Temples in Visakhapatnam
Vizag's great temple is Simhachalam, on a hill north-west of the city, where the deity stays hidden under sandalwood paste for all but one day a year. In the old town, the Kanaka Mahalakshmi temple draws big crowds on Thursdays.
Simhachalam
The Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Simhachalam stands on a hill about 16 km from the city centre. Inscriptions here go back to the 11th century, and the main shrine was rebuilt in the 13th century by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I, in the Kalinga style you also see at Konark. Unusually, the temple faces west. The deity, Vishnu as Varaha Narasimha, is covered all year in sandalwood paste, which gives it the shape of a lingam. Only on Akshaya Tritiya, in April or May, is the paste removed for Chandanotsavam, and that day draws enormous crowds.
Phones and cameras must be left in the cloakroom. Traditional dress is preferred. Darshan usually pauses for a while around midday and again in the late afternoon, so check the times before you travel out.
Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi
This temple in the Burujupeta lanes of the old town is dedicated to Mahalakshmi, and it is unusual in that the sanctum has no roof: the goddess is worshipped in the open. Thursdays are busy, and during the month of Margasira, around November and December, the queues fill the street. It is a working neighbourhood temple, so go with patience and modest clothes.
Other shrines
On the RK Beach promenade stands a Kali temple that locals visit on their evening walk. Ross Hill, near the port, has a church at the top, and the neighbouring hills carry a dargah and a Venkateswara temple, a small reminder of how mixed the old port town has always been.
The Buddhist hills
Long before these temples, the hills around Vizag held Buddhist monasteries. Excavated sites at Thotlakonda and Bavikonda, on the road north towards Bheemunipatnam, show the ruins of stupas and monks' cells. They are quiet, open hilltops with sea views.
Visiting well
- Go early. Hill temples are cooler and calmer in the first hours.
- Carry small change for footwear and phone counters.
- Do not photograph rituals or people praying without asking.
- On major festival days, expect long queues and traffic on the hill road.
Questions
Visakhapatnam — FAQ
Can non-Hindus visit Simhachalam temple?
Visitors of other faiths do go to Simhachalam, but follow the temple's lead: dress traditionally, leave phones outside, and be respectful in the queue. If staff ask you to wait or step aside, do so.
What is Nijaroopa Darshan at Simhachalam?
It is the one day a year, on Akshaya Tritiya in April or May, when the sandalwood paste is removed and the deity is seen in its true form. Crowds are huge, and darshan starts before dawn.
Why is Kanaka Mahalakshmi temple open to the sky?
The sanctum has no roof, so the goddess is worshipped in the open air. It is the feature that sets this old-town temple apart, and devotees see it as part of her nature rather than something unfinished.
Are there Buddhist sites near Visakhapatnam?
Yes. Thotlakonda and Bavikonda, north of the city towards Bheemunipatnam, have the excavated remains of Buddhist monasteries and stupas on hilltops.