Andhra Pradesh in Brief

The state of Andhra Pradesh is recognized variously-for its legendary dynasties, for its most revered temple, Tirupati. The language of Telugu, which is often described as madhur or like honey is referred as the ‘Italian of the east’.Andhra Pradesh is known as the CyberState of India. Computers and the Internet have percolated in even the remotest villages.It is situated on the Deccan plateau and is one of the oldest geological formations.


Andhra Pradesh lies in the south eastern part of India, with its coastline stretching for over a distance of 1200 kilometers, from Orissa to Tamil Nadu. The state of Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1st November 1956, by combining the old princely state of Hyderabad, with the Andhra state. The state of Andhra had been formed in 1953, when the Telugu speaking areas were separated from the composite Madras state.

Andhra Pradesh, India's fifth largest state is a massive spread of 27,068 sq. km. History, here, unfolds its vital links with the past, and manifests itself triumphantly in the many edifices, monuments and architectural ruins left behind by dynasties as old as 300 B.C. Traces of the diverse and variegated facets of the culture of the Mauryas, Satavahanas, Pallavas, Cholas, Chalukyas, and Vijayanagar afford imposing vistas that create tourist interest.


Culture :

Being the capital of a state with a very rich cultural heritage, Hyderabad offers a glimpse of a variety of performing arts, which are unique to Andhra Pradesh. Kuchipudi, a classical dance form, derives its name from a village just north of the Krishna delta. Historically, Kuchipudi presented scenes from the Hindu epics and mythological tales through dance-dramas that combined music, dance and acting. The lyrics are mostly Telugu, although Sanskrit is also used.

Shadow puppetry is another famous folk art. Perforated leather puppets depicting mythological characters from the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharatha, are handled with bamboo sticks against a brilliant lamp - lit background. This is performed to the accompaniment of perfection instruments and Lyrical narrations. As many as 19 tribes inhabit the ArakuValley, which is 115 kilometers from Visakhapattanam. Their repertoire of colorful dances and folk songs, an essential part of religious processions and harvest celebrations are another facet of the state's cultural traditions.

Climate:

The State experiences tropical climate with slight variations depending on the elevation and maritime influence. The Eastern Ghats separate the Deccan plateau from the coastal belt. The plateau slopes from the interior towards the east, from elevations of less than one kilometer and is drained by two major river systems of the Godavari and Krishna which scoop out the vast low lying areas. In the south, in Chittoor, Cuddapah and Anantapur districts, the Eastern Ghats break into various ranges, namely, the Veligondas, the Nallamalas and the Palakondas; form a general plateau with elevations rising to one kilometer.

In the north, in Visakhapatnam district, the Eastern Ghats are more cohesive and have higher elevations of about two kilometers. The low lying coastal belt extends to about 100 kilometers in the south and narrows to 40 kilometers in the north. The wide deltaic region of the Godavari and the Krishna forms the central part of the coastal belt. These aerographic features influence, to some extent, the climate of the State, with the plateau regions experiencing more temperate climate than the low lying valleys and the coastal belt.

Agriculture is the main occupation of about 70 percent of the people in Andhra Pradesh. The main crops are rice, maize, millets, pulses, castor, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, groundnut and banana. The covered forest area in the state is about 23 percent, and important forest products include teak, eucalyptus, cashew, bamboo and soft wood. Some of the major industries in the state are machine tools, synthetic drugs, pharmaceuticals, heavy electrical machinery, ships, fertilizers, electronic equipment, aeronautical parts, cement and cement products, chemicals, asbestos, glass and watches. Important minerals found in the state are copper ore, manganese, mica, coal and limestone.

Language and Literature:

Telugu, the official language of Andhra Pradesh, is described by C.P. Brown as the “Italian of the East ". It has been influenced by Sanskrit. The prominent poets of Telugu include Nannaya, Tikkana, Sri Krishna Devarayulu and a host of others.Urdu came to the Deccan, late in the 15th century. It flourished during the reign of the Qutubshahi Dynasty. The 17th century was the golden age of Urdu, with poets like Mohammed Quli, Mulla Wajhi, and Sheikh Ahmed contributing their literary pieces.

Folk dance and drama:

The dance styles in the State are based on the standard treatises, viz. Abhinaya Darpana and Bharatarnava of Nandikeshwara, which is sub-divided into Nattuva Mala and Natya Mala.Nattuva Mala is of two types - the Puja dance performed on the Balipitha in the temple and the Kalika dance performed in a Kalyana mandapam.Nattuva Mala is of three kinds, viz. Ritual dance for gods, Kalika dance for intellectuals and Bhagvatem for common place.The Natya Mala is a dance-drama performed by a troupe, consisting only of men, who play feminine roles.

