Andhra
Pradesh - Overview
One
of the southern states of India, Andhra Pradesh was created by combining the
old princely state of Hyderabad and the Telugu speaking portions of the
former Madras state. Andhra Pradesh is bordered by the states of
Maharashtra, Orissa, Chhattisgarh in the north, Tamil Nadu in the south,
Karnataka in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the East. With 2,75,045 sq.
kms of area and 7,57,27,541 population, Andhra Pradesh is the fourth largest
state of India by area and fifth largest by population. Andhra’s
population is a fusion of two religions, Hindu and Islam including a score
of aborigines and tribes. Andhraites are colourful people proud of their
sonorous language, Telugu and love music, dance, stage play and cinema.
Andhra Pradesh is a treasure trove of lush landscape, stalagmite and
stalactite caves, fragrant and fruit-laden groves, dense forests teeming
with varied wildlife, rich traditional and cultural heritage, old and new
temples and magnificent forts and monuments. Besides, the state is
criss-crossed by 34 big and small rivers, among them Godavari and Krishna
are the largest peninsular rivers. The Godavari and Krishna rivers form
large web-shaped deltas in the Andhra region, which make Andhra Pradesh’s
reputation as the ‘Rice bowl of India.’
Andhra Pradesh - History
Andhra Pradesh is an ancient realm whose history can be traced back to
thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Since its origin, Andhra
Pradesh has seen a succession of dynasties such as Mauryas, Satavahanas,
Ikshavakas, Pallavas, Eastern Chalukyas, Cholas, Kakatiyas, Vijaynagar
Kings, Qutab Shahi Kings, the Mughals and finally the Asaf Jahi Nizams.
History of Andhra Pradesh says that it was a part of kingdom of the Maurya
King Chandragupta and Ashoka. With the spread of Buddhism in the region,
Andhra became stronghold of Emperor Ashoka around 230 BC. Even today, you
can see traces of that early Buddhist influence in several places of the
state. Just after the death of Ashoka, Satavahana, built up the kingdom in
2nd century BC, which is now known as Hyderabad.
The Satavahanas ruled over Andhra Pradesh for 450 years
and later Pallavas held power, but they in turn fell to the Chalukyas in the
7th century. In the 10th century, the Chola Kings of the south held power
and in the 12th century, the Kakatiyas of Warangal became the rulers of
Andhra Pradesh. Later, the Hindu Vijaynagar kings occupied Andhra and in the
14th century Muslim rulers reached here.
A series of war broke out between the Hindu and Muslim rulers over the
control of this region. In 1707, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb died, eventually
the power of the Mughals in the south began to decrease. Finally in 1713,
the Emperor’s Viceroy of the South, Mir Qamruddin Khan took over the
region and declared himself as the Subedar. Further, in 1724, Mir Qamruddin
Khan assumed the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk and became the Nizam. Hence, the
rule of Nizams in Hyderabad began and they ruled the state right down to
India’s independence in 1947.
On 1st October 1953, in order to build up a democratic state, the Nizami
Hyderabad was cut off from Madras Presidency. With the South-west Telugu
speaking districts and 1,200 km long coastal area of Bay of Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh state came into existence.
Andhra
Pradesh - Tourist Destinations
A perfect blend of old and new, Andhra Pradesh attracts thousands of
tourists from all over the world. Andhra Pradesh was ruled by several
rulers, who built a number of temples, shrines, churches and mosques in the
state. Today, people with a keen interest in architecture or archaeology
visit the excavations or old sites of Andhra Pradesh. River and valleys,
mystic wildlife and unexplored caves, delectable food and invigorating
drinks, excellent architecture and exotic handicrafts, rich arts, crafts and
culture, colourful fair and festival, together draw large number of tourists
every year to the state. In Andhra Pradesh, there are hundreds of tourist
destinations, but each offers something unique in itself. Some of the
popular tourist destinations in Andhra Pradesh include
Hyderabad,
Visakhapatnam,
Warangal,
Vijayawada,
Tirupati, Nagarjuna Sagar,
Khammam, Kurnool and Karim Nagar.
