Vijayawada, formerly known as Bezawada, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Krishna River surrounded by the hills of the Eastern Ghats, known as the Indrakeeladri Hills. The city is home to the important Hindu shrine of Kanaka Durga Temple. It geographically lies on the center spot of Andhra Pradesh. The city has been described as the commercial, political, cultural and educational capital of Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of NTR district. The Prakasam Barrage across the Krishna River connects the NTR and Guntur districts.

The Krishna River is a river in the Deccan plateau and is the third-longest river in India, after the Ganges and Godavari. It is also the fourth-largest in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganges, Indus and Godavari. The river, also called Krishnaveni, is 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) long and its length in Maharashtra is 282 kilometres. It is a major source of irrigation in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.