Andhra Pradesh: History, Sightseeing, Tradition, Culture & Food

The south-eastern coastal state of India, Andhra Pradesh is popularly known as the Rice Bowl of India. Endowing to abundant natural marvels, this state attracts a huge number of tourists every year. This agriculturally rich state is also known as Andhra Rashtra. It is the land of the renowned diamond Kohinoor and many other exquisite diamonds in its Kollur mine are popular all over the world. Andhra is famous for its dense forests and ultimate climate, the temperature here depends upon the season and the geographical region. Summer lasts from March to June, followed by the monsoon from July to September. A pleasant winter from October to February is the ideal time to visit the agricultural state.

History of Andhra Pradesh

The history of Andhra Pradesh is traced back to the pre-historic period with the development of civilization in its ancient history. The Pallavas, Vishnukundinas, and the Chalukyas were ancient tribes in the South Indian kingdom. The Madras Presidency formed in 1953 comprised Andhra Pradesh, the first state to be formed on the basis of language. On the 1st of November 1956, Andhra State got merged with the Telugu-speaking area of Hyderabad to form Andhra Pradesh. The cultural and political accounts of Andhra Pradesh emerges with the rise of the Satavahanas as a supreme political power.

Tribes in this state were also originally called 'Andhras', which means the South. Maurya officials, Satavahanas called the Andhra-Bhritya, means 'Officers of the South'. Original inhabitants were referred to as the Andhras, trace back their history to the Vedic ages. The locals of the region always supported art and culture by building temples and sculptures of the Buddhist monuments in the state. History of Andhra Pradesh states that it was majorly ruled by the Satavahanas, Andhra Ikshvakus, Eastern Chalukyas, Vijayanagara Empire, Cholas, Mauryan Empire, Pallavas, Vishnukundinas, Salankayanas, Kakatiyas, and the Rashtrakutas, before being declared as an independent state.

Culture of Andhra Pradesh

The culture of Andhra Pradesh is rich and varied with several art forms like Kalamkari, Bidri, Nirmal paintings along with the spectacular weaving of Gadwal, Pochampalli, and Venkatagiri. The meticulous effort imparted by the Andhra craftsmen can be witnessed in their exclusive metalware, brass, stone, and wood carving pieces. Sari-blouse and dhoti-kurta is the national dress of Andhra Pradesh. The culture of Andhra Pradesh is enriched with its music heritage, wherein Carnatic has a maximum fan following. Most of the renowned Carnatic singers and musicians are the descendants of the tribe of Telugus. The folk music of this state is quite popular. Andhra Pradesh has a plethora of rich culture and tradition embedded in varied forms of dance too.

Kuchipudi is the most popular classical dance form of Andhra Pradesh, mostly performed by Telugu women. Burrakatha, Dappu, Chenchu Bhagotam, Bhamakalapam, Dhimsa, Veeranatyam, Butta Bommalu, Tappeta Gullu, and Kolattam are some of the other traditional and fascinating dance forms. Andhra Pradesh culture and tradition encompass many festivals. Since most of the people are Hindus, the majority of Hindu festivals are celebrated here on a grand scale. Christian and Muslim festivals are also celebrated here on a relatively smaller scale. Pongal, Maha Shivaratri, Makar Sankranti, Sri Rama Navami, Ugadi, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Deccan Festival, Lumbini Festival, Tirupati Tirumala Brahmotsavam, Varalakshmi Vratam, Visakha Utsav, Dussehra, Atla Tadde, and Deepavali are some of the enchanting festivals of Andhra Pradesh.

Food of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh, the Rice Bowl of India, considers rice as the staple food that is usually served with sambar or varied preparations of pulses and vegetables. The unique selling proposition of the food of Andhra Pradesh is that all the meals here are served with mouth-watering chutneys, papadams, pickles, and powders. If you are visiting Andhra Pradesh, some of the popular dishes like Bandar laddu, Gongura chutney, Puliyogare, Bargara baingan, Pesarattu, Pulusu, Arisa, Pappu Charu, Avakaya, Jonna kudu, and Andhra biryani should not be missed.

Art and Handicraft of Andhra Pradesh

Art and handicraft of Andhra Pradesh showcase a unique blend of the traditional and the royal Nizami heritage. Several art forms ranging from sculptures, paintings to the iconic monuments like Charminar, Qutub Shahi Tomb, Mecca Masjid, etc are a treat to the eyes of the travelers. Natives of Andhra Pradesh, the Telugus are true pioneers in various facets of wood carving, stone carving, figurines crafted from silver, brass workpieces, metal wares, delicate and elegant carpet work along with sheet metalware.

Batik print is a popular art form that utilizes wax to make beautiful prints on fabric. Kalamkari is a world-renowned art form whereby a quill is used for painting and the printing on the fabric is done by vegetable dyes. Other inextricable arts and handicrafts of Andhra Pradesh culture and tradition include Nirmal paintings, Bidri work, and Cherial Scroll paintings. Also famous are the weaves from Venkatagiri, Pochampally, and Gadwal.

Places To Visit In Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh, well promoted as the Kohinoor of India by the Indian Tourism Department, is engulfed by two beautiful rivers, Krishna and Godavari, with the Bay of Bengal to its west. Boasting a 972 km coastline, the longest in the country, this state is the most visited for its world-class holy shrines like the Shiva shrine, which is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in India. Temples like the Tirupati temple, Srisailam Mallikarjuneswar temple are huge tourist attractions in India. An array of best things to do in Andhra Pradesh includes the following:

Visakhapatnam – Major seaport in India famous for beaches, ports, hilltops, wildlife sanctuaries, and caves. Kailasagiri and RK Beach are its major attractions
Tirupati – One of the main pilgrimage sites located at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats in the Chittoor district, is famous for Tirupati Balaji. Some of the major attractions are Govindaraja Temple and Venkateswara Temple
Vijayawada – An agriculturally rich state famous for its caves, history, and nature. One of its major attractions is the Undavalli Caves.

Kurnool – One of the oldest cities in Andhra Pradesh based on the rock paintings of Ketavaram, is renowned for its history and the caves.
Kadapa – Refers to a Gateway to the pilgrim spot at the Tirumala Hills.
Puttaparthi – Renowned for being one of the major religious centers of ‘Sathya Sai Baba’, its main attraction lies in Prasanthi Nilayam.
Rajahmundry – Known as the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh due to its ancient Vedic culture, is also famous for the River Godavari and being a great pilgrimage site. Its major attractions are the Dutch Fort and Pushkaram.

Seemandhra, though has been cut off from main Andhra Pradesh, it retains the glory of Indian tourism. Tourist spots like the Belum caves, Borra caves, Nagarjuna Konda, and Pulicat Lake have all been included in Seemandhra. This region still retains the cultural touch of Andhra Pradesh and its cuisine. Buddhist influence of Bavikonda, Dhulikatta, Amravati, Thotlakonda, Nagarjuna Konda is quite prominent in this state. So let us not wait any further. Just plan your trip and make your own route to explore the state with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner.