Eluru is the headquarters of West Godavari District, sitting in the fertile delta plain between the Krishna and Godavari rivers in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The Tammileru river splits into two branches and wraps around the town, while the Krishna–Eluru canal cuts through its centre. The Chennai–Kolkata highway and the Visakhapatnam–Chennai railway both pass through, making it a well-connected regional hub rather than an off-the-beaten-track destination.
History
The town's older name, Helapuri, hints at its deep roots. Eluru lay within the Buddhist kingdom of Vengi, and the Eastern Chalukyas ruled this stretch of coastal Andhra from around 700 AD to 1200 AD with Vengi as their capital. The town passed through the hands of the Kalinga empire, the Gajapatis, the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya (who took it from the Gajapatis in 1515), and finally the Nawabs of Golconda. The old fort was built by Muslim rulers using stones taken from Vengi-era temples — one nearby stone still bears 25 inscriptions. In 1925 West Godavari District was formed with Eluru as its administrative centre, a role it continues to hold.
Kolleru Lake
The single best reason to visit Eluru is the short road trip to Kolleru Lake, 15 km away. One of the largest freshwater lakes in India, Kolleru spreads across 674 sq km (expanding to around 954 sq km at peak flood levels) and sits between West Godavari and Krishna districts. From November to March the lake fills with migratory birds: painted storks, open-bill storks, grey herons, cormorants, white ibises, egrets, teals, pintails, shovellers and more. It was once famous for its grey pelican colony. The lake is a designated wildlife sanctuary and a Ramsar wetland site; Atapaka Bird Sanctuary on the southern shore is the easiest access point.
Dwaraka Tirumala
About 40 km from Eluru is Dwaraka Tirumala, locally called Chinna Tirupathi (Little Tirupathi). The hilltop Venkateswara temple draws large numbers of pilgrims daily, particularly on weekends and festival days. Eluru is the nearest railway station for pilgrims heading there.
In town
In Eluru itself, the Buddha Park on the old Gaja Vallivari tank is a reminder of the town's Buddhist past as part of the Vengi kingdom. The Sanivarapupeta Someswara Temple is the oldest active shrine in the town, traditionally attributed to the Eastern Chalukyas. Eluru's surviving hand-knotted wool carpet workshops, founded by Persian weavers in the seventeenth century, are an unusual local craft and a few workshops are open to visitors.
Getting there
Eluru sits on the main Chennai–Kolkata railway line and has good bus connections to Vijayawada (about 65 km south-west) and Rajahmundry. The nearest airport is Vijayawada.