Tourism in India

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Every year, more than 3 million tourists visit the Taj Mahal in Agra.

India attracted about 4 million foreign tourists in 2006 who spent US$8.9 billion.^[1] The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate.^[2] The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of Tourism in India. It maintains the Incredible India campaign.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be the world's leading tourism hotspot,^[3] having the highest 10-year growth potential.^[4] The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 ranked tourism in India 6th in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms of safety and security.^[5]

However, India's tourism sector currently lags behind less endowed countries^[5] and faces serious challenges including shortage of hotel rooms. In 2007, there were only 25,000 tourist-class hotel rooms in the whole of India.^[6] Among other factors hindering the growth of the tourism industry in India are stringent visa requirements and congested airports.^[5] Despite short- and medium-term setbacks, tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017.^[7]

India has a growing medical tourism sector. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi are expected to significantly boost tourism in India.

Andhra Pradesh

Main article: Tourist attractions in Hyderabad

Borra caves

Charminar in Hyderabad

Andhra Pradesh has a rich cultural heritage and a variety of tourist attractions. The state of Andhra Pradesh comprises scenic hills, forests, beaches and temples. Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrimage centres, one of them being 'Tirupati,' the abode of Lord Venkateswara, which is the richest and most visited Hindu temple in India. Hyderabad is known for its rich history, culture and architecture representing its unique character as a meeting point for North and South India, and also its multilingual culture, both geographically and culturally.

Also known as The City of Nizams and The City of Pearls, Hyderabad is today one of the most developed cities in the country and a modern hub of information technology, ITES, and biotechnology. Hyderabad offers many attraction to the tourists. It is famous for its delicious Hyderabadi Biryani. It is India's second largest metropolitan.

Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centres. Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is the richest and most visited religious center (of any faith) in the world. Srisailam, the abode of Sri Mallikarjuna, is one of twelve Jyothirlingalu in India, Amaravati's Siva temple is one of the Pancharamams, and Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. The Ramappa temple and Thousand Pillars temple in Warangal are famous for some fine temple carvings. The state has numerous Buddhist centres at Amaravati, Nagarjuna Konda, Bhattiprolu, Ghantasala, Nelakondapalli, Dhulikatta, Bavikonda, Thotlakonda, Shalihundam, Pavuralakonda, Sankaram, Phanigiri and Kolanpaka.

The golden beaches at Visakhapatnam, the one-million-year old limestone caves at Borra, picturesque Araku Valley, hill resorts of Horsley Hills, river Godavari racing through a narrow gorge at Papi Kondalu, waterfalls at Ettipotala, Kuntala and rich bio-diversity at Talakona, are some of the natural attractions of the state. Kailashagiri is situated adjacent to sea in Visakhapatnam, it is one of the beautiful sight which shows the entire beauty of Visakhapatnam having other side sea. A beautiful park is developed on the hill top of Kailashagiri, the city boasts of having a park on hill top that has a luxurious toy train, ropeway and beautiful view of beach front into which Eastern Ghats merge into the sea. Further, Visakhapatnam is home to many tourist attactions like INS Karasura Submarine museum (The only one of its kind in India), the most beautiful and the longest Beach Road in India, Yarada Beach, Araku Valley (Known as poorman's Ooty , a lot of movies are shooted here), VUDA Park, Indira Gandhi Zoological Gardens,etc.

The weather in Andhra Pradesh is mostly tropical and the best time to visit is in November through to January. The monsoon season commences in June and ends in September, so travel would not be advisable during this period.

Places to visit:

• Hyderabad: The capital of AP, it is a melting pot of various cultures, known for its historical monuments as well as modern marvels. The places to visit are-Charminar, Mecca Masjid, Salarjung Museum, Hussain Sagar, Lumbini Park, Snow world, Ramoji Film city, Water world, Hitech city, Golconda, Paigah tombs, Falaknuma palace.
• Visakhapatnam: Undoubtedly the most beautiful city on the east coast, it boasts of natural and man-made beauties. It is fast emerging as the country's best tourist and party destination.The places to visit are- Kailashagiri, R.K.Beach, Rushikonda beach, Simhachalam temple, Vizag-Bhimili Beach Road, Bojjannakonda, Thatlakonda, Appikonda Beach, Yarada Beach, Bhimili Beach, Gangavaram Beach, Borra Caves, Araku valley, Tenneti Beach Park, Ross hill church, Dolphin's nose mountain, Submarine Museum, Aquarium, Indira Gandhi Zoological Gardens, Duduma waterfalls and Red sand hills.
• Tirupati: India's most famous and richest temple. Lord venkateshwara temple, Tirumala, Deer Sanctury, Horsely Hills, Sri Kalahasti Temple, Lepakshi.
• Vijayawada: Commercial hub of AP. Places to visit are- Kanakadurga Temple, Gandhi hill, Prakasham Barrage, Krishna River bank, Mangalagiri Temple.

Assam

Main article: Tourism in Assam

Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park.

Assam is the central state in the North-East Region of India and serves as the gateway to the rest of the Seven Sister States. Assam boasts of famous wildlife preserves – the Kaziranga National Park (pictured) and the Manas National Park, largest river island Majuli and tea-estates dating back to time of British Raj. The weather is mostly sub-tropical. Assam experiences the Indian monsoon and has one of the highest forest densities in India. The winter months (October to April) are the best time to visit.

It has a rich cultural heritage going back to the Ahom Dynasty which governed the region for many centuries before the British occupation. Other notable features include the Brahmaputra River, the mystery of the bird suicides in Jatinga, numerous temples including Kamakhya of Tantric sect, ruins of palaces, etc.^{[citation needed]}

Bihar

Main article: Tourism in Bihar

Bihar (Hindi:बिहार, Urdu: بہار, pronounced [bɪhaːr]( listen)) is one of the oldest inhabited places in the world with history of 3000 years. The rich culture and heritage of Bihar is evident from the innumerable ancient monuments that are dotted all over the state in eastern India. Bihar is home of many tourist attractions. Bihar is visited by scores of tourists from all over the World all the year round. ^[8].Around total 6,000,000 (6 million) tourist visits Bihar every year.^[8]

In the earliest day, tourism in region was purely based Educational tourism as Bihar was home of some prominent ancient universities like Nalanda University & Vikramaśīla University^[9][10].

Bihar one of the most sacred place of various religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism & Islam, Many tourist travel to Bihar to visit their pilgrimage.

Mahabodhi Temple, a Buddhist shrine and UNESCO World Heritage Site is also situated in Bihar. Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Patna, is one of the longest bridge in the world.

Photo Gallery
Sasaram-tomb2.jpg A view of Sher Shah Suri Tomb at Sasaram

Delhi

From top left: Bahá'í Lotus Temple, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Humayun's Tomb and Akshardham Temple

Main article: Tourism in Delhi

Delhi is the capital of India. A fine blend of old and new, ancient and modern in every stream of life is the soul of Delhi. A melting pot of cultures, religions and castes makes Delhi a diverse place. Delhi has been the capital of India from the mythological days. The rulers left behind their trade marks in the architecture. Delhi currently has many renowned monuments and landmarks such as the Tughlaqabad fort, Qutub Minar, Purana Quila, Lodhi Gardens, Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, Red Fort, Safdarjung's Tomb, Jantar Mantar, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Laxminarayan Temple, Lotus temple and Akshardham Temple.

