Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1st November, 1956 under the States' reorganisation scheme. It is the fifth largest State with an area of 2,76,754 sq. km, accounting for 8.4 % of India's territory. The State has the longest coastline (972 km) among all the States in India.

Andhra Pradesh is endowed with a variety of physiographic features ranging from high hills, undulating plains to a coastal deltaic environment.

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 Nathudu, Tenali Rama Krishna, 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, Sheikh Ahmed contributing their literary pieces.

Dance and Drama
Kuchipudi, a blend of music and abhinaya, is Andhra Pradesh's unique contribution to dance.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 Bhagavatam for common place.The Natya Mala is a dance-drama performed by a troupe, consisting only of men, who play feminine roles.The earliest and the original Telugu drama was perhaps " Harishchandra " by Veeresalingam. The commercial troupes started performing in Andhra Pradesh with Dharvada company of Maharashtra, which toured in 1880. It was followed by Sangle of Poona and Bawalivala Parsi of Bombay.The Telugu stage had a galaxy of versatile actors like Yedavalli Suryanarayana Rao, Uppuluri Sankiva Rao, Sthnam Narsimha Rao and a host of famous actors.After the advent of cinema, the magic of drama receded.

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. 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.

Natural Resources and Agriculture

Andhra Pradesh has bountiful natural resources. Endowed with fertile land, water and conducive agro-climatic conditions, it is an agriculturally-prosperous state. The food grain production during 1999-2000 was 149.05 lakh tonnes as against the average of 122.68 lakh tonnes. AP is the largest producer of rice in India. It is also the leading producer of cash crops like Tobacco, Groundnut, Chillies, Turmeric, Oilseeds, Cotton, Sugar and Jute. It produces some of the finest varieties of mangoes, grapes, guavas, sapotas, papayas and bananas.Nearly 75% of its area is covered by the river basins of the Godavari, Krishna and Pennar, and their tributaries. There are 17 smaller rivers like the Sarada, Nagavali and Musi, as well as several streams. Godavari and Krishna are the two major perennial rivers, and with their extensive canal system, provide assured irrigation.Till Feb. 2000, 1,00,542 progressive farmers have been trained through Farmers’ Training Centres.The key strengths of the state, apart from the agro-climatic conditions and extensive water sources are:Large area under vegetables, fruits, flowers & plantation crops - 5,92,655 ha. High average rainfall - 925 mm. Large number of educational institutions - one agricultural university and 7 agricultural colleges.
Strong R&D infrastructure with leading institutions like CCMB, ICRISAT, NAARM, MANAGE AND NIRD

History of Andhra Pradesh

The study of history reveals that major portion of the southern India (Dakshina Padham) was extended by Andhra region. Several dynasties ruled over this part of the country.

Historically the earliest mention of the Andhras appeared in the Aitareya Brahmana (B.C.800). It was called Dakshina Padh during those days. Historians felt that Andhras, Pulindas, Sabaras, and many other sects lived in Dakshina Padh. But it is only in the Mauryan age that one gets historical evidence of the Andhras as a political power in the southeastern Deccan. Megasthenese, who visited the Court of Chandragupta Maurya (B.C.322--297), mentioned that Andhra country had 30 fortified towns and an army of 1,00,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 1,000 elephants. Buddhist books reveal that Andhras established their kingdoms on the Godavari belt at that time. Asoka referred in his 13th rock edict that Andhras were his subordinates.

Ancient Period
Satavahanas
Eastern Chalukyas
Medieval Period
Kakatiyas
Bahmanis
Vijayanagar
Qutb Shahis
The Mughal Rule
Modern Period
Asaf Jahis
Under the Company and the Crown
Freedom Struggle
Economic and Social Developments
Post-Independence Era
Struggle for Andhra State
Police Action in Hyderabad State
Emergence of Andhra Pradesh
Political Crisis of 1969 and 1972

Regions

Andhra Pradesh can be broadly divided into three regions, namely Kosta (Coastal Andhra), Telangana and Rayalaseema. KostaTelangana lies west of the Ghats on the Deccan plateau. The Godavari River and Krishna River rise in the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Maharashtra and flow east across Telangana to empty into the Bay of Bengal in a combined river delta.Kosta occupies the coastal plain between Eastern Ghats ranges, which run the length of the state, and the Bay of Bengal. TelanaganaRayalaseema lies in the southeast of the state on the Deccan plateau, in the basin of the Penner River. It is separated from Telangana by the low Erramala hills, and from Coastal Andhra by the Eastern Ghats.
The Krishna and Godavari rivers together irrigate thousands of square kilometres of land, and create the largest perennial cultivable area in the country. Andhra Pradesh leads in the production of rice (paddy) and is called India's Rice Bowl.

Languages
Telugu is the regional and official language of the State, spoken by 81.23 percent of the population. Telugu is the second largest language in India. The major linguistic minority groups in the State include the speakers of Urdu (10.86%), Hindi (2.61%) and Bengali (1.95%).

