‘From Vizag’: Rohit Vijjapu’s book chronicles the sights and history of Visakhapatnam

Rohit Vijjapu’s new picture book from Vizag It offers a measured and affectionate portrait of Visakhapatnam, shaped by two years of digital drawing and almost four years of research and development. The 130-page coffee table book features illustrations accompanied by short, reflective notes placed before or after the artwork. Together they form a steady, immersive walk through the city’s layered history, its quotidian rhythms, and the diverse landscapes where Rohit spent his formative years.

Even though Rohit is a product manager and designer in Bengaluru, it’s clear that art remains his chosen avenue to examine the world around him. The book is a collection of scenes that many residents instinctively recognize: the expanse of hills meeting the coastline, the hustle and bustle of the city’s mornings, and the pockets of heritage that reinforce the city’s identity. There are drawings of the Jagadamba Theatre; the old Poorna Market, where past and present sit side by side; Dutch cemetery in Bheemunipatnam. The aerial map of the city’s topography appears as a quiet pause in the book, offering a greater sense of space before the reader returns to the ground.

Rohit explains that his journey started with a sketch that refused to leave his mind. “I noticed an autorickshaw passing me carrying a huge fish,” he says, describing how he stayed on the image until he finally drew it. “After I finished the manuscript, a colleague suggested I create a book around these observations. This idea encouraged me to look at the history of the city.”

Most of the initial work took place during the pandemic when Rohit returned to his hometown Visakhapatnam from Bengaluru. Since the city was unusually quiet, he had time to explore places he had previously overlooked. “I was able to watch meteor showers in Araku and talk to people who explained the cultural ties that bind various parts of the region together,” he says. These encounters shaped several chapters of the book that continually move between heritage, seasonal landscapes and the lived realities of Visakhapatnam and surrounding communities.

Color plays a role that is considered throughout from Vizag. Rohit has chosen a palette that varies according to the theme of each episode. Heritage sections use black and gray to reflect archival materials and architectural remains. Summer pages are full of restrained but bright yellow, introduced gradually rather than in dramatic bursts. Older parts of the city appear in earthy red and warm sepia tones. None of these options are decorative; They act as a visual guide, giving the reader an idea of ​​time, temperature, and mood.

Despite the ease with which the images come to be, Rohit admits that the historical sections require the longest attention. “I wanted to make sure everything in the history section was accurate and presented responsibly,” he says. “I consulted historians and historians. Visakhapatnam’s historical narrator Jayshree Hatangad guided me through many details that were crucial to the narrative.” The book gives a brief overview of pre-Independence Waltair, covering the arrival of European traders and the presence of both Dutch and British in Visakhapatnam. One chapter states: “After the Battle of Vizagapatnam in 1804, the British East India Company gained full authority over the city, replacing French control.”

Rohit also revisits bits of the city’s colonial past, including the “bomb that never exploded”, which was frequently mentioned during World War II and remains a source of curiosity for many locals. These references are neither sensational nor emotional; They appear to be part of an attempt to fit Visakhapatnam’s gift into the long timeline.

In the following chapters, the book expands its scope by moving from historical landmarks to natural habitats. Rohit devotes a chapter to the Araku Valley, the tribal communities of the region, the annual return of Olive Ridley turtles to the shore, and the flora and fauna that frame the city’s changing seasons. There is also a study of the city shot at night, seen not as a spectacle but as a growing urban area carrying its own quiet energy.

from Vizag It can be ordered online at www.rohitvijjapu.com. Physical copies are available at Dys Art Gallery and Gupta Book Store in Visakhapatnam.