Andhra Pradesh - Temples
The
historic land of Andhra Pradesh was ruled by a number of dynasties and
rulers who built several temples in this region. The architecture, sculpture
and the intricate construction patterns unique to several royal dynasties
are reflected in the temples of Andhra Pradesh. Although, some of the old
temples are in ruins, but many of them still stand as a witness to the
centuries of history and the patronage of various kingdoms such as the
Cholas, the Pallavas, the Chalukyas, the Eastern Gangas and the Vijayanagar
Kings. Some of the popular temples are Tirupati Temple, Vijayeswara Swami
Temple, Vemulawada Shiva Temple, Veerabhadraswami Temple, Thousand Pillar
Temple, Birla Mandir and Kanakadurga Temple.
Andhra Pradesh - Forts & Monuments
Andhra Pradesh houses a number of forts and historical monuments which
attract large number of tourists from all parts of the country and the world
as well. Built several centuries ago by the Hindu and Muslim rulers, the
forts and monuments of Andhra Pradesh retain their original charm even
today. In fact, they narrate the stories of their past and offer a glimpse
of the bygone era. Some of the important forts and monuments are Charminar,
Golconda Fort, Falaknuma Palace, Purani Haveli, Asmangarh Palace, Bhongir
Fort, Bobili Fort, Chandragiri Fort, Elgandal Qila, Gandhi Hill, Khammam
Fort, Kush Mahal, Kondapalli Fort, Kurnool Fort, Manthani Temples, Warangal
Fort and Udayagiri Fort.
Andhra Pradesh - Arts & Culture
Andhra Pradesh is bestowed with a rich and varied heritage of arts and
culture. Fine arts and traditional arts forms have been revered and
treasured in the region for a very long time now. Andhra Pradesh is known
for having all important categories of Indian handicrafts, which reflect the
genius of its local craftsmen. Some of the popular handicrafts of Andhra
Pradesh are Kalamkari, Bidri, Himroo, Nirmal and Filigree. You can see the
skills of artisans in handcrafts like caskets, vases and trays. Andhra
Pradesh is also known for other art forms like stone-carving, wood-carving,
metalware, nirmal painting and leather puppet-making. Andhra Pradesh, the
land of Telugu speaking people is home to prominent poets of Telugu
including Nannaya, Tikkana, Sri Krishna Devarayulu and several other poets.
Dance and music are also an important part of Andhra’s life. The dance
styles in Andhra are based on the standard treatises, such as Abhinaya
Darpana and Bharatarnava of Nandikeshwara. Kuchipudi, a fine combination of
music and abhinaya, is Andhra’s unique contribution to dance forms of
India as well as world.
Andhra Pradesh - Cuisine
When it comes to delectable cuisine, Andhra Pradesh is not behind from
other states of the country. Andhra is known for its hot and spicy cuisine,
which include both the traditional Andhra cuisine and the famous Hyderabadi
cuisine, with a influence of Mughlai delicacies Spices are prominently used
in the traditional dishes of the state and every meal has its own specialty.
Eating habits of Andhraites are quite different, majority of people prefer
vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, while seafood is popular only in the
coastal areas.
Andhra Pradesh - Fairs and Festivals
Andhra Pradesh, a land of varied people, religions, languages, culture and
tradition, celebrates several festivals all through the year. Most of the
Andhra’s festivals are religious, while some are exclusive to certain
temples and regions. Apart from these, the Andhra Pradesh state government
organizes some festivals every year. Be it the Hindu festivals of Dusshera,
Deepawali, or the Muslim festivals of Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, or the
Christian festival of Christmas, all festivals are celebrated by people of
all religions with equal excitement and enthusiasm. Fairs and Festivals in
Andhra Pradesh are characterized by colour, gaiety, feasts and various kinds
of prayers and rituals. In fact, fairs and festivals in Andhra Pradesh
populate the cultural scene of this state and draw large number of tourists
from both far and near.
Andhra Pradesh - Lakes and Rivers
Lakes and rivers form an important part of Andhra’s land. There are a
number of lakes and rivers in the state which offer excellent boat cruising
options. Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation runs cruises on
Hussain Sagar Lake and also in Godavari and Krishna rivers. Most important
lakes and rivers include Alisagar, Ashok Sagar, Durgam Cheruvu, Hussain
Sagar Lake, Osman Sagar Lake, Ramappa Lake, Krishna river and Godavari
river.
