: 4 kilometres from Vijayawada Bus Stand and 25 kilometres from Gannavaram Airport
Best Time to Visit: Dusshera
One of the most important religious sites in Vijayawada for the Jain community, Hinkar Tirtha draws pilgrims from all around the world to seek blessings of Mula Nayak. The temple features an outstanding architecture and the idols and sculptures made in this temple are carved on granite stone. The prime attraction of the temple is the Manastambha or the towering pillar that is a symbol of respect and it is fabricated on the front part of the temple. The temple is a classic example of Jain culture in Andhra Pradesh and features intricate marble work, which is a common feature of almost all Jain temples. The temple is situated on the hill and one has to climb a bunch of steps to reach the entrance.
Address: Mangalagiri Hills, Krishna District, Vijayawada
Timings: 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, open all days
How to reach: 23 kilometres from Vijayawada and 5 kilometres from Vijayawada Railway junction
Best Time to Visit: Round the year
A monolithic masterpiece of Indian rock-cut style of architecture, the Undavalli Caves are made from solid sandstone and dates back to the 4-century to 5-century. The caves are one of the well-preserved monuments of national importance and are one of the earliest examples of Gupta architecture. The attraction was originally the Jain caves with an architecture of Udayagiri and Khandgiri and was later converted into a Hindu temple. The cave temple is built in three levels. The lower level retains the Jain abode with several sections and Thirthankara sculptures, and the second level has a reclining statue of Lord Vishnu.
The mesmerizing architecture of the temple calls attention to the innumerable frescoes depicting scenes from mythological stories. From the top of the cave, you get to see the breath-taking views of the lush green surroundings and hills and the Krishna River flowing in the backdrop adds to the serenity of the place.
Address: Penumaka – Vijayawada road, Near Prakasam, Barrage
Timings: 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM, open all days
How to reach: 10 kilometres from Vijayawada and can be reached by road through APSRTC that operates bus services from Vijayawada, Guntur, and Amaravathi
Best Time to Visit: Round the year
One of the prominent and oldest temples in Vijayawada, housed atop a small hillock in the southeast corner of Vijayawada, the Sri Ramalingeswara Swami vari Devasthanam lies in a canopy of tall dense trees. Besides, the place is also good for capturing hues of colours of the hilly terrain. This revered temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and adorns a vibrant façade in the months of February or March during the festival of Mahashivratri, which is also the time the temple is thronged by thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
Address: Yenamalakuduru, Vijayawada
Timings: 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, open all days
How to reach: 18 kilomeres from Vijayawada Railway junction
Best Time to Visit: Mahashivratri
Akkanna Madanna Caves are located at the foothills of the Indrakeeladri Hill in close proximity to the famous Kanaka Durga Temple. As per legends, these beautiful caves date back to the 7-century and are dedicated to Akkanna and Madanna who were ministers in the court of Quli Qutub Shah, the Nawab of Golconda.
The rock-cut caves are triple-celled with pillared hall and are devoid of any ornamental moulding or sculpture. This architecture echoes the richness of the bygone era and the tragic end of the two great secretariats of Qutub Shah. The temple encompassed in the caves was constructed in the 17-century and there is a predecessor cave nearby that belongs to 2-century with idols of Trimurti, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
Address: Arjuna Street, Durga Agraharam, Mallikarjunapeta, Vijayawada
Timings: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, open on all days
How to reach: 3 kilometres from Vijayawada Railway Junction
Best Time to Visit: Round the year
Most people, who visit Vijayawada, just go to see the famous Kanaka Durga Temple and call it a trip. However, a trip to this amazing city would be incomplete without visiting other glorious temples including the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, which is unique in its own way in terms of the architecture, history, and the festivities performed here.
Located at a distance of about 14 kilometres from the main city of Vijayawada in a small town called Mangalagiri, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is established on a small hillock and is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is said to have taken shape during the Vedic period under the aegis of Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu who ruled from Amaravati and he constructed a stupendous gopuram on the eastern gate of the temple. This is one of the highest gopurams in South India and only one of its kinds in this part of India. The colossal pyramidal tower features 11 storeys, and gates facing east and west, and dwarfs the central shrine. It is believed that following the construction of the gopuram, it was found that the structure was leaning towards one direction. The Kancheepuram architects who were the mastermind behind its creation suggested digging a tank opposite to the tower, after which the tower became straight. The temple complex also encompasses an ancient ratha with ornamental wood carvings depicting the scenes from the great epics of Mahabharata, Bhagavata, and Ramayana. The sacrosanct atmosphere of the temple commands peace and collectedness, making it a must-visit site for you while in and around Vijayawada.
Address: Mangalagiri, Vijayawada
Timings: 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, open all days
How to reach: 14 kilometres from Vijayawada and 21 kilometres from Vijayawada Railway Junction
Best Time to Visit: Sri Rama Navami, Hanumana Jayanti, Narasimha Jayanti, Vaikunta Ekadasi and Mahashivratri
There is no dearth for places to visit in and around Vijayawada. Along with visiting these important shrines and religious sites, you can also visit some other tourist spots in the city like Kondapalli Fort, Victoria Museum, Rajiv Gandhi Park, and Amravati Museum to gather interesting knowledge on history and culture of the past. Make sure you explore the essence of the spiritual vibes of Vijayawada through its famous temples that have become a shining example of the cultural heritage and diversity of the Southern group of temples and embody some of the finest architectural creations fostered over a period of thousands of years by historic dynasties. From the architectural perfection, unique rituals, and divine aura to the historical relevance of the temples, these historically and culturally significant temples in Vijayawada are worth visiting and exploring.
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