Delhi is famous for its wide roads and crisp winters. It is one of the few places in India where colours of nature changes with the seasons. From Kerala to Kashmir and from Gujarat to Assam all the mouth watering delicacies and shopping goods are found in Delhi. The cosmopolitan nature of the city has only added to the beauty and glory of it. Big gardens, wide roads, ancient structures, and power of politics is what Delhi is all about.

Goa

Goa is noted for its resorts and beaches.

Main article: Tourism in Goa

The state of Goa is situated on the West Coast of India, between the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka and is better known to the world as the former Portuguese enclave on Indian soil. Goa presents a somewhat different picture to the foreign visitor than any other part of India. The state of Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, churches, and Hindu temples. The Bom Jesus cathedral, Mangueshi Temple and Shantadurga are famous attractions in Goa. Recently a Wax Museum (Wax World) has also opened in Old Goa housing a number of wax personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage.^{[citation needed]}

Himachal Pradesh

A summer view of Khajjiar, a hill station in Himachal Pradesh.

Home to the some of the most popular Hill Stations, and home also to some exquisite alpine & Trans-Himalayan destinations, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is a major product in the Indian tourism market. Himachal is famous for its sweet apples.

Among the major crowd pullers in Himachal Pradesh are: Shimla, the state's capital, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie and Kasauli.^{[citation needed]}

Jammu and Kashmir

The Shalimar Gardens in Srinagar.

Jammu is noted for its landscape, ancient temples, Hindu shrines, castles, gardens and forts. Hindu holy shrines of Amarnath and Vaishno Devi attracts tens of thousands of Hindu devotees every year. Jammu's natural landscape has made it one of the most popular destinations^{[citation needed]} for adventure tourism in south Asia. Jammu's historic monuments feature a unique blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture styles.

Tourism forms an integral part of the Kashmiri economy. Often dubbed "Paradise on Earth", Kashmir's mountainous landscape has attracted tourists for centuries. Notable places are Dal Lake, Srinagar Phalagam, Gulmarg, Yeusmarg and Mughal Gardens etc.^{[citation needed]}. However, the tourism industry is severely affected by the insurgency.

In recent years, ladakh has emerged as a major hub for adventure tourism.This part of Greater Himalaya interpreted as "moon on earth" comprising of naked peaks and deep gorges was once known for the silk route to High Asia with the sub continent.

Tamil Nadu

The Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur, built by Rajaraja Chola - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tamil Nadu or "the land of Tamil" is a beautiful state nestled in the southern Indian peninsula, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal and the deep blue Indian Ocean. Many great rulers including the Cholas, Pallavas, Pandyas and the Vijayanagara Empire ruled over parts of Tamil Nadu. The state is known for its cultural heritage and temple architecture . Tamil literature is amongst the oldest in India. Much of the ancient culture of Tamil Nadu is still alive. We have Carnatic music, an Indian classical tradition. Bharatha Natyam is its twin dance form, always accompanied by this music and the rich tradition of folk music continues to inspire people.

Attractions:

• Chennai - Capital of Tamil Nadu and also India's fourth largest metropolitan.
• Madurai - Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple. Oldest city in southern India.
• Coimbatore - Industrial centre, Temples, Kovai kutralam waterfalls.
• Mahabalipuram - World famous for its Shore Temples.
• Chidambaram - Lord Shiva in the enthralling form of a Cosmic Dance.
• Kanchipuram - The Golden City of a thousand temples, Handloom Silk.
• Kanyakumari - Southernmost tip of India, where the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet.
• Ootacamund - Queen of southern hill resorts of India.
• Rameswaram - Well-known pilgrimage in India.
• Thanjavur - The rice bowl of Tamil Nadu.
• Tiruchirapalli - City on the banks of river Cauvery.
• Auroville - International Utopian city being built, Aurobindo Ashram Associations.
• Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary - Wildlife sanctuary.
• Kodaikanal- Princess of hill stations in southern India.
• Kolli Hills - Herbal Hills/Quiet Hills/Medium budget

Karnataka

Main article: Tourism in Karnataka

Keshava temple, Somanathapura

Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Byzantine Hagia Sophia.

Karnataka, the eighth largest state in India, is a veritable treasure trove of tourist delights. By virtue of its varied geography and long and rich history, Karnataka boasts of numerous spots of interest for tourists. Karnataka has been ranked as fourth most popular destination for tourism among states of India. With its 507 out of the 3600 centrally protected monuments, Karnataka has the second highest number of protected monuments in India, next only to Uttar Pradesh.

The Kannada dynasties like Kadamba, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Vijayanagara Empire, Hoysala, Ganga, Ratta and many more they ruled Karnataka perticularly North Karnataka and other parts of India^[11][12]. They built great monuments related to Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism. The monuments are still present at Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Hampi, Lakshmeshwar, Sudi, Hooli, Mahadeva Temple (Itagi), Dambal, Lakkundi, Gadag, Hangal, Halasi, Galaganatha, Chaudayyadanapura, Banavasi, Belur, Halebidu, Shravanabelagola, Sannati and many more.

The great Islamic monuments are present at Bijapur, Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur and other part of the state.

Karnataka is famous for its waterfalls. Jog falls of Shimoga District is one of the highest waterfalls in Asia. This state has 21 wildlife sanctuaries and five National parks and is home to more than 500 species of birds.

Karnataka is a rock climbers paradise. Yana in Uttara Kannada, Fort in Chitradurga, Ramnagara near Bangalore district, Shivagange in Tumkur district and tekal in Kolar district are a rock climbers heaven.^{[citation needed]}

Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Byzantine Hagia Sophia.

Karnataka has two World heritage sites, at Hampi and Pattadakal, both are in North Karnataka.

Karnataka has many beaches at Karwar, Gokarna, Murdeshwara, Surathkal and many more

Photo Gallery

Saundatti Fort, North Karnataka. Hampi Hooli Panchalingeshwara temple. Someshwara temple at Lakshmeshwara, North Karnataka. Jumma Masjid at Lakshmeshwara, North Karnataka. Mahadeva Temple (Itagi) (or Ittagi) in the Koppal district, Karnataka. Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Byzantine Hagia Sophia. Mallikarjuna temple and Kashi Vishwanatha temple at Pattadakal, North Karnataka. Aihole Temples. Keshava temple (1268 C.E.), Somanathapura. Chaudayyadanapura Mukteshwara temple, Haveri District, North Karnataka Bhuvaraha Narasimha temple Halasi, North Karnataka. Dodda Basappa Temple at Dambal, a unique 24-pointed, uninterrupted stellate (star-shaped), 7-tiered dravida plan, 12th century CE. Annigeri Amriteshwara Temple. Tarakeshwara temple at Hangal. Trikuteshwara Temple complex at Gadag. Jain temple at Lakkundi in Gadag district, Karnataka. Badami Cave Temples. Siddeshvara temple in Haveri. Galageshwara Temple at Galaganatha, North Karnataka Kundgol Shambhulinga Temple. Kudalasangama Mysore Palace at Mysore is one of the most visited monuments in India. Shiva Statue on Murudeshwara hill. One of the tallest statues of Hindu deity Shiva. The Gomateswara (982-983) monolith at Shravanabelagola, one of the foremost centers of Jain pilgrimage. The mausoleum housing Tippu Sultan and his father Hyder Ali at Srirangapatna. Kamal Basadi Jain temple Belgaum. Renuka temple Saundatti, North Karnataka. Vishnu image in Cave temple No. 3, Badami, North Karnataka. Sala fighting the tiger, the symbol of Hoysala Empire in Belur, Karnataka. Almatti Dam Rock Garden, North Karnataka. The Lal Bagh Glass House, famous for its flower shows, is now a heritage monument. Nari motte or Tiger hill, Brahmagiri, Karnataka. Navilateertha, near Saundatti, North Karnataka Fishing in Mukkah, near Mangalore. Jog Falls in Shimoga District is one of the highest waterfalls in Asia. Gokak Falls (Ghataprabha river): Asia's first hydro-electricity power generation unit setup in 1880s. Gajendragad Fort Gadag Region Tourism Circuit. Haveri region Tourism map, North Karnataka.

