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Bhimavaram is a town and mandal in the West Godavari District in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Bhimavaram is located at 16°32′00″N 81°32′00″E / 16.5333°N 81.5333°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 5 meters (19 feet).
Bhimavaram
Bhimavaram | |
|---|---|
city | |
 | |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 137,327 |
Bhimavaram is also called the "Second Bardoli of India". Mahatma Gandhi coined the name when he visited the town during the freedom movement in India. The northern part of Bhimavaram is known as "One Town" and the southern part of Bhimavaram is known as "Two Town".
History
Along with much of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Bhimavaram was controlled by the Chola Empire. Under Kulothunga Chola I, Bhimavaram was ruled by his sons who served as viceroys. Various stone inscriptions have been found in the city dating from his reign (c. 1096 C.E.).[2] Bhimavaram was the site of several protests during the Salt Satyagraha Movement.It played a major role in the freedom movement,during the rule of British empire in India.The taluka office at the bhimavaram is a witnes sof freedom movement since 1887.The famous freedom fighter "ALLURI SITARAMARAJU",belongs to MOGALLU, a near by villege
Geography
Bhimavaram is located 455 km from Hyderabad, 270 km from Visakhapatnam and 103 km from Vijayawada. National Highway NH 214 (Kathipudi to Pamarru) passes through this town.
Economy
Bhimavaram is one of the largest centres for aquaculture (fish and prawn farming) in India. The city is home to more than 30 shrimping companies, most of which specialise in black prawn. Around 70% of all shrimp exports from Andhra Pradesh come from Bhimavaram.[3] Bhimavaram is the town with highest per capita income in Andhra Pradhesh. Traditionally, this area has been a large producer of rice, but more recently many farmers have shifted to pisciculture. Bhimavaram serves as a centre of trade for 300 surrounding villages and is one of the important commercial towns in the West Godavari District.
Government and politics
Bhimavaram has a population of 130,000 per the 2001 census, and is divided into 39 wards. It has been upgraded to a special grade municipality.
Bhimavaram Municipal Corporation
The Bhimavaram Municipality was established in the year 1948. Smt.Thota Sita Rama Lakshmi is currently serving as its municipal chair person. Since the formation of the Bhimavaram Municipality, it has had various municipal chairpersons:
- Sri Nachu Venkata Ramayya
- Sri Kuriseti Naga Bhusanam
- Sri Gadiraju Jagannadha Raju
- Sri G. Venkataswami Naidu
- Sri Tatavarthi Narasimha Rao
- Sri Kotikalapudi Govinda Rao
- Sri Bommidi Narayana Rao
- Sri Grandhi Venkateswara Rao
- Smt Meragani Narayanamma
- Smt Thota Sita Rama Lakshmi
Assembly Constituency
Bhimavaram is an assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh. There were 1,77,470 registered voters in the Bhimavaram constituency in the 1999 elections. The Bhimavaram legislative assembly constituency has been the centre of politics in the West Godavari District since its formation in 1952. Mr. Pulapatti Ramanjaneyulu is the newly elected MLA for Bhimavaram.
| Year | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Bhupathiraju Subba Raju | Praja party |
| 1962 | Natchu Venkataramayya | Congress |
| 1967 | Bhupathiraju Vijaya Kumar Raju | Independent |
| 1972 | Bhupathiraju Vijaya Kumar Raju | Congress |
| 1978 | Kalidindi Vijay Narasimha Raju | Congress |
| 1983 | PV Narasimha Raju | TDP |
| 1985 | PV Narasimha Raju | TDP |
| 1989 | Alluri Subhash Chandra Bose | Congress |
| 1994 | PV Narasimha Raju | TDP |
| 1999 | PV Narasimha Raju | TDP |
| 2004 | Grandhi Srinivas | Congress |
| 2009 | P. Ramanjaneyulu (AnjiBabu) | Congress |
Panchayats
There are 25 village panchayats in the Bhimavaram mandal.[4]
- Anakoderu (village and panchayat)
- Annavaram (village and panchayat)
- Bethapudi (village and panchayat)
- Chinamiram (village and panchayat)
- Deyyalatippa (village and panchayat)
- Dirusumarru (village and panchayat)
- Dongapindi (village and panchayat)
- Gollavanitippa (village and panchayat)
- Gutlapadu (village and panchayat)
- Jonnalagaruvu (village and panchayat)
- Komarada (village and panchayat)
- Komatitippa (village and panchayat)
- Kothapusalamarru (village and panchayat)
- Losari (village and panchayat)
- L.V.N.Puram (village and panchayat)
- Nagidipalem (village and panchayat)
- Narasimhapuram (village and panchayat)
- Pedagaruvu (village and panchayat)
- Pennada (village and panchayat)
- Rayalam (village and panchayat)
- Sriramapuram (Gunduvari Pet) (village and panchayat)
- Srungavruksham [1] (village and major panchayat)
- Taderu (village and panchayat)
- Thokatippa (village and panchayat)
- Tundurru (village and panchayat)
- Vempa (village and panchayat)
- Yenamadurru (village and panchayat)
Transport
Bhimavaram is an important commercial centre in West Godavari District and has road connections to all the nearby rural villages. It is located 455 km from Hyderabad, 270 km from Visakhapatnam and 103 km from Vijayawada. National Highway NH 214 (Kathipudi to Pamarru) passes through this town. A number of buses are run by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation and private operators. The buses go to Chennai, Hyderabad, Vizag, Bangalore, Eluru & Vijayawada.
