Andhra Pradesh is a state located on the south-eastern coast of India. Its capital and largest city is Hyderabad. Gujarat has the longest coastline of 1600 km among all the states of India and this state is in second place with a coastline of 972 km. Telangana is the 29th newly formed state to be separated from Andhra Pradesh state. Hyderabad has been made the joint capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for ten years. Amaravati is the name of the proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on 22 October 2015 in Uddandarayanapalem area. Amaravati Metropolitan Area will be formed by combining the metropolitan areas of Guntur and Vijayawada.
History Of Andhra Pradesh
The earliest description of Andhra Pradesh is found in Aitereya Brahmana (around 2000 BC). It mentions that the inhabitants of Andhra Pradesh were originally of Aryan race and lived in North India, from where they migrated to the south of the Vindhya mountains and later mingled with the non-Aryans. According to historians, the regular history of Andhra Pradesh begins from 236 BC. Emperor Ashoka died in 236 BC and in the subsequent period, Satavahana, Shak, Ikshvaku, Eastern Chalukya and Kakatiya ruled this Telugu speaking country. After them, Vijayanagar and Qutubshahi rulers ruled and after them under the rule of Mir Kamruddin, from the 17th century the British took control of many parts of the country and established the Madras province.
The original form of the word Telugu is “Triling” in Sanskrit. It refers to the Shivalinga of Mallikarjuna Linga, Kaleshwar and Draksharama of Srishaila in Andhra Pradesh. The country surrounded by these three borders is called Triling Desh and the language here is called Triling (Telugu). This word is used in the Mahabharata of Telugu’s first poet “Nannaya Bhatt”. This word is also believed to have originated from the word Trinag. It refers to the region spread in the middle of three big mountains. When the Andhra people were moved from the north to the south, this region and language were named “Tenugu” due to being southerners.
The name of the south in Tamil language is Ten. There is another reason for the name Tenugu. In Tenugu, the word Tene (Tene u Shahad, Agu u Jaho) means honey. This language is famous by the name Tenugu due to being sweet. This region is also known as “Veginaam”. “Veghi” means the middle region of Krishna and Godavari rivers which was once burnt. This name is not used for the language.
Andhra is the name of a caste. According to the story of Rigveda, Rishi Vishwamitra’s curse caused his 50 sons to become Andhra, Pulind and Shabar. Probably the people of Andhra caste were Aryan Kshatriyas.
After independence, Telugu speaking area was separated from Madras province and a new state was created on 1 October 1953 which was named Andhra Pradesh. After the State Reorganization Act, 1956, Hyderabad state was merged with Andhra Pradesh and ‘Andhra Pradesh’ state was created on 1 November 1956.
Andhra Pradesh has Orissa state and Chhattisgarh in the north, Maharashtra and Karnataka in the west, Tamil Nadu in the south and Bay of Bengal has a coastline of about 975 kilometers in the east.
As a result of excavation at a place called Utnoor in Andhra Pradesh, the post-Harappan culture has been identified there.
Historical-legendary context
Tirumala, Chittoor district
In Aitareya Brahman, 7,18, there is mention of Dakshinatya castes like Andhra, Shabar Pulinda etc. who originally lived in the valleys of Vindhya Mountains. Andhras are mentioned in Mahabharata Sabhaparva 31, 71-
Pandyaansch Dravidanshchaiva Sahitanschondrakerlai: Andhrastalavananshchaiva Kalinganushtrakarnikan.
In Vana Parva 51, 22, Andhras are mentioned along with Cholas and Dravidas – ‘Savangangan Sapaundraudraan Sacholdravidandhrakan’. In Ashoka’s inscription 13 also, Andhras have been mentioned under the Magadha Empire.
In Vishnupuran 4,24,64, Andhra country is mentioned in this way. – ‘Koslandhrapundratamralipta seashore puri cha devarakshito rakshitah’.
240 BC Around 1000 BCE, the Andhras established an independent kingdom in the south which gradually spread across the Indian peninsula. They defeated the foreign satraps and developed Andhra rule over Godavari, Berar, Malwa, Kathiawar and Gujarat.
