Bheemunipatnam
Encyclopedia
Bheemunipatnam is a town, a municipality
and mandal headquarters in Visakhapatnam district
, in the state of Andhra Pradesh
, India
.
It was the second municipality in Indian mainland, established on 9 February 1861. 150-Years of its formation has been celebrated in 2011.
Bheemunipatnam is supposed to have originated in the days of the Pandavas (its named after Bheema
). Most probably its origins were around the 16th century, when a boat load of Dutch dropped anchor with the intention of making the lovely harbour (the River Gosthani meets the Bay of Bengal
).
Pavurallakonda or Pavurallabodu is the local name of a hill, popularly known as Narasimhaswamykonda, near Bhimili about 30 Km from Visakhapatnam
. During the course of the exploration, nearly 14-16 rock-cut troughs or cisterns were found hewn into the bed rock. Near the entrance of the tank were found two Brahmi
label inscriptions.
Trial excavations in the habitation, revealed foundations of Viharas with cells and common verandah, circular chaitya grihas, votive stupas, halls etc. Associated with the structures were found two Satavahana
coins, a Roman
coin, inscribed pot sherds, besides black and red ware, black polished ware, beads etc. Basing on the above cultural material and epigraphical source, the site can be dated between 3rd Century BC and 2nd Century AD.
A dislodged small empty copper casket
, in two parts, i.e., the upper lid and the lower container, was recovered while exposing the votive stupa (no. 1) situated near the tank (cistern
). Some Ruined Dutch
constructions are very near to the Buddhist site on pavuralakonda.
India census
, Bheemunipatnam had a population of 44,156. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Bheemunipatnam has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 67% and female literacy of 54%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
and forms an alluring recess to the town.
List of Elected Members:
Minister of Andhra pradesh
Shri Yanamala Ramakrishnudu on 2001-12-24. At this ashram regular prayers will be conducted on every Thursday. Disciples Around Visakhapatnam
Attend to these Prayers and Spiritual discourses.5
A Branch Of Umar Alisha Rural Development Trust is also present in that premises. The trust takes up acitvites such as Blood Donation Camps, Free Homeopathic Medical Camps etc. for the benefit of the rural areas near Bheemunipatnam.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and mandal headquarters in Visakhapatnam district
Visakhapatnam district
Visakhapatnam district , also known as Visakha Zilla, is an administrative division of Andhra Pradesh, India. The administrative headquarters of the Visakhapatnam District is Visakhapatnam.-Post-Independence:...
, in the state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
It was the second municipality in Indian mainland, established on 9 February 1861. 150-Years of its formation has been celebrated in 2011.
Bheemunipatnam is supposed to have originated in the days of the Pandavas (its named after Bheema
Bhima
In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
). Most probably its origins were around the 16th century, when a boat load of Dutch dropped anchor with the intention of making the lovely harbour (the River Gosthani meets the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
).
History
Historical evidences of Buddhist Culture have been noticed at Bheemunipatnam dating back to 3rd century BC on the hillock Pavuralakonda (also known as Narsimhaswami konda locally) in the town. Buddhist remains were found during the excavations here along with Relic caskets.Pavurallakonda or Pavurallabodu is the local name of a hill, popularly known as Narasimhaswamykonda, near Bhimili about 30 Km from Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
. During the course of the exploration, nearly 14-16 rock-cut troughs or cisterns were found hewn into the bed rock. Near the entrance of the tank were found two Brahmi
Brahmi
Brāhmī is the modern name given to the oldest members of the Brahmic family of scripts. The best-known Brāhmī inscriptions are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka in north-central India, dated to the 3rd century BCE. These are traditionally considered to be early known examples of Brāhmī writing...
label inscriptions.
Trial excavations in the habitation, revealed foundations of Viharas with cells and common verandah, circular chaitya grihas, votive stupas, halls etc. Associated with the structures were found two Satavahana
Satavahana
The Sātavāhana Empire or Andhra Empire, was a royal Indian dynasty based from Dharanikota and Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh as well as Junnar and Prathisthan in Maharashtra. The territory of the empire covered much of India from 230 BCE onward...
coins, a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
coin, inscribed pot sherds, besides black and red ware, black polished ware, beads etc. Basing on the above cultural material and epigraphical source, the site can be dated between 3rd Century BC and 2nd Century AD.
A dislodged small empty copper casket
Casket
A casket, or jewelry box is a term for a container that is usually larger than a box, and smaller than a chest, and in the past was typically decorated...
, in two parts, i.e., the upper lid and the lower container, was recovered while exposing the votive stupa (no. 1) situated near the tank (cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
). Some Ruined Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
constructions are very near to the Buddhist site on pavuralakonda.
