Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Visakhapatnam (old district)

The old Visakhapatnam (Vizagapatam) district in undivided Andhra Pradesh lay between the Eastern Ghats and the sea. It included the port city and the Agency hills of Paderu and Araku. Once part of ancient Kalinga and the Ganga kingdom, it grew around an English factory founded in 1682. Hill taluks were transferred to Orissa in 1936. The district was split from Srikakulam in 1950 and gave territory to Vizianagaram in 1979. The port, shipyard and steel plant made it an industrial centre. In 2022 its territory was divided between Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts.

The old Visakhapatnam district lay on the north Andhra coast, between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.1 Its headquarters was the port of Visakhapatnam, and the Agency country lay in its hills.23 In 2022 Andhra Pradesh divided its territory between three districts.4

Early history and kingdoms

The 1907 gazetteer says no traces of the prehistoric burial-makers had yet been found in the district.5 It calls Kalinga a famous kingdom that stretched perhaps from the Mahanadi to the Godavari.5 After Ashoka conquered it, there is a long gap in its history.56

The 2001 census handbook describes a large Buddhist site at Bavikonda, about 15 km from Visakhapatnam on the road to Bheemunipatnam.7 Excavations there in 1982–87 uncovered a large stupa, halls, a Satavahana lead coin and three Roman silver coins.7

The Eastern Gangas of Kalinga came next.5 Under Anantavarman Chodaganga, who ruled from 1078 for 72 years, the family reached the height of its power.8 A Tamil record of his, dated 1089, is found in the Simhachalam temple.8 See Simhachalam temple.

The Ganga line declined, and the Gajapatis of Odisha took their place.5 In 1515 Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagara defeated the Gajapati king, but did not keep the country.9 About 1568 the Sultan of Golconda seized it.9

Golconda and the English settlement

The 1907 gazetteer says the English settlement at Visakhapatnam was founded in 1682.10 It was besieged in 1711, and Waltair was first occupied in 1727.5 In 1753 the Subahdar of the Deccan gave the Northern Circars to the French, and in 1757 the settlement surrendered to the French general Bussy.5

In 1758 Clive sent Colonel Forde by sea to Visakhapatnam to attack the French.11 The French were driven out of the Circars, and in 1765 Clive got the five Northern Circars from the Mughal emperor.512 At first the new lands were ruled from Machilipatnam.10 In 1769 John Andrews was sent to Visakhapatnam as the first Chief in Council of the district.10

The Vizianagaram Raja and the Agency

On 3 October 1780 the sepoys at Visakhapatnam mutinied when ordered to sail to Madras to fight Haidar Ali.13 Meanwhile, the Raja of Vizianagaram had grown too powerful and owed large unpaid sums.5 In 1794 he was ordered to leave the district.14 He camped at Padmanabham, between Vizianagaram and Bheemunipatnam.14 There Colonel Prendergast attacked him, and the Raja was killed in the battle.15 The 1907 gazetteer calls Padmanabham “the Flodden of the Rajputs of Vizianagram”, meaning the place of their crushing defeat.16

The Permanent Settlement of 1802 fixed the revenue of the estates, but led to many troubles.517 In 1833 George Russell came as Special Commissioner to put down the disorder.18 Act XXIV of 1839 then exempted seven-eighths of the district from many ordinary laws.19 The Collector ruled it directly as “Agent to the Governor”.19 Hill people still rose from time to time, for example in the Golgonda hills in 1845–48, 1857–58 and 1879–80.19

1936–2014

In 1936 the new province of Orissa took the hill taluks of Jeypore, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nowrangpur, Pottangi and Rayagada, with parts of others.2 In return the district received the Telugu parts of Ganjam, including Chicacole (now Srikakulam).2 The plains of Visakhapatnam were not affected.2

By 1950 the enlarged district was considered too large to administer.2 It was split into Srikakulam district in the north and Visakhapatnam district in the south.2 In 1953 it was one of the eleven districts of the new Andhra State.20 In 1979 part of it went to the new Vizianagaram district.21

The census of 1981 counted Visakhapatnam among the 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh.22 By 2001 the district had 43 mandals in three revenue divisions.2 After the division of 2014 it stayed in Andhra Pradesh.23

Division, 2022

On 4 April 2022 its territory was divided between three districts:4

Administration

In 2001 the district’s 43 mandals were grouped into three revenue divisions.1 The hilly Agency division included the mandals of Paderu, Araku Valley, Chintapalle and Munchingiputtu.1 The 2001 handbook says the district was famous for its Port Trust and its Agency.3