Kerala

Kerala, nicknamed as "God's own country".

Main article: Tourism in Kerala

Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Nicknamed as one of the "10 paradises of the world" by the National Geographic traveller, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives. Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, has made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Growing at a rate of 13.31%, the tourism industry significantly contributes to the state's economy. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, the government agency that oversees the tourism prospects of the state, has adopted the brand "God's Own Country" for its campaigns. The slogan holds global Superbrand status.^{[citation needed]} Kerala is gifted with 42 rivers running as the life stream of the culture. This state has a variety of land scapes which can attract the tourists such as coastal regions,backwaters,Nilgiri mountaing on one side,malabar highlands,and so on.

Madhya Pradesh

Main article: Tourism in Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho the cultural capital of Chandela Rajputs.

Madhya Pradesh is called the "Heart of India" because of its location in the centre of the country. It has been home to the cultural heritage of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and Persian. Innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are dotted all over the State.

Madhya Pradesh is also known as Tiger State because of tiger population in MP (Madhya Pradesh). Many Famous national parks like Kanha, Bandhavgadh, Shivpuri, Sanjay, Pench are located in MP. The natural beauty of Madhya Pradesh is equally varied. Consisting largely of a plateau, the State has everything. Spectacular mountain ranges, meandering rivers and miles and miles of dense forests offering a unique and exciting panorama of wildlife in sylvan surroundings.

Attractions :

• Bhopal - The Capital City of Madhya Pradesh also known as 'The City Of Lakes' with many large and small lakes. It is also known as The City of Mosques. Bhopal is surrounded by small and large infrastructure towers. It is also has many other important places for tourism such as :

1.Bhojpur 2.Upper Lake, Bhopal 3.Taj-ul-Masajid 4.Nagar Chopati

• Indore - The city of queen Ahilyabai Holkar famous for Temples and Largest Infrastructures in Central India. It is also known as "The Commercial Capital Of Madhya Pradesh". Besides this it is famous for Rajwada, Petroleum Refinary and Regional Hub Of Telecommunication.
• Gwalior - The Royal City of Madhya Pradesh, famous for its forts, Tomb of Rani Lakshmibai, Palace of Tansen.
• Jabalpur - Also referred as Sanskardhani is the city of marbles. It is famous for Marble Hills, Bheraghat, Madan Mahal, Narmada Water Fall, Dhuadhar, Shahi Minar, Tals and many forts.
• Ujjain - The City of Temples famous for many tourist spots such as Mahakali Temple, Vinayak Temple, Shipra River, Vikramaditya Palace.
• Pachmarhi - The Queen of Hills. It is the most important point of interest. It is famous for Handi Khoh, Jata Shankari Caves.
• Panna - Referred as The Diamond City. It is famous for Diamond Mines, Water Falls, Panna Tiger Reserve, Bundel Forts.
• Mandavgarh - It is Famous for Temples and Beaches.
• Khajuraho - A very important tourist Spot in Madhya Pradesh famous for the infamous Shiv Temples and Chandela Structures.
• Omkareshwar - An Important Hindu Pilgrim Spot.
• Mandla - The Capital of Rani Durgavati. It is famous for Kanha National Park, Durgavati Forts.
• Shivpuri - It is famous for National Parks.
• Singrauli - It is famous for Giant Coal Mines.

Maharashtra

Kailash Temple in Ellora Caves

Main article: Tourism in Maharashtra

Unlike most other states in India, Maharashtra boasts of a large number of popular and revered religious venues that are heavily frequented by locals as well as out-of-state visitors. It also boasts of the City of Mumbai with its Bollywood fame, ancient cave temples at Ajanta and Ellora, the Bibi Ka Maqbara at Aurangabad, the Mahalakshmi temple in Kolhapur, the city of Pune the seat of the Maratha Empire, the fantastic Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

Orissa

Konark Sun Temple built by the Eastern Ganga dynasty is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Orissa has been a preferred destination from ancient days for people who have an interest in spirituality, religion, culture, art and natural beauty. Ancient and medieval architecture, pristine sea beaches, the classical and ethnic dance forms and a variety of festivals. Orissa has kept the religion of Buddhism alive. Rock-edicts that have challenged time stand huge and over-powering by the banks of the river Daya. The torch of Buddhism is still ablaze in the sublime triangle at Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, on the banks of river Birupa. Precious fragments of a glorious past come alive in the shape of stupas, rock-cut caves, rock-edicts, excavated monasteries, viharas, chaityas and sacred relics in caskets and the Rock-edicts of Ashoka. Orissa is also famous for its well-preserved Hindu Temples, especially the Konark Sun Temple.^{[citation needed]} Orissa is the home for various tribal communities who have contributed uniquely to the multicultural and multilingual character of the state. Their handicrafts, different dance forms, jungle products and their unique life style blended with their healing practices have got world wide attention.^{[citation needed]}

Punjab

Main article: Tourism in Punjab (India)

Harimandir Sahib or "The Golden Temple"

Punjab is one of India's most beautiful states. The state of Punjab is renowned for its cuisine, culture and history. Punjab has a vast public transportation and communication network. Some of the main cities in Punjab are Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Ludhiana. Punjab also has a rich religious history incorporating Sikhism and Hinduism. Tourism in Punjab is principally suited for the tourists interested in culture, ancient civilization, spirituality and epic history. Some of the villages in Punjab are also a must see for the person who wants to see the true Punjab, with their beautiful traditional Indian homes, farms and temples, this is a must see for any visitor that goes to Punjab.

Rajasthan

Umaid Bhawan Palace

Rajasthan, literally meaning "Land of the Kings", is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Northern India. The vast sand dunes of the Thar Desert attract millions of tourists from around the globe every year.

Attractions:

• Jaipur - The capital of Rajasthan, famous for its rich history and royal architecture.
• Jodhpur - Fortress-city at the edge of the Thar Desert, famous for its blue homes and architecture.
• Udaipur - Known as the "Venice" of India.
• Jaisalmer - Famous for its golden fortress.
• Barmer - Barmer and surrounding areas offer perfect picture of typical Rajasthani villages.
• Bikaner - Famous for its medieval history as a trade route outpost.
• Mount Abu - Is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan.
• Pushkar - It has the first and one of the very Brahma temples in the world.
• Nathdwara - This town near Udaipur hosts the famous temple of Shrinathji.
• Ranthambore - Situated near Sawai Madhopur, this town has one of the largest and most famous national parks in India.

Sikkim

Kangchenjunga at Sikkim is the third highest mountain in the world.