Fairs and Festivals:

Hindu festivals such as Dasara, Deepavali, Sri Ramanavami, Krishna Janmastami, Vinayaka Chavithi (Ganesh Chaturthi) and Maha Sivarathri are celebrated in the State. Similarly, Muslim festivals such as Bakrid and Id-ul-Fitr and Christian festivals like Christmas, Easter and New Year's Day are also celebrated with gaiety. But the celebrations of Ugadi (Telugu New Year's day), Sankranti, Dasara, and Vinayaka Chavithi in the state are unique.

Local Festivals:

A widely known festival in Telengana area that falls on Asviyuja Shuddha Dasami (Sep/Oct) is the Batakamma Panduga. It is celebrated for nine days by married women in memory of a Vaisya married woman, who was killed by her own brother on the instigation of his wife. The murdered woman is believed to have manifested herself in her grave as a flowering tree. The Mahankali Jathara in the twin cities is celebrated at the onset of summer to propitiate the local village deities so that pestilence does not strike.These festivals are celebrated with gaiety with night-long bouts of dancing, singing, and feasting.

Art and Craft:

Each region of India abounds in handicrafts reflecting the genius of its local craftsmen. Andhra Pradesh in the south has the distinction of having all important categories of handicrafts practised in their traditional locations spread over different parts of the state.

Karimnagar is well known for silver Filigree of superior quality created by master craftsmen.

Bidri is another prized product of Andhra Pradesh popular in different parts of the world.

The skills of artisans can be seen in caskets, vases and trays. While places like Nagarjunakonda and Amaravathi have influenced the growth of stone-carving in places like Durgi, wood-carving received its impetus from the temple sculptures. This has made possible the creation of a variety of products in the shape of both figurines and panels that depict them from temple chariots and Gopuram (typical Hindu temple domes).

Metal ware has found a new expression in the context of Andhra Pradesh with exquisite pieces of sheet-metal art deriving its motifs from the historic monuments of the Kakatiya sculpture. At the same time, the art has successfully adapted itself to imbibing the use of Persian and other motifs. This has resulted in the evolution of a whole range of utility-***-decorative items like plant pots, vases, wall decorations and stationery items. Cast art metal ware, including icons and temple sculptures depicting various themes, is also produced in certain parts of the state.Nirmal painting, unique for reproducing motifs from the well-known art schools, has greatly expanded its market by evolving a number of household items which include large-size furniture for drawing, dining and bedrooms.

Leather puppet-making is yet another speciality which has made its way into Andhra Pradesh and developed its roots in different parts of the state. Originally conceived to meet the needs of the shadow puppet troupes, this technique is being increasingly adapted to evolve articles of home decoration.

Andhra Pradesh has created a niche for itself in the wooden toy industry, combining both carving and painting to present interesting themes, such as village occupations, models of mythological figures, and animals in both stylised and natural forms.

Andhra Pradesh has its claim on some of the most distinguished crafts like the Kalamkari work with its origins traced back to antiquity. Kalamkari, with its resist process and application of vegetable dyes has made an impact in various parts of the world. The Kalamkari craft, as it has recently evolved in Srikalahasti, offers themes in the form of small and large decorative panels ideal for household and office decoration.

Andhra Pradesh has a rich tradition of handloom textile which has attracted attention from both within and outside the country. By carefully assimilating some of the best features of weaving styles and techniques without sacrificing on the originality, and showing a high degree of flexibility to change, the artistic handloom weaving industry of Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a potent source of some of the most unique products made in the country. The world-famous Tie and Dye cloth with its more recent innovation in furnishing fabrics, the well-known brocade and silk saris of Kothakota and Gadwal, the famous Narayanpet saris and superfine Venkatagiri saris, besides Pondur Khadi are among the better known handloom textiles from the state.

The mirror embroidery of the style practised by the tribal women Banjaras, nomenclatured "Banjara Embroidery" is another important craft. It offers possibilities for the profitable use of embroidery skills of this economically backward community in the state.

Andhra Pradesh has a place of pride in floor coverings too. Carpets of Eluru and Warangal have long been known not only within the country but also in many parts of the world. All natural-wool pile carpets produced in these places are a speciality. The artistic Durry industry evolved in and around Warangal. Durries with floral and figurative motifs have contributed significantly to exports.

