Simhachalam Hill Range
{{Short description|Mountain range in Andhra Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox mountain
|name= Simhachalam Hill Range
|native_name={{native name|te|Simhachalam Kondalu}}
|photo=Simhachalam Hills on a rainy day.JPG|photo_caption=Simhachalam Hills
|map=India Visakhapatnam|map_size=|map_alt=|map_caption=
|map_relief=|label=Simhachalam Hills|label_position=right
|location=Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
|elevation_m=377|elevation_ref=
|prominence_m=|prominence_ref=
|listing=
|range=Eastern Ghats
|coordinates={{coord|17.760932|N|83.266455|E|type:mountain_region:IN_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}|coordinates_ref=
|topo=
|first_ascent=|easiest_route=
|range_coordinates=
}}
The Simhachala Hill Range, with the anglicised name Simhachalam Hills, are a towering mountain range (377 m) in the city of Visakhapatnam, in Andhra Pradesh state, southern India. It is one of the hill ranges in Andhra Pradesh and in the Eastern Ghats.{{cite web|title=Latitude | first=Info | last=Data| date=14 April 2019 |url=https://www.distancesto.com/elevation/in/simhachalam-hill-range/history/29864.html|newspaper=Distance To|accessdate=24 April 2019}}
Geography
The Simhachalam Hills form part of the eastern ranges of the Eastern Ghats system. These hills cover an area of 32 km.{{cite web|title=Geography | first=Editor | last=Writer| date=21 June 2020 |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/visakhapatnam-simhachalam-temple-cancels-giri-pradakshina-630284|newspaper=The Hans India|accessdate=26 June 2020}}
History
The Simhachalm Hill Range has a lot of rich history. The famous Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple is located here. The Chalukya period Radha Madhava Swamy temple and some old Buddhist monuments are also found here.{{cite web|title=Geography | first=Ramesh | last=Susarla| date=11 July 2020 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/Buddhist-structures-found-in-Simhachalam-hill-range/article16193234.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=12 July 2010}}
Devotional
The hills house many temples including the Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple and other smaller ones; every year a festival is held called the Giri Pradakshina, where Hindu devotees walk 35km around the hill.{{cite web|title=Devotional | first=City | last=News| date=8 July 2017 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/simhachalam-ready-for-giri-pradakshina/articleshow/59495920.cms|newspaper=Times of India |accessdate=7 July 2020}}
About
The neighborhoods of Visakhapatnam city situated near the hill range are Adavivaram, Akkayyapalem, Balayya Sastri Layout, Gopalapatnam, Hanumanthavaka, Kailasapuram, Madhavadhara, Narasimha Nagar, Prahaladapuram, and Seethammadhara.
Flora and fauna
Simhachalam Hills protected Visakhapatnam city environmental hazards{{Clarify|reason=poor grammar|date=August 2021}} and Andhra University has found 74 varieties of flora and 200 species.{{cite web|title=Flora | first=Sumith | last=Bhattacharya| date=16 May 2014|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/human-negligence-blamed-for-forest-fire/article22937385.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=19 May 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Eastern Ghats}}
{{Visakhapatnam}}
Category:Mountain ranges of India
Category:Visakhapatnam district
Category:South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
Category:Tourist attractions in Visakhapatnam
Category:Geography of Visakhapatnam
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