Originally known as Suk-Heem, which in the local language means "peaceful home", Sikkim was an independent kingdom till the year 1974, when it became a part of the Republic Of India. The capital of Sikkim is Gangtok, located approximately 185 kilometers from New Jalpaiguri, the nearest railway station to Sikkim. Although, an airport is under construction at Dekiling in East Sikkim, the nearest airport to Sikkim would be Bagdogra. Sikkim is considered as the land of Orchids and mystic cultures and colorful traditions. Sikkim is well known among trekkers and adventure lovers, as West Sikkim has a lot to give them. Places near Sikkim include Darjeeling also known as the Queen of hills and Kalimpong. Darjeeling, other than its world famous "Darjeeling tea" is also famous for its refined "Prep schools" founded during the British Raj. Kalimpong is also famous for its Flora cultivation and is home to many internationally known Nurseries.

Uttarakhand

The Valley of Flowers and Nanda Devi National Parks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Uttaranchal is the 27th state of the Republic of India. Blessed with magnificent glaciers, majestic snow-clad mountains, gigantic and ecstatic peaks, valley of flowers, skiing slopes and dense forests, this Abode of Gods includes many shrines and places of pilgrimage. Char-dhams, the four most sacred and revered Hindu temples: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are nestled in the Mighty Himalayas. Haridwar which means Gateway to God is the only place on the plains.

A picturesque state, with a breathtaking panoramic view of Himalayas, Uttarakhand promises its tourists a visit full of fun and unforgettable moments. It contains the most fascinating and beautiful part of the Himalayas and provide watershed for Gangetic River System spanning 300Km from Satluj in the west to Kali river in the east. Nanda Devi (25640 Ft) is the second highest peak in India after Kanchenjunga (28160 Ft). Dunagiri, Neelkanth, Chukhamba, Panchachuli, Trisul are other peaks above 23000 Ft. It is considered abode of Devtas, Yakashyas, Kinners, Fairies and Sages. They all are present here on glittering peaks, roaring rivers, beautiful hills slopes and valleys in one or another form.

It boasts of some old hill-stations developed during British era like Mussoorie, Almora and Nainital.

Uttar Pradesh

Diwan-i-Khas – Hall of Private Audience at Fatehpur Sikri

Situated in the northern part of India, Uttar Pradesh is important with its wealth of monuments and religious fervour. Geographically, Uttar Pradesh is very diverse, with Himalayan foothills in the extreme north, the Gangetic Plain in the centre, and the Vindhya Mountain Range towards the South. It is also home of India's most visited site, the Taj Mahal, and Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi. The most populous state of the Indian Union also has a rich cultural heritage, and at the heart of North India, Uttar Pradesh has much to offer.

Places of interest include Varanasi, Agra, Mathura, Jhansi, Prayag, Sarnath, Ayodhya, Dudhwa National Park and Fatehpur Sikri.

West Bengal

Victoria Memorial in Kolkata

Kolkata, one of the many cities in the state of West Bengal has been nicknamed the City of Palaces. This comes from the numerous palatial mansions built all over the city. Unlike many north Indian cities, whose construction stresses minimalism, the layout of much of the architectural variety in Kolkata owes its origins to European styles and tastes imported by the British and, to a much lesser extent, the Portuguese and French. The buildings were designed and inspired by the tastes of the English gentleman around and the aspiring Bengali Babu (literally, a nouveau riche Bengali who aspired to cultivation of English etiquette, manners and custom, as such practices were favourable to monetary gains from the British). Today, many of these structures are in various stages of decay. Some of the major buildings of this period are well maintained and several buildings have been declared as heritage structures.

Historic monuments

The Taj Mahal is one of India's best-known sites and one of the best architectural achievements in India. Located in Agra, it was built between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal serves as her tomb.

The Golden Temple is one of the most respected temples in India and the most sacred place for Sikhs. The Golden Temple is located in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

The Bahá'í temple in Delhi, was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent. It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. (It is also known as the Lotus Temple.)

The Victoria Terminus in Mumbai was built by the British and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Taj Mahal Palace is an icon of Mumbai.

Rural Tourism

India is a country of rich culture and heritage. With above 70% population residing in around 6 million plus villages, real India has its roots right inside this simplistic structure.

Nature Tourism

Western Ghats

India has geographical diversity, which resulted in varieties of nature tourism.

• Water falls in Western Ghats including Jog falls (highest in india).
• Western Ghats
• Kerala backwaters
• Hill Stations
• Wildlife reserves

Wildlife in India

Main article: Fauna of India

Royal Bengal Tiger in Sundarbans. The world's largest mangrove forest as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros, often engrained culturally and religiously often being associated with deities. Other well known large Indian mammals include ungulates such as the domestic Asian Water buffalo, wild Asian Water buffalo, Nilgai, Gaur and several species of deer and antelope. Some members of the dog family such as the Indian Wolf, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal and the Dhole or Wild Dogs are also widely distributed. It is also home to the Striped Hyaena, Macaques, Langurs and Mongoose species. India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected wilderness consists of 75 National parks of India and 421 Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the home of over 350 mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the subcontinent.

Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Bharatpur, Corbett, Kanha, Kaziranga, Periyar, Ranthambore and Sariska. The world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans is located in southern West Bengal. The Sundarbans is UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hill stations

Main article: List of Indian hill stations

Several hill stations served as summer capitals of Indian provinces, princely states, or, in the case of Shimla, of British India itself. Since Indian Independence, the role of these hill stations as summer capitals has largely ended, but many hill stations remain popular summer resorts. Most famous hill stations are:

• Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh - It is also known as The Queen of Satpura.
• Araku, Andhra Pradesh
• Gulmarg, Srinagar and Laddakh in Jammu and Kashmir
• Darjeeling in West Bengal
• Munnar in Kerala
• Ooty and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu
• Shillong in Meghalaya
• Shimla, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh
• Nainital in Uttaranchal
• Gangtok in Sikkim
• mussoorie in uttarkhand

  Historic monuments

  The Taj Mahal is one of India's best-known sites and one of the best architectural achievements in India. Located in Agra, it was built between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal serves as her tomb.

  The Golden Temple is one of the most respected temples in India and the most sacred place for Sikhs. The Golden Temple is located in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

  The Bahá'í temple in Delhi, was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent. It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. (It is also known as the Lotus Temple.)

  The Victoria Terminus in Mumbai was built by the British and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  The Taj Mahal Palace is an icon of Mumbai.

  Rural Tourism

  India is a country of rich culture and heritage. With above 70% population residing in around 6 million plus villages, real India has its roots right inside this simplistic structure.

  Nature Tourism

  

  

  Western Ghats

  India has geographical diversity, which resulted in varieties of nature tourism.

• Water falls in Western Ghats including Jog falls (highest in india).
• Western Ghats
• Kerala backwaters
• Hill Stations
• Wildlife reserves

Wildlife in India

Main article: Fauna of India

Royal Bengal Tiger in Sundarbans. The world's largest mangrove forest as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros, often engrained culturally and religiously often being associated with deities. Other well known large Indian mammals include ungulates such as the domestic Asian Water buffalo, wild Asian Water buffalo, Nilgai, Gaur and several species of deer and antelope. Some members of the dog family such as the Indian Wolf, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal and the Dhole or Wild Dogs are also widely distributed. It is also home to the Striped Hyaena, Macaques, Langurs and Mongoose species. India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected wilderness consists of 75 National parks of India and 421 Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the home of over 350 mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the subcontinent.

Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Bharatpur, Corbett, Kanha, Kaziranga, Periyar, Ranthambore and Sariska. The world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans is located in southern West Bengal. The Sundarbans is UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hill stations

Main article: List of Indian hill stations

Several hill stations served as summer capitals of Indian provinces, princely states, or, in the case of Shimla, of British India itself. Since Indian Independence, the role of these hill stations as summer capitals has largely ended, but many hill stations remain popular summer resorts. Most famous hill stations are:

• Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh - It is also known as The Queen of Satpura.
• Araku, Andhra Pradesh
• Gulmarg, Srinagar and Laddakh in Jammu and Kashmir
• Darjeeling in West Bengal
• Munnar in Kerala
• Ooty and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu
• Shillong in Meghalaya
• Shimla, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh
• Nainital in Uttaranchal
• Gangtok in Sikkim
• mussoorie in uttarkhand

  Overview

  

  

  The city of destiny
  

  

  Aerial view of Visakhapatnam port

  Visakhapatnam is the second largest city of Andhra Pradesh with an area of 550 km², it is primarily an industrial city, apart from being a tourist destination. It is known for its unspoilt beaches, nearby scenic Araku Valley and Borra caves, the 11th-century Simhachalam temple and ancient Buddhist sites like Thotlakonda and Bavikonda spread across the area.

  Alternatively, the city sometimes goes by its now mostly defunct colonial British name, Waltair. During the colonial era, the city's hub was located at the Waltair railway station, and that part of the city still goes by the name of Waltair. It is sometimes also referred to as the "City of Destiny".

  The city is home to several state owned heavy industries, one of the most advanced steel plants and has one of the country's largest ports and its oldest shipyard. It has the only natural harbour on the eastern coast of India.

  [edit] Name and history

  

  

  3rd century BC Buddhist ruins of Thotlakonda

  The city is said to have derived its name Visakhapatnam from the deity Visakha' (the God of Valour); Patnam is the Telugu word for city. ^[1]

  Visakhapatnam or the place of Visakha, is named after the deity of valor, the second son of Lord Shiva. The other story is that the beauty of the place was compared to the beauty of Sakhi Visakha. The legend is that Radha and Visakha were born on the same day and equally beautiful. The city people believe that an Andhra king, impressed by the beauty, built a temple to pay obeisance to his family deity, Visakha.

  [edit] The epic city

  The city has been mentioned in the Indian epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata, as well as the forests of the Eastern Ghats where the two brothers Rama and Lakshmana wandered in search of Sita, wife of Lord Rama. According to the epics, Rama formed his army of monkey men in the region with the help of Hanuman and Jambavan. The monkey army of Rama later defeated the demon King Ravana to claim back his wife Sita. An episode of Mahābhārata when Bheema killed the demon Bakasura, was believed to have happened in the village Uppalam, just 25 miles from the city.

  [edit] Buddhist influence

  The religious Hindu texts mention that the region of Visakhapatnam in the 5th century BC was part of the vast Kalinga territory which extended up to the Godavari River. The relics found in the area also prove the existence of a Buddhist empire in the region. Kalinga later lost the territory to King Ashoka in the bloodiest battle of the time which prompted him to embrace Buddhism.

  [edit] Later history

  The territory of Viskahapatnam then came under the Andhra rulers of Vengi. Then Chalukyas, Pallavas, and the Reddy kings ruled over the placid land. The Chola kings built the temples in the city in 11-12 century AD as established by archeological findings. The Mughals ruled this area under the Hyderabad Nizam in the late 15th and early 16th century. European merchants from France, Holland and the East India Company used this natural port to export tobacco, ivory, muslin and other textile products.

  Local legend states that an Andhra king while on his way to Benares, rested there and was so enchanted with the sheer beauty of the place, that he ordered a temple to be built in honor of his family deity, Visakha. Archaeological sources however reveal that the temple was possibly built between the 11th and 12th centuries by the Cholas. A shipping merchant, Sankarayya Chetty, built one of the mandapams (pillared halls) of the temple. Although it no longer exists (it may have been washed away about a hundred years ago by a cyclonic storm), elderly residents of Vizag talk of visits to the ancient shrine by their grandparents. Noted author Ganapatiraju Atchuta Rama Raju contradicted this.^[2]

  In the 18th century, Visakhapatnam was part of the Northern Circars, a region comprising Coastal Andhra and southern costal Orissa that was initially under French control and later the British. Visakhapatnam became a district in the Madras Presidency of British India. in September 1804, British and French squadrons fought the naval Battle of Vizagapatam off the harbour. After India's independence it was the biggest district in the country and was subsequently divided into the three districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.

  The city also has the tomb of the muslim saint Syed Ali Ishak Madina, located atop the dargah-hill near the harbor in old city, which is dated way back to 18th century, where hindus make vows at it as often as Muslims. The saint is considered to be all potent over the elements in the Bay of Bengal. Many old residents say that every vessel passing the harbour inwards or outwards used to salute the saint by hoisting and lowering its flag three times, and that many ship-owners offer chadar at the shrine after a successful voyage.

  It is also called as Vizag.

  [edit] The city

  

  

  The City overlooking the Beach Road

  From being a small fishing village in the twentieth century, Visakhapatnam has grown into an industrial hub. Its saga began with the quest of the British to find a suitable port that could serve the hinterland possessing rich mineral wealth. Unlike the western coast of India, the east coast has few undulations to form a natural harbour. Their quest ended with Vizag, the most protected natural harbour in Asia. They started building the harbour in 1927 and in 1933 it was opened to traffic. One more important milestone is the setting up of the Scindia Steam Navigation Co., later known as Hindustan Shipyard Ltd in 1940. With the construction of the K.K. line connecting the iron ore mines of Bailadila in M.P. (present day Chattisgarh), its importance grew. In the 1950s and 1960s the government and the private sector set up large scale basic industries like Bharat Heavy Plates and Vessels (B.H.P.V.), Hindustan Zinc Ltd., Caltex oil refinery (later acquired by government as H.P.C.L.), Coromandel fertilizers, and Andhra Polymers (now LG Polymers). The 1980s saw a major development with the development of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and other major industries. Economic liberalization in the 1990s brought a modest growth to the city but not as much as it did to Hyderabad. However, some industries sprang up like Rain Calcining Ltd., expansion of HPCL, setting up of Vizag Export Processing Zone, and the Simhadri Thermal Power plant of N.T.P.C. Visakhapatnam was declared one of ten fastest growing cities of the world in a recent study conducted by the United Nations.

  
  

  

  

  Ramakrishna Mission Near RK Beach

  Due to the presence of the Eastern Naval Command, Steel Plant and H.P.C.L., the city has been the home to people from different parts of the country and due to this the city has a cosmopolitan nature.

  

  

  Hotel The Gateway Hotel

  The city's main commercial and shopping centres are located in the Dwarakanagar-R.T.C. complex area and Jagadamda Junction area. Since 2000, the Dwarakanagar-R.T.C. complex area has transformed into a commercial hub with new shopping malls and complexes spring up within a radius of 2-3 kilometers. The city is home to many five star hotels such as Taj group, ITC-WelcomGroup and Park Hotels.

