History of visakhapatnam city was ruled by several dynasties including famous Kalingas during 7th century, Chankya’s during 8th century, Rajahmundry Reddy kings, Cholas, Golkonda Nawabs etc., Archaeological sources, however, reveal that the temple was possibly built between the 11th and 12th centuries AD by the Chola king, Kulottunga.

A shipping merchant, Sankarayya Chetty, built one of the mandapams, or pillared halls of the temple. Though it no longer exists - it may have been washed away about 100 years ago by a cyclonic storm - elderly residents of Vizag talk of visits to the ancient shrine by their grandparents.

The antiquity of the region is evident in its mention in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The former tells of the forests through which Rama traveled in search of his abducted wife, and where he met his devotee, Shabari, who directed him to the mountains where Hanuman lived. Rama also met Jambavan, a bear man, who helped him in his battle with Ravana.

It was here, too, that Bheema defeated the demon Bakasura - the Pandava’s huge stone club can be seen in the village of Uppalam, 40 kms away.

This region, formerly part of the great Kalinga Empire that stretched up to the river Godavari, has also been mentioned in Hindu and Buddhist texts from the 5th and 6th centuries BC, as well as by Sanskrit grammarians, Panini and Katyayana in the 4th century BC.

After Independence this was the biggest district in the country, which was then divided into three districts viz. Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and visakhapatnam.