“Lepakshi”, the well-known temple town in Andhra Pradesh, is a repository of stone sculpture and frescoes of a high order attained during the Vijayanagar period. LePakshi as a name has thus aptly been chosen by the Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation as a name for its Marketing Wing., LePakshi serves as a vital link between the lover and buyer of objects of beauty and the legendary handicrafts of Andhra Pradesh. “LePakshi” Emporia have endeavoured to project the artistry and elegance of Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts in order to create an impact on markets within the country and abroad.

TOURISM IN ANDHRA PRADESH:

Andhra Pradesh is rich in historical monuments. It possesses many holy temples with architectural beauty, which attract large numbers of pilgrims and tourists from inside and outside the country.

The places of tourist importance in the State are:

Hyderabad: Hyderabad, the fifth largest city in the country, is the capital of Andhra Pradesh and has several prominent places in and around it. It has a Hindu-Muslim culture with a number of monuments of historical importance like Charminar, Golconda, SalarjungMuseum, Mecca Maszid, Osman Sagar andOsmaniaUniversity. The capital is in reality the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad linked together by the Hussain Sagar.

Charminar constructed in 1591 is worth seeing for its grandeur and architectural beauty. The minarets are 48.77 metres high and they spring from the abutments of open arches facing the four cardinal points. Mecca Maszid is to the south of Charminar.

Golconda, about 8 km from the city, the capital of the Qutb Shahis in the 16th century, is rich in historical monuments, which include the famous Golconda Fort. Golconda was known the world over as a rich mine of diamonds in medieval times. Qutb Shahi tombs are nearer to this fort. These tombs mark the third and final stage of architecture that flourished during the 16th-17th centuries A.D.

SalarjungMuseum was constructed by the Prime Minister Salarjung III of the erstwhile Nizams but was later shifted in 1968 to the new imposing building constructed on the southern bank of the river Musi. The museum consists of a vast and varied art mass collected from several countries in the world.

The `PublicGarden' in the heart of the city is another tourist attraction with StateMuseum and Art gallery, Jawaharlal Bhavan, HealthMuseum, Assembly Buildings, Lalita Kala Toranam (open-air theatre). On the other side, on the hillock, there is the Birla Mandir and the Planetarium. The StateMuseum displays prehistoric implements, sculptures, paintings, inscriptions, illuminated manuscripts, coins, old arms, Bidri and old Chinaware and textiles. It is an impressive building with four minarets, two large and two small. Its most unusual features are the lofty pillars supporting the arches and the prayer niche carved in single slabs of granite. FalaknumaPalace isa castle built on a hill bySir Vicar-ul-Umra, one of the Prime Ministers of the Nizam's Dominions. The NehruZoologicalPark on the Bangalore National Highway is spread over 300 acres of undulating landscape, which preserves the beauty of the boulders in all its pristine glory.

Warangal: It lies on the Vijayawada -- Hyderabad section of the South Central Railway. It was thecapital of the Kakatiya during the 13th century AD. Warangal with its historic monuments, temples and fort attracts a variety of people including pilgrims, historians and archaeologists. The thousand- pillared temple at Hanamkonda, near Warangal is the best example of the architecture of the Kakatiya period.

RamappaTemple: This is located at Palampet near Mulug in Warangal district. This is of tourist importance owing to the existence of the renowned and exquisitely carved sculptures of the RamappaTemple, and the RamappaLake constructed at the time of Kakatiya Ganapati. The temple, built of black basalt with splendid carvings, is 12.19 metres high. The RamappaLake is a magnificient irrigation work of the 13th century AD, and the place, where the lake stands, is surrounded by thick forests and presents a beautiful natural scenery making it a popular holiday resort.

Nizamsagar: At a distance of about 144 km north-west of Hyderabad, a reservoir known by the name Nizamsagar was constructed across the Manjira river, a tributary of the Godavari, between Achampet and Banjapalle villages of Nizamabad district. The most outstanding feature of the project is the gigantic masonry dam sprawling across the river for 3 km with a motorable road of 14ft width over it. There are excellent boarding and lodging facilities for the tourists at this project.

Kuntala: It is situated in Adilabad district, 22 km from Boath on the bank of the Kadam river. Here the river falls from a height of about 45 metres and enters Khanapur. The waterfall known as ``Kuntala Waterfalls'' is the highest in Andhra Pradesh. It affords picturesque scenery.

Basara (Adilabad district): It is on the bank of the Godavari on the Secunderabad-Manmad metre-gauge line of South Central Railway. It has one of the two temples dedicated to Goddess Saraswati in India, the other being at Kashmir.

Vemulavada is in Karimnagar district and situated about 32 km., from Karimnagar on the road to Kamareddy. The village is an ancient one and has been in existence from the time of the Western Chalukyas. It is famous for the temples of Rajarajeswaraswami and another for Vaddegesvara. It is also a place of great historical importance and attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists.