The Chennai-Calcutta and Narsapur-Vijayawada rail lines also pass through Bhimavaram. The town is well connected by bus (The Old Bus Stand is located in Two Town and the New Bus Stand is located in One Town) and train routes (Town Station in Two Town and Junction Railway Station is located in One Town). The nearest domestic airport to Bhimavaram is in Vijayawada/Rajahmundry. International airports near Bhimavaram are Hyderabad and Chennai.
Demographics
According to the 2001 Indian census, Bhimavaran has a population of 142,064 with 32,685 households. 71,929 are male and 70,135 are female.[5]
Culture
The city's culture is mostly rural, and moderately modern.
Religion
Some famous temples located here are:
- Gunupudi Sri Uma Someshwara Janardhana Swamy temple - One of the five Pancharamas. Built during the 3rd century A.D., the Shivalinga in the temple is believed to assume a black-cum-brown colour on no-moon day and becomes whitish on full-moon day. The prathista of the Shivalinga is by the Moon God.
- Sri Mavullamma Temple - Mavullamma's (Goddess of Bhimavaram) Festival starts on 14 January of every year and runs for 30 days.
- Sri Bhimeshwara Swamy Temple - The name of the Bhimavaram town is derived from it.
- Sri Aadhi Lakshmi Ammavaru Temple - The village deity of Gunupudi.
- Sri Subrahmanyeswaraswamy Temple - The temple of Lord Subrahmanyeswara, Lord Siva and Lord Rama
- Jain Temple - Located at Pedda Amiram.
- Sri Shakteswara Swamy temple - Located in Ennamadurru from 5 km to Bhimavaram.
- Sri Venkateswaraswamy temple Kallakuru, 10 km to Bvrm
- Transfiguration Church
- A Mosque - located at the center of Bhimavaram.
Education
Some of the main educational institutions in the town are listed here:
- DNR Educational Institutions, the oldest college in the West Godavari District and one of the oldest colleges in Andhra Pradesh.it is the oldest college in the district.it includes KG to PG along with law college.
- SRKR Engineering College
- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans International Residential Public School (CBSE)
- Dr. CSN Educational Society (LKG to PG)
- DNR College Of Law
- VSK Degree College
- Bhimavaram Institute of Engineering and Technology, located at Pennada Agraharam
- Menety Padmanabham Institute of Engineering and Technology, Derusumarru Road, Bhimavaram
- Holy Angels English Medium School (LKG to 10th), Srirampuram, Bhimavaram.
- St. Mary's School (LKG to 10th)
- Sri Paluri Gangamma Rama Murthy Oriental Sanskrit High School, established in 1958.
- Viswakavi Residential English Medium School (LKG to 10th)
- Montessori Public School (LKG to 10th)
- KGRL College
- Sri Sarada Residential School & College (First English Medium School & College of Godavari Districts, flourished between 1984 and 1996. The school was ran by an educational pioneer Mr.B.R.K. Raju, its director who later became a member of Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission. He introduced career oriented and target oriented systems of education.
- Murthy Raju Residential School (flourished in between 2000 and 2004), helmed by an educational pioneer, Mr. B.R.K. Raju, who endeavoured to provide education for the middle class and poor. He introduced Target Oriented System in this school.
- iSchool Technologies J P Road, Bhimavaram
- Dr. B V Raju Foundation, Vishnupur, T P Gudem Road.
- Shri Vishu College of Pharmacy
- Vishnu Dental College
- Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women
- Vishnu Institute of Technology
- Padmasri Dr. B V Raju Institute of Computer Education
- Smt. B Seetha Polytechnic
- Vishnu Public School
- Aditya Public school
- S.V.K.R College of Engineering and Technology
- Aditya Junior College
- Sri Chaitanya Junior College
Notable residents
References
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics.Bhimavaram
- ^ Kumari, M. Krishna (1989). "Inscriptions of Shri Virapemmadi Deva from Sarpavaram and Bhimavaran (A Political Study)". History of medieval Andhradesa. Gyan Books. pp. 8–13. ISBN 8121202671.
- ^ Benjamin, Ravi P. (18 August 2005). "White Tiger prawn overtakes Black". Business Standard. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ Details of Andhra Pradesh till Village Panchayat Tier
- ^ "2001 India Census". Office of the Registar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2009-04-29.