Politics
Andhra Pradesh has a Legislative Assembly of 294 seats. The state has 60 members in the Parliament of India : 18 in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) and 42 in the Lok Sabha (Lower House).Andhra Pradesh had a row of Congress governments till 1982. Kasu Brahmananda Reddy held the record for the longest serving chief minister which was broken by Nara Chandrababu Naidu. P.V. Narasimha Rao also served as the chief minister for the state, who later went on to become the Prime Minister of India. Among the notable chief ministers of the state are Tanguturi Prakasam (CM for Andhra state only), Neelam Sanjiva Reddy , Kasu Brahmananda Reddy , Marri Chenna Reddy , Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy , N.T. Rama Rao, Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Culture

Music

The state has a rich musical heritage. All three legends of the Carnatic Music Trinity - Thyagaraja, Shyama Sastri and Muthuswami Dixitar were of Telugu descent. Other great composers include Annamacharya, Kshetrayya, and Bhadrachala Ramadasu. Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna is a contemporary legend.

Literature

Nannayya, Tikkana, and Yerrapragada form the trinity who translated the great epic Mahabharatha into Telugu. Bammera Potana is another great writer famous for his great classic Sri Madandhra Maha Bhagavatamu, a Telugu translation of Sri Baghavatham by Veda Vyasa in Sanskrit. Modern writers include Jnanpith Award winners Sri Viswanatha Satyanarayana and Dr. C.Narayana Reddy.

Dance

Classical dance in Andhra can be performed by both men and women, however women tend to learn it more often. Kuchipudi is the state's best-known classical dance forms of Andhra Pradesh. The various dance forms that existed through the states's history are Chenchu Bhagotham, Kuchipudi, Bhamakalapam, Burrakatha, Veeranatyam, Butta bommalu, Dappu, Tappeta Gullu, Lambadi, Bonalu, Dhimsa, and Kolattam.

Movies

Andhra Pradesh is the state with the most cinema halls in India, at around 2,500. The state also produces about 200 movies a year. It has almost 50%[citation needed] of all Dolby digital theatres in India. Now it also houses an IMax theatre with a big 3D screen and also 3-5 multiplexes. It is also the largest movie industry in India, producing more movies than any other industry.

State symbols

State language - Telugu
State symbol - Poorna Kumbham
State song - Maa telugu thalliki by Sankarambadi Sundarachari
State animal - Blackbuck, (Krishna Jinka)
State bird - Kingfisher, (Paala Pitta)
State tree - Vepa (Neem)
State sport - Kabaddi, in Telugu Chedu gudu
State dance - Kuchipudi, Andhra Natyam
State flower - Water lily

Temples in the state

Tirupati: Tirupati is the abode for the world famous Hindu temple of Lord Venkateswara. It is the richest Hindu religious institution and second richest in the world after the Vatican. It records an annual income of about 100 Billion Rupees (2.5 Billion US Dollars), mostly from offerings by the devotees. The traditional "head tonsuring" has entered the records as the record amount of human hair collected from a single place. This hair is auctioned, bringing several million rupees every year from several countries where manufactures use this hair for a variety of purposes.

Yadagiri Gutta:
Vemulavada:Notable for the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple complex, a site of pilgrimage for both Hindu (particularly devotees of Vishnu and Shiva) and Muslim worshippers. Built by Chaluka Kings between AD 750 and 975, the complex is named for its presiding deity Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy, an incarnation of Shiva. It houses several temples dedicated to other deities including Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Lakshmi, Ganapathy, Lord Padmanabha Swamy and Lord Bhimeshwara. The complex also contains a 400 year old mosque.

Vijayawada:

Vijayawada houses the second biggest and equally famous temple of Goddess Durga also known as Kanaka Durga.

Srisailam:

Abode for Lord Siva worshipped with the name of Mallikarjuna and Goddess Parvathi, worshipped with the name of Bhramaramba. Srisailam has a unique distinction amongst the Hindu temples of the world; it is the only place to be one of 18 Shaktipithas and one of 12 Jyothirlingas. Huge hydro-electric multi-purpose dam has also been constructed at this place on river Krishna.

Bhadrachalam:

Abode for Lord Rama. The legend goes back a few hundred years. There was a devotee by name Bhakta Ramadas, who was a tax collector in Taneesha (a Muslim ruler of Golkonda)'s government. Apparently he spent all the tax collection money on building a temple for lord Rama, eventually was put in prison by the Taneesha. Bhakta Ramdas has offered his prayers to lord Rama in the form of Kirtanas, and one fine day, lord Rama and his brother Lakshmana come in disguise to re-pay the money to Taneesha. Taneesha finally realized his mistake and from that day, not only freed Bhakta Ramadas, but also agreed to supply the required alms for the temple at Bhadrachalam. Till date, in independent India, the state administration maintains the ritual.

