Scintillating scenery of Srikakulam.
The only temple on earth for Lord Vishnu’s first incarnation, Tortoise, was situated at SriKurmam in Srikakulam. Not only this, but also the strong habitat of Buddhist settlements dating back to the pre-Christ Era at Dantapuram found in Srikakulam. Srikakulam is part of the Kalinga Kingdom, and later the Chola and Ganga dynasties ruled this area. Nizams also ruled this for some years before the invasion of East India Company from Britain. This is at the extreme north-eastern end of Andhra Pradesh and is coterminous with Odisha State.
Rivers, forests, and hills in Srikakulam.
Srikakulam has two natural regions: one, the hilly region called the Agency Area, mostly inhabited by tribal populations, and the other, the plain area with fertile lands. There are two famous rivers, i.e., Vamsadhara and Nagavali, that flow from north to east. Srikakulam district was notified in 1950 while bifurcating from Visakhpatnam, and some of its Taluks were transferred to Vizianagaram district afterwards. Forest areas can be observed along the border of Odisha. Srikakulam spread with NH 16 (5) around 194 km from Kandivalasagedda at Ransthalam Mandal to Ichapuram Mandal. Kalingapatnam Port is a minor port nowadays but has had a great track record for overseas business in the past.
Culture and festivals in Srikakulam.
There is a great Telugu accent prevalent in Srikakulam, often spoken by heroes in movies as part of comedy scenes. Even the name Srikakulam is transformed into Sikkolu in the media. The main festival in Srikakulam is the Arasavalli Chariot Tour, where the Sun God is worshipped as the second most important Sun Temple in India after Konark, which was built in the 7th century by Devendra Varma. This is celebrated on the seventh day of Magha Month in the Telugu calendar and is widely known as Ratha Sapthami. Many women did not wear blouses in the rural parts of Srikakulam and wore golden rings on their noses as well as their ears.