  There has been a rise in the real estate prices attributed to the Telangana movement for a separate Telangana state, fuelling speculation that Visakhapatnam will become the next capital. Recently various large and small software and BPO companies have announced plans for starting development and outsourcing centres in Vizag, which has also contributed to the rise in real estate prices. Inflows from Non-resident Indians (NRIs) from Vizag have further added to this rise.

  Indira Gandhi Zoological Park was set up in 1972 in the city outskirts. The Zoo Park features some of the rarest species in India.

  [edit] Strategic importance

  

  

  The carrier INS Viraat during the President's Fleet Review held in 2006. It was the first time a fleet review was held outside Bombay.

  Many battles have been fought in the city during such conflicts as World War II, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was only the second region in South Asia to be attacked by Japanese fighter planes during World War II. Recognising the strategic importance of the city and the role it played during the Bangladesh Liberation War, Pakistan sent its submarine, PNS Ghazi to destroy India's only aircraft carrier. The submarine sank off the coast (Pakistan claims, accidentally hitting one of the mines it laid; India claims, from a depth-charge dropped by the destroyer INS Rajput). The remnants of the submarine are on display on the beach road.

  

  

  Visakhapatnam is naturally locked with sea and mountains;
  

  

  Victory at Sea 1971 commemorating victory over Pakistan

  The city was so important during times of war that the Indian government decided to set up the Eastern Naval Command, overlooking the more populous Madras and Calcutta, and developed Vizag during that period. The establishment of the E.N.C. soon after the construction of the ship building yard firmly secured Vizag's place in the annals of the Indian Navy. More defence related establishments would later come up including the N.S.T.L. (Naval Science and Technology Laboratories), which is responsible for the development and testing of warship technology, equipment and weapons. The Navy is also constructing a second base as the current base is overpopulated and not sufficient to meet the needs of the E.N.C. Despite its importance, the Naval establishment has become a hindrance for the development of Visakhapatnam. The harbour is not open to the general public for reasons of security, while in Bombay and Cochin, the entire port along with Naval docks are opened for boating and tourism.

  

  

  The famous submarine museum near "Victory At Sea", Visakhapatnam

  Visakhapatnam is surrounded on three sides by the overlapping mountain ranges, and the southeastern city is safeguarded by the Bay of Bengal. Vizag is far away from any international border, both land and sea, making it the choice for strategic placement of the headquarters of the eastern naval command.

  [edit] Demographics

  Vizag is a cosmopolitan mix of people from various parts of the country. From a population of a few thousand locals during the 18th century and early 19th century the population grew steadily every decade. The city doubled its population from 1990–2000 owing to a large migrant population from surrounding areas and other parts of the country coming to the city to work in its heavy industries.

  As of 2001^[update] India census,^[3] Visakhapatnam had a population of 2,845,938. After the state government approved the formation of Greater Visakhapatnam with the merger of Gajuwaka municipality and 32 villages in the vicinity in the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, the population of the city and the metro area swelled to 3.1 million. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. The city has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 74% and female literacy is 63%. 10% of the population is younger than six. Visakhapatnam is listed as one of the Ten Fastest Growing Cities of the World.^[4]

  Hinduism is practised by the majority of citizens, followed by Islam and Christianity. The city patronised Buddhism for 2 millennia as evident from the presence of many Buddhist sangharamas in the outskirts. The Buddhist population has however waned since. All the religions co-exist peacefully; Visakhapatnam never witnessed communal riots during its entire history.

  [edit] Language

  Visakhapatnam is predominantly a Telugu speaking city. The Telugu spoken by the middle classes is a standard dialect, while a significant population who have settled down in the city from the adjoining villages and neighbouring districts of East Godavari, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam speak Uttarandhra (North Coastal) Mandalikam dialects. Historians believe that centuries ago, when Uttarandhra was part of the KalingaEmpire, Buddhist missionaries and merchants might have taken Telugu (Derived from Brahmi script) script to Southeast Asia from the shores of Uttarandhra where it parented into the scripts of Mon, Burmese, Thai, Khmer, Siam, Javanese and Balinese languages and even Sinhala of Sri Lanka. Their similarities to Telugu script can be discerned even today.

  Visakhapatnam is home to a small Oriya, Maharashtrians,Bengali and Malayalee communities; their migration is of recent origin. Due to the Naval presence and high concentration of public sector industries, Visakhapatnam has a significant Hindi speaking population.

  [edit] Climate

  The climate of Visakhapatnam has no appreciable seasonal changes. Being close to the sea, the level of humidity is high. The fluctuations in temperature are fairly uniform in character, except during the dry months when the rise in temperature is higher than it is during the monsoon period. From February onwards, the temperature rises progressively till May, which is the hottest month. From 1931-60 the maximum average (Mean) temperature was 34 °C. This has been showing an upward trend with the minimum and maximum for the period of 1975-81 being reported as 38 °C and 29 °C, respectively. In recent years, it has not been uncommon for the daytime temperature to exceed 43 °C during May. December, January are the coldest period of the year.

  [hide] Weather averages for Visakhapatnam, AP
  Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
  Average high °C	25	31	34	35	36	35	33	33	33	33	32	29
  Average low °C	18	21	23	26	28	28	26	26	26	24	22	19
  Precipitation mm	12.0	12.0	17.0	39.0	48.0	103.0	133.0	169.0	160.0	179.0	79.0	4.0
  Average high °F	84	88	93	95	98	96	92	91	91	90	87	85
  Average low °F	65	69	74	79	82	82	80	79	79	76	72	67
  Precipitation inches	0.47	0.47	0.67	1.54	1.89	4.06	5.24	6.65	6.30	7.06	3.11	0.16
  Source: www.wunderground.com[5] 2008-03-24

  The average annual rainfall for the city and its surrounding area is of the order of 95 centimeters with the bulk of the rain coming from the north-east monsoon. Between September and November, storms and depressions originating in the Bay of Bengal cross the east coast in the neighbourhood causing heavy rains and gales. As per Thornthwaite’s classification, Visakhapatnam and its environs come under the semi–arid (D) category. All the elements of climate viz. temperature, pressure, wind, rainfall, relative humidity and other weather phenomena hardly exist and exhibit a well-marked variation while January is the coolest month of the year with average temperatures of 30 °C and 22.5 °C respectively.

  [edit] Transport

  

  

  Vishakapatnam Railway station

  Visakhapatnam is well connected with daily flights from Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Tirupati and Kolkata. Visakhapatnam Airport has recently received permission to operate night flights. now the airport is working upto night 10 'o clock. A new 10,000 feet long runway became operational to accommodate international flights and larger aircraft. The airport was one of the few chosen by the center for modernization including facilities like aerobridges and immigration booths.

  
  

  

  

  Visakhapatnam seaport; harbour interchange fly-by road can be seen here

  Visakhapatnam is one of the cities on the east coast of India connected by NH5, a major national highway and a part of the Golden Quadrilateral system of Indian highways connecting Chennai and Kolkata. The highway is an important route for transporting cargo and people from these cities to and from Vizag. Visakhapatnam has a good network of roads. There are frequent buses to Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Araku and Rajahmundry. There are even bus services to Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and few other parts of Orissa and Karnataka.

  Residents of Visakhapatnam make use of extensive public transport provided by the APSRTC, which runs metro buses across various routes across the city and its suburbs. The APSRTC complex at Asilametta is the hub for most of these buses causing major traffic jams during rush hours on the heavily populated, congested Asilametta Junction. The city corporation is planning to dig subways, construct pedestrian overpasses and flyovers to address the traffic woes.