Land, farming and water

The Sarada and the Varaha are among the district’s main rivers.1 The 2001 handbook notes the natural harbour at Visakhapatnam, sheltered by the headland called the Dolphin’s Nose.1

Crafts and industries

The 2001 handbook says industry had grown fast in the district.24 The Visakhapatnam steel plant, set up in 1991, employed about 17,500 people.24 Other large units included Hindustan Petroleum, Hindustan Zinc, Hindustan Shipyard and Bharat Heavy Plates and Vessels.25 In 1999 the district also had 12,304 small and tiny units.25

People

The 2001 census handbook lists the district’s population within its 2001 boundaries, from 1901 onward.26 The 2011 figure is from the 2011 handbook.27

Census yearPopulation
19019,92,833
195114,83,653
196116,65,213
198125,76,474
200138,32,336
201142,90,589

For an overview of district changes, see How the map changed.

Footnotes

  1. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), p. 17 (PDF p. 52) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), p. 15 (PDF p. 47) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  3. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), p. xx (PDF p. 11) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  4. Government of Andhra Pradesh, Revenue (Lands-IV) Department, G.O.Ms. No. 176 (Alluri Sitharama Raju; Gazette No. 475), No. 177 (Visakhapatnam; Gazette No. 476) and No. 178 (Anakapalli; Gazette No. 477), 2 April 2022, final notifications printed in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette, Part I Extraordinary, 3 April 2022: notification PDF p. 1, Schedule-I PDF p. 2 (archive.org copies: 176 (opens in a new tab), 177 (opens in a new tab), 178 (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 24 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  6. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 25 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  7. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), PDF p. 2 (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  8. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 27 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  9. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 29 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  10. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 35 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 33 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  12. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 34 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  13. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 47 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  14. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 51 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  15. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 53 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  16. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 54 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  17. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 55 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  18. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 57 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  19. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (1907), p. 58 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  20. “Prime Minister’s Statement on Andhra”, 25 March 1953, printed in Madras Legislative Assembly Debates, 2 April 1953, appendix, pp. 823–825 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)); The History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1861–1961) (1961), pp. 249–250 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  21. Purnachandra Rao, Portrait of Population (1981), p. 16 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  22. Ch. Purnachandra Rao, Census of India 1981, Andhra Pradesh: Portrait of Population (1981), p. 13 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  23. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Act No. 6 of 2014), ss. 2–4, pp. 1–2 (Gazette copy (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  24. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), p. 23 (PDF p. 58) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  25. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), p. 25 (PDF p. 60) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  26. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (2006), p. xxviii (PDF p. 19) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  27. Directorate of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2011, Andhra Pradesh (Series 29): District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District, Part XII-A (Village and Town Directory) (2014), p. 17 (PDF p. 35) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

Places in this district (6)

Monuments in this district (1)

Inscriptions found in this district (3)

References

Sources (8)
  1. Ch. Purnachandra Rao (Census of India 1981), Census of India 1981, Andhra Pradesh: Portrait of Population (opens in a new tab), Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, 1981, pp. 13; 16. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  2. Government of Andhra Pradesh, Revenue (Lands-IV) Department, Restructuring / formation of districts: final notifications, G.O.Ms. Nos. 173 to 198 (2 April 2022) (opens in a new tab), Andhra Pradesh Gazette, Part I Extraordinary, Nos. 472 to 497 (3 April 2022), 2022, PDF pp. 1–2 of each notification. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  3. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Vizagapatam, Vol. I (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1907, pp. 24–29, 33–35, 47, 51–58. [Public domain]
  4. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District (Parts A and B) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2006, xx, xxviii, 15, 17, 23, 25; PDF p. 2. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  5. Directorate of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2011, Andhra Pradesh (Series 29): District Census Handbook, Visakhapatnam District, Part XII-A (Village and Town Directory) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2014, pp. 17. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  6. Madras Legislative Assembly, Prime Minister's Statement on the Establishment of Andhra State (Assembly debates, 2 April 1953) (opens in a new tab), Madras Legislative Assembly, 1953, pp. 823–825. [Public domain in India]
  7. Inspector-General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, The History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1861-1961) (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, 1961, pp. 249–250. [Public domain in India]
  8. Parliament of India, The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Act No. 6 of 2014) (opens in a new tab), Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 1 (1 March 2014), 2014, pp. 1–2 (ss. 2–4). [Public domain (Indian enactment; Copyright Act 1957, s. 52(1)(q))]

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