Geography
Bheemunipatnam is located at 17.53N 83.26E. It has an average elevation of 51 meters (170 feet).Demographics
According to Imperial Gazetteer of India, Bimlipatam tahsil had an area of 207 square miles (536.1 km²) with 117 villages. The population in 1901 was 126,354 compared with 114,834 in 1891. It was entirely Zamindari land belonging to the Vizianagram estate.India census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Bheemunipatnam had a population of 44,156. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Bheemunipatnam has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 67% and female literacy of 54%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Features
Bheemili lies at the mouth of River Gosthani joining the Bay of BengalBay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
and forms an alluring recess to the town.
- The Confluence point of River Gosthani into bay of bengal is a sccenic view from the hilltop temple.
- It was one of the DutchNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
settlements. Hollanders Green as the name indicates started as a resting place for the dead Dutchmen but one can see many English graves. Hollanders Green certainly makes the oldest Christian grave in Andhra Pradesh and the graves of the early Dutchmen. - 'Erra Matti Dibbalu', literally meaning Red EarthRed EarthRed Earth is the name of an international chain of stores selling cosmetics and body care products.It was founded in Australia in 1989 as an environmentally-aware alternative to mainstream companies, taking a similar line to The Body Shop. Since then it has morphed into a fashion-following colour...
Hillocks just looks like a mini ChambalChambal RiverThe Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in central India, and forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning...
Valley. - There is an old Church dated back to 1850s called 'The Red Church'. Another church, 'The Andhra Baptist' has a rich history of more than 130 years.
- The lighthouseLighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
dated to 1868 acts as a citadel on the shores of Bheemili beach. - There is a temple dedicated to Lord NarasimhaNarasimhaNarasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
on a hillock. - Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja China Jeeyar Swami has set up the Vedic Adhyayana Research Institute Jeeyar Ashram (VARIJA) on the pristine beach of Visakhapatnam-Bheemunipatnam Road.
- There is also a social welfare organisation run school at Hamsavanam-Ramadri near VARIJA ashramAshramTraditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
. - Tagarapuvalasa is the commercial town in Bhimili mandal located at 5KM from Bhimili on VizianagaramVizianagaramVizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of north-eastern Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of...
road
Assembly Constituency
Bheemunipatnam is an assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh. There are 1,52,059 registered voters in Bheemunipatnam constituency in 1999 elections.List of Elected Members:
- 1951 - Kaligotla Suryanarayana
- 1955 - Gottumukkala Jagannadha Raju
- 1972 - Raja Sagi Soma Sundara Suryanarayana Raju (Cong)
- 1978 - Datla Jagannadha Raju(Cong-I)
- 1983 - Poosapati Anand Gajapathi Raju
- 1985, 1989, 1994 and 1999 - Raja Sagi Devi Prasanna Appala Narasimha Raju (TDP)
- 2004 - Karri Seetharamu(Cong)
- 2009 - Muttamsetty Srinivasa Rao (elected PRP-dissolved into Cong)
Spiritual organisations
Visakahapatnam Branch of Sri Viswa Viznana Vidya Adhyatmika Peetham is situated on the sea shore of Bheemunipatnam. It has been Inaugurated By the FinanceFinance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
Minister of Andhra pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
Shri Yanamala Ramakrishnudu on 2001-12-24. At this ashram regular prayers will be conducted on every Thursday. Disciples Around Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
Attend to these Prayers and Spiritual discourses.5
A Branch Of Umar Alisha Rural Development Trust is also present in that premises. The trust takes up acitvites such as Blood Donation Camps, Free Homeopathic Medical Camps etc. for the benefit of the rural areas near Bheemunipatnam.
Panchayats
There are 21 panchayats in Bheemunipatnam mandal.- Amanam (village and panchayat)
- Annavaram (village and panchayat)
- Bodamettapalem (village and panchayat)
- Chepaluppada (village and panchayat)
- Chippada (village and panchayat)
- Dakamarri (village and panchayat)
- J.V.Agraharam (village and panchayat)
- K.Nagarapalem (village and panchayat)
- Kapuluppada (village and panchayat)
- Laxmipuram (village and panchayat)
- Majjipeta (village and panchayat)
- Majjivalasa (village and panchayat)
- Mulakuddu (village and panchayat)
- Nagarapalem (village and panchayat)
- Narayanarajupeta (village and panchayat)
- Nidigattu (village and panchayat)
- Pedanagamayyapalem (village and panchayat)
- Rekhavanipalem (village and panchayat)
- Singanabanda (village and panchayat)
- Tallavalasa (village and panchayat)
- Tatituru (village and panchayat)