Bhadrachalam: This temple-town on the left bank of the river Godavari in Khammam district is considered a holy spot since Lord Rama is supposed to have lived here for some time. It owes its importance to the temple dedicated to Lord Rama, which is said to have been constructed by His ardent devotee, Kancherla Gopanna, popularly called as ``Ramadas''. He was an official in the Taluk Office during the reign of the last Qutb Shahi ruler, Abul Hasan Tana Shah.

Vijayawada: It is one of the biggest cities and business centres in the State situated on the northern bank of the river Krishna. It is also the biggest railway junction in the South Central Railway leading to many major cities in the country like Chennai, Calcutta, Delhi and Hyderabad.Visitors and tourists to this place make it a point to see the MogalrajapuramCaves, KanakadurgaTemple, Prakasam Barrage and Gandhi Hill.

The Gandhi Hill:

In the centre of Vijayawada is a unique monument dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. A fifty-two feet column of red marble was built and various figures representing the cottage industries were carved on it. Below this column, a Gandhi Memorial Library and a Seminar Hall were constructed. On the slopes of the hill, replicas of Mahatma Gandhi's house at Porbandar in Gujarat, his Phoenix Ashram in South Africa, his Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad and his Sevagram Ashram near Wardha were built. A medium size planetarium was installed in an attractive building near the main entrance to the Gandhi Hill. A telescope and a camera were in the observatory set up on the Gandhi Memorial Library. It provides an opportunity to the visitors to have the thrill of seeing the distant stars in the universe and the grand scenery around the Hill.

Vijayawada is surrounded by picturesque hills, important of which are the Sitanagaram (on the southern bank of the river Krishna), and Indrakiladri. The city is a pilgrim centre for the Hindus on account of its location on the bank of the Krishna, and three important temples, namely, Kanakadurga, Bhramaramba Malleswara and Vijayeswara. The Krishna Pushkaram, celebrated once in twelve years, attracts Hindu devotees from all over the country. Prakasam Barrage, constructed on the river Krishna, is a scenic attraction.

Amaravati: It is an important tourist centre at a distance of 32 km north-west of Guntur owing to its world famous Buddhist stupa and antiquities of the 2nd century B.C. The Stupa here is the biggest with its dome measuring 49 metres and it rises to a height of 29 metres. Amaravati is a byword for sculpture among the plastic arts of the world as the Buddhist sculptures found here are perfect specimens of what is called the Andhra or Amaravati style of sculptures.Amaravati and its neighbouring village Dharanikota were the seats of the rule of the Satavahanas and these places are full of antiquities of great archaeological values depicting scenes from the life of Buddha, embodying various Buddhist emblems and symbols, and also inscriptions in Pali character. The lofty temple of Amareswara stands on the southern bank of the river Krishna, and is considered sacred and holy. It attracts a large number of pilgrims, especially on the Sivaratri day.

Ettipothala Water falls located six km northwest of Macherla in Guntur district is one of the many beautiful scenic spots in the State. The rivulet Chandravanka joins the Krishna falling from a height of 21 metres and the waterfalls offer a delightful view.

Nagarjunakonda is at a distance of 24 km both from Macherla and Nagarjunasagar Project. It is of significance on account of its ancient Buddhist culture. The museum, located on a hilltop on the right side of the NagarjunasagarCanal, is housed with excavated antiquities.

Undavalli (Guntur district) lies on the south bank of the river Krishna about two kilometres from Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada. There are the famous UndavalliCaves associated with the Vishnukundin kings of A. D. 420--620. These caves were dedicated to Anantapadmanabha and Narisimhaswami. From the point of sculptural and architectural excellence, these caves compare very well with those of Ajanta.

Nagarjunasagar Dam, the highest masonry dam in the world, is at a distance of about 150-km from Hyderabad. It is constructed on the river Krishna, bordering on Nalgonda and Guntur districts. The first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of this dam. It is one of the biggest multipurpose projects in India.

Srisailam: This is known as a sacred place of pilgrimage in India, located at an altitude of over 1,500 feet above the sea level in a most picturesque natural surroundings in the northernmost plateau of the Nallamala Hill range. Atop the hill, there is the temple of Siva known as Mallikharjunaswami temple, which is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in the country. Another temple at this place is that of the goddess Bhramaramba, the consort of Mallikharjuna. The temple abounds in sculpture and there are many inscriptions in and around it. Apart from the religious importance, Srisailam is also a place of scenic beauty and one of the most important tourist spots in the country.

