Bhimavaram

Introduction

Bhimavaram is a town in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India, and serves as the district headquarters. It is also the administrative centre of Bhimavaram mandal within Bhimavaram revenue division, and falls under the Bhimavaram Urban Development Authority.

The town is one of the major pilgrimage centres in the state, home to Somaramam, one of the five great Pancharama Kshetras. Plan your visit around this temple heritage, which gives Bhimavaram its standing as a destination for pilgrims travelling through coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Getting there

Bhimavaram has no airport of its own, so most travellers arrive via one of the larger regional gateways. Flights connect Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore with Vijayawada, which is less than two hours from Bhimavaram by bus. Alternatively, you can fly into Hyderabad on a national or international connection and continue by train, a journey of roughly nine to ten hours. Chennai is another option for international arrivals, with a train ride of about ten hours to Bhimavaram.

By rail, Bhimavaram's own station sees every train passing through it make a halt, and long-distance services at Eluru station put much of the country within reach. Local suburban trains link Gudivada, Bhimavaram, Nidadavolu and Narasapur. APS RTC buses cover longer distances within and beyond the state, including to Hyderabad and Bangalore, and many private buses serve the centre, suburbs and rural areas. Parking in the city is improving; two-wheelers are generally easy to park, while cars can be harder to accommodate.

Getting around

Bhimavaram is compact enough to navigate without much fuss, and your main options are buses, auto-rickshaws, taxis, local trains, and your own two feet. Auto-rickshaws are the usual choice for short trips within town, while taxis and local cars suit longer errands or days when you have luggage. Buses, run by APSRTC from Bhimavaram bus station alongside many private operators, are the main public transport within and around the city and also cover longer distances within the state and beyond. For short regional hops, local trains connect Gudivada, Bhimavaram, Nidadavolu and Narasapur; circular trains for the city region are described as a future introduction, so plan around the existing services for now.

Rail is the other backbone: Bhimavaram Town station serves the downtown and Bhimavaram Junction the suburban side, and almost all trains passing through one also pass through the other, so you can usually board or alight at whichever is more convenient for where you are staying. The Gudivada–Bhimavaram section links the town to the Howrah–Chennai main line. Walking works well for the downtown, where the Gunupudi Someswara (Somarama) temple and the temple of the local deity Mavullamma both sit, and in downtown and busy areas motorbiking or bicycling can often be quicker than taking an auto-rickshaw or a taxi. Parking two-wheelers is generally easy, though finding parking for cars is a bit harder. If you arrive by air, the nearest airport is Rajahmundry, with Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Chennai as practical gateways; from either railway station you can continue by auto-rickshaw, taxi or bus to your accommodation.

Where to stay

Bhimavaram offers a modest choice of places to stay, with a handful of hotels and lodges serving travellers passing through town. Options are practical rather than luxurious, so it pays to check a room before settling in.

Food & drink

Bhimavaram's eating scene is grounded in the everyday cooking of coastal Andhra Pradesh, so expect rice as the anchor of most meals, served with lentil preparations and the tangy, tamarind-soured dishes the region is known for. Seafood and freshwater fish from the surrounding delta country are common, usually cooked simply with chilli and curry leaf rather than dressed up.

• Nihuusravee, on Main Road, is the one eating place listed for the city and a sensible starting point for a sit-down meal.

For drinking, the source offers nothing specific, so plan on the usual South Indian standbys — filter coffee, tea, and cool drinks — taken with your meals rather than sought out separately.

What to see and do

Bhimavaram's main sight is the Somarama Temple, a Shiva temple that anchors the town for visitors and pilgrims alike.

Three days in Bhimavaram

Day one: Arrive in Bhimavaram, the heart of West Godavari in Andhra Pradesh, and settle into the town's easy rhythm. Plan your arrival around the rail options: Bhimavaram Town and Bhimavaram Junction are the two stations serving the town, with connections toward Gudivada, Eluru, Nidadavolu, Narasapur, Rajahmundry and beyond. If you come by air, the nearest practical gateways are Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, from where APS RTC buses run toward the region. Once you are in, local transport is straightforward: APSRTC buses, autos and walking will cover most of what you need, and parking is available in town. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings and visiting the Mavullamma temple, one of the town's best-known shrines.

• Rail access via Bhimavaram Town and Bhimavaram Junction
• Bus connections through APSRTC from nearby towns such as Gudivada, Eluru, Nidadavolu and Narasapur
• Autos and walking for local movement

Day two: Give the day to the Somaramam and the Pancharama Kshetras. Bhimavaram's Gunupudi Someswara temple, also known as Somarama, is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras, and it anchors the town's identity as a pilgrimage centre. Take your time here rather than rushing between stops. The Bhimavaram Urban Development Authority oversees the town's civic planning, and the area around the temple is easy to explore on foot. Keep the evening free to wander and eat locally.

Day three: Use your last day to slow down and fill in what you missed. Revisit the Somaramam area if you want a quieter look, or spend the morning walking through town and along the streets near the Mavullamma temple. If you are heading onward, check your connections: trains toward Gudivada and the Howrah line, or APSRTC buses to Eluru, Nidadavolu, Narasapur and Rajahmundry. For departures by air, plan your route back to Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Chennai or Bangalore. Leave time for a final meal before you go.