  A Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) was approved for the city under the JNNURM. This will make use of dedicated lanes for buses allowing for an efficient and high speed mode of transport for the public and significantly reduce traffic congestion, improving safety. This project is under implementation and will be completed by mid 2009. Once completed it will make Visakhapatnam the first city in the country to implement the B.R.T.S.

  [edit] Educational facilities

  

  

  Andhra university, college of engineering.

  Visakhapatnam is considered a centre for education in the state of Andhra Pradesh. There are several primary, high school and college level institutions in the city. Apart from state-run schools for the poor, there are many private institutions, missionary schools and colleges. Established in 1878, A.V.N. College is one of the city's oldest educational institutions.^[6] Visakhapatnam is also the home of Andhra University which was established in 1926. Sarvepalli Radha Krishna, before he became the President of India, worked as the Vice Chancellor of the University between 1931 and 1936. The University and its affiliated colleges provide education to thousands of students from the entire state. Post Graduate and Graduate courses are offered in various branches like Arts, Commerce, Science & Technology, Engineering, IT, Business Management, Law and Pharmacy. The AU college of Pharmacy is the second oldest pharmacology institute in India. The university is in the process of obtaining IIEST status and there is also a proposal for setting up an IIM at Visakhapatnam. Other institutions of higher education include Andhra Medical College, established in 1902 and the home of various teaching hospitals, A.V.N. College, one of the city's oldest educational institutions,^[7] the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), which recently attained the status of an autonomous university, Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering, and the Pydah College of Engineering and Technology.

  

  

  GITAM University, Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishna central library

  St. Aloysius Anglo Indian High School is the oldest school in the district and one of the oldest schools in the country. It was established in 1847 and is located in the old town region. Pollocks School, Kotak Salesian School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, S.F.S, Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir (situated in Dwarakanagar), Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Siva Sivani, Little Angels, Timpany and Visakha valley are other schools in the area. The city has around 10 Kendriya Vidyalaya's with total student strength of 18000. Timpany School, Visakha Valley School rank amongst the top schools in Andhra Pradesh.^{[citation needed]} Timpany School has three branches - one affiliated to ICSE and the other two to CBSE. Visakha Valley and Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir are affiliated to CBSE.

  The International Science Congress (I.S.C.) was hosted by Andhra University in 1976 and again in 2008. It is the largest congregation of scientists from different disciplines in the world. Over 8000 people participated in the I.S.C. in 2008, including prominent Nobel Prize winners from around the world.

  [edit] Economy

  

  

  Visakhapatnam Port.
  

  

  Visakhapatnam Outer Harbour
  

  

  HPCL Petro-Chemical Complex
  

  

  Naval warship
  

  

  Hindustan Shipyard Ltd Visakhapatnam
  

  

  Megadri River Channel that connects Outer Harour of Visakhapatnam Port with Inner Harbour
  

  

  Satyam Development Center
  

  

  Fishermen in Visakhapatnam.

  From being a tiny hamlet of local fishing communities during the early days of the Indian Independence Struggle and for a few decades later, the city exploded economically, in fact the rise has been so dramatic that the city was identified as one of the ten fastest growing cities in the world economically and demographically. Various factors contributed to the city's growth economically, including the natural harbor, its location between Madras and Calcutta, access to the NH5 (a major National Expressway) and the developed nework of railways which metamorphosed the village into a burgeoning industrial city.

  The city has developed into a hub for many heavy industries. The Visakhapatnam Port, the largest in the country, was the ideal gateway contributing to the development of petroleum, steel and fertilizer industries. The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. were the two multi-billion dollar investments which put Vizag on the country's industrial map. The city also has two N.T.P.C. power plants to satisfy the huge power needs of the industries. Visakhapatnam also houses the headquarters of the Dredging corporation of India.

  Other heavy industries include Hindustan Zinc Limited, Synergies Castings Ltd., Rain Calcining Limited, Coromandel Fertilizers, Hindustan Ship Yard and Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Limited (B.H.P.V.). These industries provide employment to hundreds of thousands of people and pump billions of dollars into the state's economy.

  The city also owes its economic growth to the availability of an educated English-speaking workforce. English is the first language in many places of higher education in the city. This availability of a highly educated workforce allowed the entry of many B.P.O. companies such as HSBC, thus providing the roots for the beginning IT/ITES industry in the city. The city registered over 100% growth in the I.T. sector over the last year, contributing millions of dollars to the economy. The city has around 50 small and medium software and call centre units, of which about 10 units started their operations during the year 2005-07. Software exports from the Visakhapatnam in 2007 were worth Rs. 245 crores - an increase of over 100% over the previous year. Various national and international I.T. and banking giants have set up or will be setting up offices in the city. These include Satyam, TCS, HSBC, Cognizant, Oracle Corporation, ABN AMRO, Patni, Hexaware Solutions, iSOFT, Sankhya Technologies, Infosys, iFlex, HCL, EDS, Datasoft Comnet Pvt. Ltd., Sutherland Global Services and Kanbay. The Andhra Pradesh government provided infrastructure and land for these companies to set up their development centers in the city outskirts.

  Also, there are many Vizag-based SME's that have been providing IT and ITES services such as Xinthe Technologies, NuNet Technologies, Symbiosis Technologies, Sankhya Technologies, Patra, Acclaris, Samudra Software, etc. Many of these companies have formed an association called VITA (Visakhapatnam Information Technology Association) to help promote IT in Vizag as well as bridge the Industry-Institution gap.

  To help companies in and around Visakhapatnam build their human capital, companies like IndiGenius have been providing Human Resource (HR) consulting services such as recruitment, temporary staffing and training.

  The growing population and economy have resulted in the revamping of the real estate prices with prices at some prime locations in the city quadrupling over the past couple of years. Various real estate companies are setting up housing projects in the outskirts of the city which is being touted as the future I.T. destination of the country. Multiple Special Economic Zones (SEZ) have been sanctioned for the city. Reliance, Brandix and HPCL have purchased huge areas in the SEZ for setting up their industries. Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) plans to set up it's second research facility in the country after Trombay in this region. The city was one of the five in the country selected to hold strategic crude reserves for the nation in times of national emergency.

  The fishing industry is also on the rise with both foreign and domestic exports of tuna doubling over the past decade. A second port is being constructed at Gangavaram with an investment of 2 billion dollars which when completed will be the deepest port in the country with the ability to handle the larger international vessels.

  Its traditional importance in shipbuilding is confirmed by the fact that India's first ship, the "Jala Usha", was launched in Visakhapatnam. Visakhapatnam is also one of India's main fishing ports, has a dedicated harbour for the fishing industry and handles a large percentage of India's seafood exports.

  The Vizag Special Economic Zone plays a vital role in the industrial growth of the city. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has also expressed interest in setting up a nuclear power plant here.

  The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has awarded the bid to construct a Knowledge City to Unitech Limited in an area of 1750 acres, with an investment of Rs. 35 thousand crore.

  [edit] Sports

  

  

  The ACA-VDCA stadium at Madhurawada hosting the India-Sri Lanka ODI. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 and was recently granted test status

  Cricket is the most popular game followed by tennis and football. The city is home to a number of local cricket teams participating in various district and zonal events. Gully cricket - a form of cricket played in empty streets or maidans is a popular pastime for local school/college going kids in the evenings. Vizag also co-hosted the 32nd National Games along with the state capital. Vishakapatnam has 7 cricket stadiums which are used for Ranji Trophy matches. However only 2 of these stadiums have been used for One Day International ("ODI") matches.