Mantralayam situated on the southern bank of the river Tungabhadra in Kurnool district is about 15 km. from Mantralayam Road Railway station on the Chennai-Mumbai line. It is also well connected by road from Hyderabad, Kurnool and other important centres. It is famous for Raghavendraswami Matt or Brindavan. It is here that Raghavendraswami, a great follower of Madhvacharya, entered samadhi after preaching the Madhva cult or Dvaita philosophy. There is no idol of Raghavendraswami but his Brindavan (samadhi) is worshipped.

Lepakshi lies at about 14 km east of Hindupur in Anantapur district. It is of great historical and archaeological importance in the State. This place is a repository of the best mural paintings of the Vijayanagara Kings. The best specimens of the Vijayanagara style of sculpture and mural paintings are found in the temples here. There is a colossal stone Nandi, reputed to be the largest of its kind in the country.

Tirupati and Tirumala in Chittoor district are two sacred places not only for Andhra Pradesh but also for India. The presiding deity here is Lord Venkateswara, who is also worshipped as `Balaji' by the north Indians. Tirumala lies in the midst of the Seshachalam hills, which are 2,000 feet above the sea level. It has also worldwide importance as a major tourist centre.

Srikalahasti (Chittoor district) is also a famous pilgrim centre and the temple here is dedicated to Lord Siva known as Vayulingam and considered as Dakshina Kasi.

Horsley Hills, about 16 km from Madanapalle in Chittoor district, lies at a height of 1,265.53 metres above the sea level and forms the most elevated table land in the south of Andhra Pradesh. This is the coolest place and is a summer resort.

Rajahmundry: It is situated on the left bank of the river Godavari in East Godavari district. It has a hoary past and is said to have been constructed by the Eastern Chalukya ruler Rajaraja Narendra in A.D. 1022. The town has some traces of fine palaces, fort walls, etc., of the 11th century A.D. Nannaya, the poet laureate, who was called `Adi Kavi belonged to this place. The Asia's largest rail-***-road bridge on the river Godavari linking Kovvur and Rajahmundry is considered to be an engineering feat.There are a number of temples here and the Kotilingala temple on the bank of the Godavari is one of the most important temples. The Godavari Pushkaram, celebrated once in twelve years, attracts a large number of pilgrims from all over the country. At a distance of seven kilometres south of Rajahmundry, there is the Dowlaiswaram anicut across the Godavari.

Ryali lies at a distance of 25 km from Rajahmundry. It is famous for the temple of Jaganmohini-Kesavaswami. The idol of the deity is beautifully carved on black stone and it is worth seeing for its sculptural beauty and grand appearance.

Visakhapatnam: This coast-city is on the Chennai-Howrah broad-gauge line of SouthEastern Railway and is a big railhead. The city has grown in importance educationally, commercially and industrially. It is the seat of the AndhraUniversity. The places of interest in the city include harbour, Dolphin's Nose, a light-house, Hindustan Ship Building Yard, Caltex Oil Refinery, Coromandal Fertilisers Factory, Steel Plant, Circuit House on the Hill, a beautiful beach and an airport. Visakhapatnam harbour is considered to be one of the best natural harbours in the world, and the ShipBuilding Yard has a nation-wide importance. The city is worth visiting for both the internal and foreign tourists. Bheemunipatnam beach, nearer to the city, is a place for a short holiday.

Simhachalam, 16 km from Visakhapatnam, is an important pilgrim centre owing to the existence of the Varaha Lakshmi Narasimhaswami temple on a hill, which is 800 feet above the sea level.

ArakuValleyis about 115 km, from Visakhapatnam. The valley extending over 36 sq.km is situated at an altitude of 610 to 915 metres above the sea level. The valley, with its bracing climate and orchards, and the Ananthagiri Hills, which present an enchanting view, attract Indian and foreign tourists.

BorraCaves in Vizianagaram district have archaeological importance due to the discovery of some palaeolithic implements.

Vizianagaram, 64 km from Visakhapatnam, is a place of historical importance. It was the capital of the Gajapati chiefs in the 17th century A.D. The magnificent fort in this town depicts the past glory of these rajas. It has a MusicCollege and a SanskritCollege.

The A.P.Travel and Tourism Development Corporation arranges regular tours to important places like Nagarjunasagar, Tirupati, Hyderabad, etc., by providing air conditioned cars, vans and deluxe buses. To develop tourism in the country, the Government of India has introduced circular-trains. It also provides concession in rail fare during summer. Besides these, many private travel agents in Hyderabad and in other district headquarters also arrange regular tours to many of the places of tourist interest in the State.