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Andhra Pradesh, the symbol of true spirit of
Indian secularism where people of all faiths -Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu
form a symphony of religions. History has forged, and left behind vital
links with the state, as is evident from the many edifices, monuments and
architectural ruins, the legacy of dynasties as old as 300 B.C. Traces of
the diverse and variegated facets of the culture of the Mauryas, Pallavas,
Cholas, Satavahanas, Chalukyas and Vijayanagar, offer imposing vistas,
that continue to fascinate the observer. Situated south of the Vindhyas,
it shares a common history with its neighbours,
Maharashtra
, Orissa ,
Madhya
Pradesh , Tamil
Nadu and Karnataka
. The medieval city of Hyderabad
is its capital.
Andhra
Pradesh is known for the famous
Sri Venkateswara
temple at Tirupati,
Charminar,
Salar Jung Museum,
Golconda Fort in
Hyderabad and
Buddhist viharas at
Nagarjunasagar.
Also visit the wildlife and bird sanctuaries of
Kolleru,
Manjira,
Kawal and
Papikonda. Andhra
has a nearly 1000 km-coastline with eight of its 23 districts having
direct access to the sea. Famous beaches are
Visakhapatnam
Bheemunipatnam, Kakinada,
Chirala, Kalingapatnam and Mypad.
Capital of Andhra Pradesh: Once a medieval city,
Hyderabad is a
modern metropolis. A revolution in etiquette is under way, recasting
values. The yuppie ethos has invaded the city and western haute couture is
slowly being preferred over the sherwani and burqa. This is the city that
has even been the home of a Miss World. Fortunately, gourmets have not let
the Deccani cuisine, the Hyderabadi
biryani in particular, pass into legend.
History of Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh was, in fact, created by
combining the old princely state of
Hyderabad with the
Telegu-speaking portions of the former state of
Madras . The
Chalukyas held sway till the 10th c. when the Cholas seized power. In the
14th c., Muslim power reached this southern state and for centuries ruled
over this princely state. It was finally was taken over by a General of
the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. The General's successors, called Nizams,
ruled the state till Independence.
Culture of Andhra Pradesh: Beautiful
crafts, vibrant religious
festivals, a varied cuisine and
the sonorant mother tongue, Telugu,
are some of the indelible impressions of this state.
Kuchipudi is the
famous classical dance form of Andhra Pradesh. Tribal dances contribute in
equal measure to the artistic heritage of Andhra Pradesh.
Tholubommalaata,
a shadow puppetry theatre is a fascinating folk art.
Society: Friendly and warm, the Andhras are an ancient people, who
can trace their roots and history to the Mauryan period, an interest in
arts, crafts and dance. Andhra
Pradesh is also a rich mosaic of cultures. Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus
live in relative peace and harmony. The
Tirupati is,
however, the trump card for the state's tourism industry drawing people
from all over the country and worldwide. Donations from Tirupati alone,
have led to the establishment of a university, several hospitals &
schools.
Occupation in Andhra: More than 70 per cent of its population live
by agriculture, growing rice, other cereals and pulses. The major bulk of
India's virginia tobacco crop is grown in Andhrapradesh. Industrial growth
has transformed the landscape into precious pits of copper, mica, coal and
manganese.
Andhra's Handicrafts:
Lacquer toys,
Anakapalli articles,
Ikat weaving,
Pembarthi
Sheet Metal Ware,
Nirmal pottery,
Bidriwork as
well as Gadhwal, Pochampalli and Dharmavaram silk saris are some of the
amazing handlooms and handicrafts Andhra Pradesh is renowned for. Durgi,
Allagadda and Tirupati are three of the major centers of stone art.
Telengana is particularly well known for its
folk paintings.
Banjara
needle craft, Kalamkari,
the pen-painted fabrics of Machilipatnam and Kalahasti;
Silver
Filigree of Karimnagar
and Budithi handicraft
of Srikakulam are other
handicraft specimens.
Climate of Andhra Pradesh: varies from 41-20 degree centigrade in
summer (March to May) to 32 -13 degree centigrade in winter (january to
February). June to December are the monsoon months and the weather remains
hot and sultry. October to February is the best season.
Population of Andhra Pradesh : 74 million
Festivals of Andhra Pradesh:
The Deccan Festival,
with its cultural programmes is celebrated in February.
Bakri-Id is
celebrated with ritualistic fervor in Andhra Pradesh and in particular,
the old city of Hyderabad.
The Andhra Ugaadi which heralds the New Year also means a season of
mango-pickling and more literary pursuits such as poetry competitions.The
state also observes typical indian festivals such as
Nag Panchami,
Holi, Diwali, Gandhi Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti and others.
Andhra Pradesh Tourism Offices:
APTDC (Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation), Tank Bund
Road, Hyderabad-500 004 Phone:7816375, 3453036. Fax:040-3451994, 3454511
Dept. of Tourism, Andhra Pradesh, Opp. Burgula Rama Krishna Rao
Bhavan, Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad-500004 Phone:91-040-3453110
Fax:91-040-3453109
Tourist Information Counter, Airport, Begumpet Hyderabad - 500016.
Phone +91-40-77192
Click Here For Map of Tourism Network
in Andhra-Pradesh
Click Here For District Map
of Andhra-Pradesh
Click Here For Map of Railway
Network in Andhra-Pradesh
Click Here For Map of
Road Network in Andhra-Pradesh