Vizag

Etymology

The local belief behind the name of the city states that there was a king in the 4th century, who on his pilgrimage halted at Lawson's Bay and built a temple dedicated to Vaisakha, which was submerged under the sea, but the name of the temple became attached to the settlement. Other historical names are, Kulotungapatnam, named by the Chola King Kulottunga I; Ishakapatnam, based on a Muslim Saint, Syed Ali Madani (Ishak Madani). During the East India Company rule in India, the city was known with the name, Vizagapatnam. The suburb Waltair is another such name which was derived from the name the British colonial government used. "Vizagapatnam" could also be spelled Visakhapatnam in the West European alphabet. The name was popularly shortened to Vizag and this form was in use right from the earliest days of British colonial rule in the district in the late eighteenth century. It is still referred to as Vizag by locals too; however, since independence, people have reverted to calling it by its Indian name of Visakhapatnam.