Srikalahasti:

SriKalahasti is one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams signifying the 5 elements, 1) wind (Kalahasti), 2) water (Thiruvanaikaval), 3) fire (Tiruvannamalai), 4) earth (Kanchipuram) and 5) space (Chidambaram) that Siva embodies.

Ahobilam:

Ahobilam or Ahobala is a complex of 9 temples of Lord Narasimha.

Mangalagiri:

A temple town between Vijayawada and Guntur. Adobe of Lord Narasimha. The unique distinction at this shrine is that, the deity is offered payers in the form of 'Panakam' or Jaggery Water.

Annavaram:

The holy shrine is the sanctum sanctorum of Lord "Satyadeva" or "Satyanarayana".

Simhachalam:

This holy shrine is the adobe of Lord Narasimha, worshipped in the name of "Narasimha".

Pechalakona:

It is the place of Penchala Narasimha Swamy Temple. It is located in Rapur mandal of Nellore Dist.

Srikakulam:

There are two places with the same name in the state. A district and town by the same name on the north east corner of the state as well as a small village on the bank of river Krishna in Krishna district. The village Srikakulam houses the "Andhra Mahavishnu" temple. Legend says that this temple was constructed by the great Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.

Ramappa Temple:

a beautiful Shiva temple in the temple town of Palampet, near Warangal.

Veerabhadra temple in the temple town of Lepakshi is a wonderful example of the Vijayanagar architectural style and art.

Cultural institutions

Andhra Pradesh has many museums, including the Archaeological Museum at Amaravati near Guntur City that features relics of nearby ancient sites, the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, which features a varied collection of sculptures, paintings, and religious artifacts, and the Visakha Museum in Vizag (Visakhapatnam), which displays the history of the pre-Independence Madras Presidency in a rehabilitated Dutch bungalow.

Newspapers

Andhra Pradesh has several newspapers. Prominent among them are:

Telugu Newspapers -

Eenadu, Andhra Jyothi, Vaartha, Praja Shakti, Andhra Bhoomi, Visalandra, Andhra Prabha and KalamPotu

URDU Newspapers -

Siasat Daily, Munsif Daily, Rehnuma-e-Deccan, Itimad Urdu Daily and The Daily Milap.

English Newspapers -

Deccan Chronicle, The Hindu, The Times of India, Indian Express,The Economic Times,The Business Line

Festivals

Sankranthi in January.
Maha Shivaratri in February/March.
Ugadi or the Telugu New Year in March/April.
Vinayaka Chavithi in August.
Ramzan in October, 2006.(Muslim)
Dasara in October.
Deepavali in November.
Bakrid in December, 2006.(Muslim)
Bonalu in Sravanam. (Celebrated in Telangana region).
Bathukamma celebrated during September/October in Telangana region.
Christmas celebrated in December all over the state.(Christian)
Rama Navami celebrated in March/April 9 days after Ugadi.

Cuisine

The cuisine of Andhra is reputedly the spiciest of all Indian cuisine. Even in the state itself there are many variations to the cuisine depending on caste, restrictions, food availability etc. Pickles and chutneys, called pachchadi in Telugu are particularly popular in Andhra Pradesh and many varieties of pickles and chutneys are unique to the state. Chutneys are made from practically every vegetable including tomatoes, brinjals, and roselle (gongura, ). A mango pickle, aavakaaya, is probably the best known of the Andhra pickles.Rice is the staple food and is used in a wide variety of ways. Typically, rice is either boiled and eaten with curry, or made into a batter for use in a crepe-like dish called attu (pesarattu) or dosas.Meat, vegetables, and greens are prepared with different masalas into a variety of strongly flavoured dishes.Hyderabadi cuisine is influenced by the Muslim population, which arrived in Telangana centuries ago. Much of the cuisine revolves around meat. It is rich and aromatic, with a liberal use of exotic spices and ghee. Lamb, chicken and fish are the most widely used meats in the non-vegetarian dishes. The biryanis are perhaps the most distinctive and popular of Hyderabadi dishes.

Tourism

Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centres. Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, has the richest and most visited Hindu temple in India. Srisailam, the abode of Sri Mallikarjuna, is one of twelve Jyothirlingalu in India and Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. The Ramappa temple at Warangal is famous for some fine temple carvings. The state has numerous Buddhist centres at Amaravati, Bhattiprolu, Nagarjuna Konda, and Phanigiri.The golden beaches at Visakhapatnam, the one-million-year old limestone caves at Borra, picturesque Araku Valley, hill resorts of Horsley Hills, Godavari racing through a narrow gorge at Papi Kondalu, waterfalls and rich bio-diversity at Talakona, the beaches of Vizag are some of the natural attractions of the state.Charminar, Golconda Fort, Chandragiri Fort, and Falaknuma Palace are some of the monuments in the state.