Andhra Pradesh - Hills and Valleys
Andhra’s captivating landscape is ringed with rugged hills and
mysteriously deep valleys. Some of the popular hills and valleys are
Ananthagiri Hills, Araku Valley, Horsley Hills, Kailasagiri, Papi Kondalu
and Talakona.
Andhra Pradesh - Caves
Andhra Pradesh boasts of a number of natural wonders such as the million
year old caves. Belum and Borra are most popular caves of Andhra Pradesh.
Other important caves are Guthokonda Caves, Mogalrajapuram Caves, Undavalli
Caves and Yaganti Caves.
Andhra Pradesh - Beaches
If
beaches are your passion, then Andhra Pradesh offers some of the country’s
finest beaches for you. With gentle waves, miles of golden sand and a
peaceful ambience, Andhra Pradesh has everything for making a perfect beach
holiday. Most popular Andhra Beaches are Ramakrishna Beach, Rishikonda Beach
and Lawson’s Bay. Besides, Andhra has many other beaches such as
Bapatla Beach, Bheemunipatnam Beach, Kalingapatnam Beach, Koduru Beach,
Kothapatnam Beach, Maipadu Beach, Manginapudi, Perupalem, Ramapuram Beach
and Vodarevu Beach.
Andhra Pradesh - Wildlife
With its thick vegetation and moist ever green forests, Andhra Pradesh
provides shelter to a variety of wildlife. Its lush green coastal belt,
moist deciduous Eastern Ghats, dry deciduous forests of the Nallamalais and
the mangrove stretch at Coringa are home to most of the wildlife sanctuaries
and parks. While you visit wildlife sanctuaries of Andhra Pradesh you can
see a variety of wild animals like the Tiger, Wild Boar, Gaur, Wild Dog,
Jackal, Fox, Spotted Deer, Sloth Bear etc. Apart from these, you can also
see several birds species and a lot of reptiles such as Salt-water crocodile
and Fishing cats. Important wildlife sanctuaries include Alisagar Deer Park,
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Kawal Wildlife
Sanctuary, Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary, Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajiv
Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Rolapadu Bird Sanctuary, Sri Lanka Malleswara
Wildlife Sanctuary, Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary and Srisailam
Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve.
Andhra Pradesh - Shopping
In your vacations, Andra Pradesh offers you exciting shopping experiences.
In fact, your trip to Andhra Pradesh is incomplete without doing some
shopping at the colourful shopping joints along the streets or the big
shopping malls, or Art & Crafts village or the Governments Emporium.
Andhra Pradesh offers a striking range of items, popular among them are
Pearls, Silver Filigiri, Banjara Mirror work, Atar, Fabric, Kalamkari, Bidri
and Nirmal toys.
Climate
Andhra Pradesh has a hot and humid climate, dominated by the South-west
monsoon as well as the north-east monsoon. Summers are hot with the
temperature varying between 20oC to 40oC, but as the monsoon arrives in the
middle of June, there is a decline in the heat and humidity increases.
Winter arrives in the month of December, winters are not chilly and the
temperature ranges between 16oC and 30oC.
Best Time to Visit
Between the months of October and February.
Andhra Pradesh - Transportation
Airlines: Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh
has good air connections with major cities in India and the state. A number
of airlines connect Hyderabad with Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Warangal,
Tirupati, Ramagundam and Rajamundry. From Hyderabad flights are available
for other countries too.
Railways: The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
are the main railway stations of the state. A number of express and super
fast trains connect these cities with major cities like New Delhi, Kolkata,
Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Other cities like Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada
and Warangal have also trains from all parts of the country.
Roadways: National and State Highways connect cities and
town of Andhra Pradesh with each other and neighbouring states. All places
of tourist interest are connected by good roads with regular bus services.
The Andhra Pradesh Travel and Tourism Development Corporation organizes
conducted tours to the tourist destinations of the state and also outside
the state.
