Visakhapatnam Quiz | India

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Very simple. What was Vizag before it became an industrial city of a population of 1.2 million sleepy folk?

Answer: A sleepy fishing hamlet

The eastern coastal city of Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam (popularly known as Vizag) began as a small fishing village of just a few hundred people, and has developed into a progressive, cosmopolitan port city, and bustling industrial and commercial center with over one million people.

2. Vizag is better known as Visakhapatnam. But the Colonial British built another settlement away from the port. It housed their residence and the University. Simple again . What was the name of this settlement.

Answer: Waltair

Today, Waltair is just a part of Vizag. It is now confined to the University area and is divided as Chinna Waltair and Pedda Waltair. Lawson's Bay adjoins them.

3. A museum stands on a beach of Vizag. It is the only one of its kind in Asia. Only the USA, the UK and Russia have such museums. What are we talking about here?

Answer: A Submarine Museum

INS Kursura, built in the USSR and commissioned in the Indian Navy as its fourth submarine on December 18, 1969, played a crucial role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Decommissioned in February 2001, it now majestically rests in an enclosed area at the Ramakrishna Beach in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

The narrow entrance has been cut open wider and exhibits have been put in place, including a photo gallery depicting the sub's past glory and mannequins to show the working of various units.

4. Vizag had its brief taste of WW2. In 1945, Japanese planes bombed the harbour here causing some damage. One of their bombs intended for the harbour went astray but did not explode. It was later defused. For many years, the bomb was in possession of the institution that 'received' it from the flying Japanese. Now it rests in the Visakha Museum. Which institution wa the unintended target of this Japanese bomb?

Answer: The St. Aloysius High School

In 1942, Visakhapatnam became the site of an important battle of the Second World War. The Japanese conquered Burma and were advancing into India on the North-East. On the morning of the memorable day of 6th April, 1942, Japanese war planes attacked a number of Allied Ships carrying ammunition into the port of Visakhaptnam.

The bombing was so severe that the whole of the town of Visakhapatnam was shaken. However, the Japanese planes did not deliberately attack any civilian targets here.

5. Landmark. It is a huge (357 mt high) promontory jutting out into the sea. It resembles some mammal. It also shelters the harbour, from where manganese and iron ore are shipped out. The nation's most powerful lighthouse stands on it and directs ships 65 kms away. Name this defining landmark of Vizag.

Answer: The Dolphin's Nose

There is a Dolphin's Nose each in Ooty and Kodaikanal too. Horse's Head is Kudremukh, a mining hill town in Karnataka. The Elephant's Trunk is a loose translation of 'Khartoum', capital of Sudan. The chicken's neck? That one, I just made up! Well actually the narrow corridor between West Bengal and Assam flanked by Bhutan and Bangladesh is a kind of chicken's neck!

6. It is the oldest municipality after Surat in India. A bustling port once upon a time, it lost out to some sleepy little hamlet as a city of destiny when the port was re-located to Vizag. It was host to the Dutch East Indies Company and is a home to a Dutch Cemetery and a synagogue. Name this resort town.

Answer: Bheemunipatnam (or Bhimli)

One of the finest sea resorts in India, Bheemunipatnam (popularly known as 'Bhimli') is located at a distance of 24 kilometers NE of Vizag. In 1624 the Dutch arrived here, and in the fight that ensued between the locals and Dutch, 101 Dutch soliders and 200 locals died (as recorded in the Visakhapatnam Gazetteer). Later the Dutch made their peace with the locals and started business.

In 1661 they constructed a fort measuring 235 x 405 feet with four minarets, a clock tower and a mint (in the present clock tower area).

The fort was completely ruined.

7. Andhra University. One of India's presidents served as the Vice Chancellor of this University at Waltair. Name him.

Answer: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Located amidst sylvan surroundings in the Waltair Uplands, Andhra University is the first to be named after a South Indian language and also the first to be conceived as a residential teaching-cum-affiliating university mainly devoted to PG courses and research.Its strong foundations were laid by its the first two Vice-Chancellors, Sri C. R. Reddy and Sri S. Radhakrishnan, who brought great men of science and letters into the portals of Andhra University, such as Sir C. V. Raman and Sir Rabindranath Tagore.

They literally illuminated the young minds in those days in Andhra University. Nobel Laureate Sir C.V. Raman was the Honorary Professor of Physics until his death.

8. Industry! Which of these industries is Vizag a host to?

Answer: All of these.

It may not be the most picturesque seaside resort in the world, but it's not your grey, industry-ridden, cargo-handling port city either. In fact, what it is, is the best of both worlds. Identified as the gateway of ASEAN, it boasts of a 3 million tons per annum steel plant, a huge ship building center, a 1000MW coal power plant, a large oil refinery and a huge fertilizer plant.

It's port handles the worst cargo: coal, iron ore, sulphur, phosporus and manganese. Somehow, it still does not figure in the list of the most polluted cities in the world!!

9. Indian Navy. I might be divulging a state secret but then it is already available on the Net. Simply tell me what is INS Virbahu in Vizag?

Answer: A submarine base

The Eastern Naval Command is a full-fledged operational command with it's HQ in Vizag, where the fleet provides naval defence in the Bay of Bengal. Equipped with a submarine base (INS Virbahu), a submarine school (INS Satavahana), it plays host to the Flag Officer Submarines (FOSM) which are responsible for all submarine matters of Indian Navy. No wonder INS Kursura was immortalised here.

10. Like the City of Dreaming Spires for Oxford, the City of Lights for Paris, the Windy City for Chicago, what sobriquet was given to Vizag/Visakhapatnam?

Answer: City of Destiny

It's a strange thing, but there are still many people who confuse with Vizag, Visakhapatnam and Waltair, when in reality, they are all different names of the same place. Like one bloke who asked me on a train to Visakhapatnam. "Will this train go upto Waltair Junction.? Or will it terminate at Visakhapatnam Junction?" So perhaps it's also "The City of Confusion!"

Source: Author rangss

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Visakhapatnam Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz on Vizag (or Visakhapatnam), a city someplace in this wide world. Well actually it is on the East Coast of India. Just a tribute to my home town. It could be tough. So search for a website on Vizag. There are 3 good ones.

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