Bheemili Lighthouse: The 158-year-old sentinel that has watched over Vizag’s changing shores

Standing quietly along the shores of Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam, popularly known as Bheemili, at just 10.97 metres tall, the Bheemili Lighthouse may not possess the towering stature associated with many of India’s famous lighthouses, but its story is far larger than its size. To understand the significance of the Bheemili Lighthouse, one has to look beyond the structure itself and into the history of the town it calls home.

Bheemunipatnam is often described as the second oldest municipality in India after Chennai. Local legend attributes the town’s name and origins to Bhima, one of the Pandavas, who is believed to have visited or founded the settlement during their travels. A temple associated with the Pandavas can also be found in the vicinity. However, the region’s history stretches much further back, with archaeological evidence pointing towards Buddhist habitation as early as the 3rd century BCE.

Bheemili had emerged as a significant trading port under the Dutch East India Company by the 17th century. The port became an important centre for maritime trade, with commodities such as rice and textiles passing through its shores. The Dutch presence left a lasting imprint on the town, traces of which can still be found in its historic structures. When Dutch influence eventually declined, Bheemili remained connected to maritime activity during the British period. Passenger vessels reportedly operated between the port and cities such as Chennai and Kolkata. Several structures from the period, including the town’s clock tower, became part of Bheemili’s distinctive heritage. And then there was the lighthouse.

Built in 1868, the Bheemili Lighthouse, with its circular brick masonry tower, rises to approximately 10.97 metres to provide a dependable light to vessels navigating the waters near Bheemili, where the Gosthani River meets the Bay of Bengal. Like many historic lighthouses, the Bheemili Lighthouse in Visakhapatnam has evolved with changing navigational technology. The lighthouse currently uses a 15-metre luminous apparatus and has a geographical range of approximately 12 nautical miles. Its lighting system was upgraded to an LED beacon in 2018, bringing modern technology to a structure that dates back to the 19th century. Its light has a distinctive white flash every nine seconds, a characteristic that helps mariners identify the lighthouse and distinguish it from other navigational lights along the coast. Today, the lighthouse is under the control of the Department of Ports, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

At 158 years old, the Bheemili Lighthouse, which is small in stature but immense in history, continues to shine over a coastline that has seen the world change around it.

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