• Indira Priyadarshini Stadium (5 ODI Matches): Also known as the Municipal Corporation Stadium, it hosted the first ODI match on 9 December 1988 and the last of the 5 on 3 April2001. The stadium has discontinued hosting ODI matches in favor of the newer ACA-VDCA Stadium, which is situated in the satellite township of Madhurawada. The stadium is set amidst the hills and offers a scenic view.
• ACA-VDCA Stadium (2 ODI Matches): The ACA-VDCA Stadium has hosted 2 ODIs with India winning against Pakistan in the first and against Sri Lanka in the second. Now this stadium is upgraded to host day/night matches.

The city of Visakhapatnam has never hosted a Test Match. The ACA-VDCA Stadium was recently awarded Test status. This makes the ACA stadium the ninth stadium to have a Test status in the country and the second in Andhra Pradesh.

• Port Stadium : It is the largest stadium in Visakhapatnam.

[edit] Steel Plant Township

Main article: Ukkunagaram

The beautiful and well planned township for the employees of the visakhapatnam steel plant is called Ukkunagaram (ukku in Telugu for steel, nagaram in Telugu for town).

The design of the Township itself is state-of-the-art. The designers followed the Roman Circular design for the layout of homes and roads to keep the distances equal between any two points within the township.

There are 11 sectors in the Township, oldest of them being sectors 1, 2 and 3, and Sector 7 which is the exclusive domain of the directors and the chairman's homes. Other sectors came into being as the plant's staffing matured. On the average, each sectore consists of about 300 housing units, which vary from multi-storied quarters (3 floors) to single family homes. There are also bungalows exclusively for the directors of the plant.There are 5 types of housing units viz. A Type,B,C,D & director's bangalow

Sector 1 used to house the Russians who came to erect and commission the first blast furnace "Godavari", The RMHP, Sinter, and Coke Oven Batteries I & II.

The beauty of the Township is that it sits in the cradle of the unspoilt forest belt starting at the Valleys of Aracu through Yelamanchili to Narsipatnam. The township comes under the mandate of the Town Administration. The continued afforestation efforts of the management has ensured a green and pollution-free environment and thereby creating a unique ecosystem in itself. The township has well kept roads, regulated traffic. The township also has all market places, parks, clubs, sports facilities exclusively for the employees and their dependents.

Last but not the least is the vistas that the Big Kanithi Balancing reservoir offers. This large mass of water reservoir is for the captive consumption of the plant and the township alike and sits between the Township and the NH5. It draws its water from a special canal built exclusively for it from the River Yeleru, a tributary of the great river Godavari.

The road that leads from the plant plaza main gate into the township actually travels ahead as a bypass to the busy NH5 and skips Anakapalli directly to Yelamanchili and Tuni, cutting almost 30 km on the road route from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada.

[edit] Radio stations

The city has a good variety of AM and FM radio channels.Vishaka FM(93.5 S FM) was the first private FM channel in AP.The FM Radio channels broadcasted in the city are:

• AIR Rainbow FM 102 MHz [Available only from 05.00hrs to 23.00hrs]
• Radio Mirchi FM 98.3 MHz
• Radio City FM 91.1 MHz
• Big FM 92.7 MHz
• S FM 93.5 MHz
• AIR Gyan Vani FM 106.4 MHz-educative channel[Available only from 18.00hrs to 22.00hrs]

[edit] Member of Parliament

• Daggubati Purnadeswari Devi (INC)

[edit] Members of Legislative Assembly

• Velagapudi Rama Krishna (TDP) - Visakhapatnam East
• Malla Jayaprasad (INC) - Visakhapatnam West
• Thynala Vijaya Kumar (INC) - -Visakhapatnam North
• Dronamraju Srinivas (INC) - Visakhapatnam South

[edit] Notable residents

• Srirangam Srinivasa Rao (Sri Sri) - poet
• Alluri Sita Rama Raju - revolutionary
• Tenneti Viswanadham - revolutionary
• Dr. C.V. Raman - physicist
• Dr. Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan - Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University
• Dr MVVS Murthi Ex MP,President GITAM University
• Gollapudi Maruthi Rao - film actor, writer
• Subhaleka Sudhakar - film actor
• Sobha Naidu - Padma Shri winner, classical dancer
• Gouthami - film actress

[edit] Timeline of Visakhapatnam's history

• 260 BCE: Ashoka conquered the Kalinga empire (of which Visakhapatnam was a part).
• 208: Chandra Sri Satakarni was king of this region.
• 11th century: Simhachalam Temple built by Kulottunga I.
• 13th century: Simhachalam Temple renovated and made southern imperial centre by the Ganga king Narasimha I of Orissa.
• 1515: Krishna Deva Raya was ruler of the area comprising Visakhapatnam.
• Mid-17th century: A factory was founded in "Vizagapatam" by the British East India Company.
• 1689: The British factory was occupied by the forces of Aurangzeb.
• 1735: Dutch Colony was established.
• 1765: The territory of the Northern Circars, of which Visakhapatnam was a part, ceded to the British East India Company by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Following this, a British colony was established.
• 1847: St. Aloysius High School was established; it is one of the oldest schools in India.
• 1881: The title of Raja was conferred upon Sri Goday Narayana Gajapathi Rao, Zamindar of Anakapalle and other estates
• 1893 : The St Joseph's Girls High School and Convent was established by the sisters of Annessey, France.It is the second oldest school in vizag.
• 1904: Railway from Madras to Calcutta, passing through Vizagapatam, was opened.
• 1902 : Andhra Medical College was founded by Maharaja Goday Narayana Gajapati Rao and Maharani Lady Goday Chittijanakiammah.
• 1921 (14 September) - Arrest of the revolutionary Maulana Mohammad Ali at the Waltair (now Visakhapatnam) railway station while journeying to to Madras with Mahatma Gandhi.^[8] In the evening a public meeting was held on the beach where loads of foreign clothes were burnt. Umar Alisha, a Telugu poet, made a fiery speech against Ali's arrest.^[9]
• 1926: Andhra University established.
• 1931: Timpany School established.
• 1933: Visakhapatnam Port established.
• 1942: Japanese war planes attack Visakhapatnam.
• 1947: Eastern Naval Command established its base here. Before 1947 the Royal Navy had a base in HMIS Sircars.
• 1949: Scindia Shipyard started. Later nationalised and called Hindustan Shipyard.
• 1953: The Boat Repair Shop expanded into a Base Repair Organisation (BRO) and shifted to the location at the mouth of the northwest channel.
• 1957: A petroleum refinery by Caltex, currently owned by HPCL.
• 1965: Two survey ships, Jumna and Investigator, were permanently rebased at Visakhapatnam.
• 1968: Visakha Valley School established.
• 1971: INS Rajput of the Indian Navy destroys the Pakistani submarine Ghazi in the Indo-Pakistan War off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
• 1977: Indira Gandhi Zoological Park established near Madhurawada.
• 1981: Visakhapatnam Steel Plant construction started.
• 1989: VSEZ formerly known as VEPZ was established.
• 1990: Visakhapatnam Steel Plant started its operations.
• 1997: September 14 - A blast in HPCL with an official death toll of 22.