A unique getaway near Vizag you wouldn’t want to miss

Tucked away in the remote corner of the city is a theme park with a difference. Located close to Vizianagaram, Ramanarayanam is an ideal getaway when you seek an experience which is unique. Located 35 km off Vizag, this theme park has set standards in many ways and is attracting tourists. It’s a spot that has to be on your travel list.

A theme park

Themed around the great epic of Ramayana, this is the first-of-its-kind near Vizag in Andhra Pradesh. Stretching over an area of 20 acres, the park is home to verdant greenery and houses a unique bow and arrow shaped construction.

While the park stays open from 9 am onwards, it is best visited in the evenings. That is when the entire area is lit up in the colours of the rainbow. Beautiful fountains along the length of the bow transform the place into a beautiful dream-like destination. The cool breeze rejuvenates you with a fresh burst of oxygen.

To help the old and disabled, battery operated cars are provided at the entrance. Children have the spacious outdoors to play in. Also, a boutique restaurant offering a completely vegetarian fare ensures that no one goes hungry.

A great epic into which you would travel to

The entrance to the two-storied bow and arrow structure is from one end of the arrow. The visitors are soon inside a centrally air conditioned complex depicting a series of sculptures from Ramayana. Vibrant in colour, rich in emotions and full of life, the sixty sculptures were created by artisans from different parts of the country. They depict scenes right from the time of Rama’s birth to his coronation as the king of Ayodhya. With messages elucidating the meaning of each scene, audio support in six different languages will soon be offered. One exits from the gallery at the tip of the arrow, where a colossal statue of Hanuman stands tall.

A spiritual destination

While a traditional Vishnu temple is part of the complex, the Rama centre for channelling inner peace, a residential Veda Pathshala that imparts lessons on the four Vedas and a dairy farm are all part of the project.

This is definitely a unique way of depicting the Ramayana, and the seed of the idea was planted two generations ago when Sri Narayanam Narasimhamurthi conceptualised. Choosing a few scenes from the large epic was a challenge and Sri Narayanam deepened his understanding of the Valmiki Ramayana. He visited scholars on the subject across the nation and then chose 60 aspects of the story to be converted into sculptures. Artisans from across the nation were enlisted to carve the sculptures with intense detailing.

Carefully thought out, creatively crafted, the Ramanarayanam leaves an impression in everyone’s mind. Accessible by road, though the theme park has started functioning just one year ago, it sees a footfall of thousands of people each day. With a grand present, the future plans of the Ramanarayanam are as illustrious. These include expansion of current facilities to include musical fountains and entertainment options along the lines of Sentosa in Singapore.

With so much to look forth to in the landscape of Vizag, this place is already a delight to travel to and if you haven’t visited it yet, then do plan to do so.