Bezawada is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, located on the banks of the Krishna River. It is located east of proposed Andhra Pradesh Capital City and is the second largest city in the state after Visakhapatnam. The city is a major trading and business center and hence, it is also known as "The Business Capital of Andhra Pradesh".[10][11] As of 2011 census, the city had a population of 1,048,240, making it the second largest city in the state with a million plus population and it had an urban agglomeration population of 1,491,202.[6][7]

The city has been recognised as a "Global City of the Future" by McKinsey Quarterly.[12] It is one of the commercial hubs of Andhra Pradesh with a GDP of $3 billion in 2010, and is expected to increase to $17 billion by 2025.[13] According to Ministry of Urban Development, it is the cleanest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh with a total of 49.060 points.[14] The political, agricultural, industrial sectors are a boon for its recognition. It is the hub of transportation with one of the largest railway junctions in India.

Etymology:
There are many tales behind the origin of the name Vijayawada. Goddesses Durga killed the demon and relaxed in this place for some time. As she was victorious (Vijaya), the place got the name as Vijayawada (Vijaya: victory and Wada: place/location) which literally means "The Place of Victory". The Epic of Mahabharata refers to Indrakiladri hills as the place where Arjuna secured "Pasupathastra" from Lord Siva.[1] The city thereafter came to be known as Vijayavatika and later as Vijayawada.

In some legends, Vijayawada was referred to as Rajendracholapura. A tale behind its acquiring the name "Bezawada" is that Goddesses Krishnaveni (River Krishna) requested Arjuna to make a passage for her to merge into the Bay of Bengal. Hence, Arjuna made a bejjam (hole) through the mountains and the place came to be known as Bejjamwada which later changed to Bezawada.

History:
Vijayawada history reveals that Bezawada (Vijayawada) was ruled by King Madhava Varma (Ancestor of Pusapatis of Vizianagaram).[16]

The history of Vijayawada is largely shaped by the changes that were brought about in the city by the British rule. A major project, the Prakasam Barrage, was completed and a railway bridge over the River Krishna that connected Guntur City and its district was one of many improvements constructed.

Geography:
Vijayawada is surrounded by the Krishna river on the east and west, and the Budameru River on the north. The northern, northwestern, and southwestern parts of the city are covered by a low range of hills, while the central, southwestern and northwestern parts are covered by rich and fertile agriculture lands with three major irrigation canals. The topography of Vijayawada is flat, with a few small to medium-sized hills. The Krishna River runs along the city. These hills are part of the Eastern Ghats cut through by the Krishna river. Three canals originating from the north side of the Prakasham barrage reservoir, Eluru, Bandar and Ryves, run through the city

Climate:
Vijayawada has a tropical climate with hot summers and a monsoon season. Temperatures can reach 47 °C (117 °F) in May–June, while the winter temperatures rarely fall below 15 °C (59 °F). The average humidity is 78%, and the average annual rainfall is 106.7 cm. Vijayawada gets its rainfall from both the southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon. With its hot and humid conditions, the city is often referred as Blazewada.