Bhimavaram is a city in West Godavari district of the Indian state Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Bhimavaram mandal in Narasapur revenue division.As of 2011 census, it is the second most populous city in the district with a population of 142,184. Mahatma Gandhi coined the name of the city as "Second Bardoli of India", when he visited the place during the freedom movement in India. It one of the major pilgrimage centers in the state, which is home to Somaramam, one of the five great Pancharama Kshetras.
Along with much of present-day coastal Andhra Pradesh, Bhimavaram was controlled by the Chola dynasty. Under Kulothunga Chola I, Bhimavaram was ruled by his sons who served as viceroys. Various stone inscriptions have been found in the town dating from his reign (c. 1096 C.E.).
The name Bhimavaram literally means "the gift of Bhima". According to a legend, in around 890–918 AD, an Eastern Chalukya king named Chalukya Bheema built a Siva temple and laid the foundation to this town. It was originally called "Bhimapuram", but the name gradually changed to "Bhimavaram"; "puram" refers to a dwelling place while "varam" means an endowment in Telugu.
Bhimavaram (Assembly constituency) is one of the 15 constituencies of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in West Godavari district. As per the Delimitation Orders (2008), the constituency covers Veeravasaram and Bhimavaram mandals. It also covers Bhimavaram (M+OG), Bhimavaram (M) - Ward No. 1 to 27, China-Amiram (OG) (Part) - Ward No. 28, Rayalam (R) (OG) (Part) - Ward No. 29.
It is part of the Narsapuram Lok Sabha constituency along with another six Vidhan Sabha segments, namely, Achanta, Palakol, Narasapuram, Undi, Tanuku, and Tadepalligudem.