Rajahmundry is situated on the banks of the river
Godavari in
East Godavari District. It was founded in 1022 by the Eastern
Chalukya ruler Rajaraja Narendra. It was a fortress town of both the
Bahmani and
Vijayanagar kingdoms. It has a rich cultural tradition of arts and crafts. The reputed poet, Adi Kavi Nannaya belonged to Rajahmundry. The place retains a few traces of its fine palaces and early fortifications.
The famous pilgrimage center at Rajahmundry is the Kotilingala temple on the banks of Godavari. The Godavari Pushkaram festival celebrated once every twelve years attracts a large number of pilgrims from all over the country.
The rail-cum-road bridge on the river Godavari linking
Kovvur and Rajahmundry, one of Asia's largest, is considered to be an engineering marvel. Rajahmundry is the center of tobacco industry and headquarters of the Godavari irrigation works. The current population here is just over half a milion.
