Once a Small fishing Village under the Mighty Kalinga Empire during the regime of Ashoka the Great (272-232 B.C). Later on this Port town successively passed on from the Andhra Kings of Vengi to the Pallavas, Cholas and the Gangas and then later in the 15th century Vizag became a part of the Vijaya Nagar Empire.

The Epic City. The antiquity of the region is evident as it is mentioned in both the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The former tells of the forests through which Rama travelled in search of his abducted wife Sita , and where he meets his devotee, Shabari, who directs him to the mountains where Hanuman lives. Rama also meets Jambuvan, half-bear half-man, who helps him in his battle with Ravana. It was here, too, that Bheema defeated the demon Bakasura - the Pandava's huge stone club can be seen in the village of Uppada, about 40 km away.

Buddhist Influence. The religious Hindu texts mention that the region of Vizag in the 5th century BC was part of the vast Kalinga territory which extended up to River Godavari. The relics found in the area also prove the existence of a Buddhist empire in the region. Kalinga later lost the territory to King Ashoka in the bloodiest battle of the time which prompted him to embrace Buddhism.