Andhra kings Gautamiputra Satkarni became very famous who ruled till 119 AD. The sovereignty of Andhra state lasted till 225 AD. At this time there were many big ports on the coast of South India through which India’s trade with the Roman Empire was carried out. The internal administration of Andhra Pradesh was also well organised and based on democratic principles, as is evident from the many inscriptions of this region. [1]
Geography
Landforms
The state of Andhra Pradesh has three major physiographic regions:-
The coastal plains in the east, extending from the Bay of Bengal to the mountain ranges;
The mountain ranges i.e. Eastern Ghats, which form the western flank of the coastal plains;
The plateaus from the west to the east of the Ghats.
The coastal plains run almost the entire length of the state, with numerous rivers flowing from west to east through the hills into the Gulf. The deltas of two of the major rivers, the Godavari and the Krishna, form the central part of the plains with fertile alluvial soil. The Eastern Ghats do not form a continuous range because of the large river valleys. The Ghats are part of a larger mountain range extending from central India to the far south, parallel to the east coast. The coastal soil here is very porous. The plateau to the west of these mountain ranges is made up of metamorphic rock (rock which is formed due to great internal heat and pressure). The average height of the plateau is 487.6 metres above sea level. Due to erosion, this has become a region of terraced valleys, where the soil is red and sandy and the hills are monolithic. Black soil is also found in some areas here.
Climate
Andhra Pradesh has three seasons-
Summer from March to June
Tropical rain from July to September
Winter from October to February.
The maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the state range between 23° to 28°C and 10° to 12°C respectively. Summers are very hot in the coastal plains and temperatures reach 42°C in some places. Summers are mildly cool on the plateau and winters are very cold. Most of the rainfall in Andhra Pradesh is due to the southwest monsoon winds and some places receive 1,400 mm of rainfall, while other places receive only 508 mm. The coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh receive heavy rainfall. Some areas of the plateau, especially the north and west, receive very little rainfall.
Economy
Agriculture is the primary sector of Andhra Pradesh’s economy, engaged in food grain production. Andhra Pradesh is one of the major rice producing states of the country and also produces about 4/5th of the Virginia tobacco in India. The rivers of the state, especially the Godavari and the Krishna, are important for agriculture. For a long time their benefits were limited to the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, which had the best irrigation facilities. After independence, efforts have been made to collect water from these two rivers as well as other rivers for the arid interior areas. Irrigation by canals has led to a growth in the number of units in Telangana and Rayalaseema regions competing with the agro-industrial units of coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the primary sector of Andhra Pradesh’s economy, engaged in food grain production. Andhra Pradesh is one of the major rice producing states of the country and also produces about 4/5th of the Virginia tobacco in India. The rivers of the state, especially the Godavari and the Krishna, are important for agriculture. For a long time their benefits were limited to the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, which had the best irrigation facilities. After independence, efforts have been made to collect water from two rivers other than these two for the arid interior areas. Irrigation by canals has increased the number of units in Telangana and Rayalaseema regions competing with the agro-industrial units of coastal Andhra Pradesh. The main occupation of the citizens in Andhra Pradesh is farming, about 62 percent of its area is cultivated. The main crop of Andhra Pradesh is rice and rice is also the main diet of the people here. Rice accounts for 77 percent of the total grain production of the state. Other major crops here are – sorghum, tobacco, cotton and sugarcane. Peanuts are also grown in abundance in Andhra Pradesh. In terms of peanut production, Gujarat ranks first in India, where 35.95 percent of the total peanut production is produced. After this, Andhra Pradesh (28.32 percent) is second and Tamil Nadu (11.84 percent) is third. 23 percent of the area of Andhra Pradesh state has dense forests. The main forest products are teak, eucalyptus, cashew, casuarina and timber.
Irrigation System
The important irrigation projects underway in the state include ‘Vamsdhara Project Phase – I’, ‘Godavari Delta System’, ‘Yelleru Reservoir Project’, ‘Krishna Delta Pennar River Canal System’, ‘Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Sagar Project’, ‘Tungabhadra Project’ and ‘Rajoji Bandh Project’. Andhra Pradesh is the first state in India to involve farmers in the management of irrigation facilities.
Resources
The mineral resources of the state include asbestos, mica, manganese, barite and high grade coal. Low grade iron ore is found in the southern parts of the state. Most of the country’s total barite is produced in Andhra Pradesh. It is the only state in South India where coal reserves are found. Large reserves of natural gas have been found in the delta of the Godavari and Krishna rivers. The diamond mines of Golconda, once world famous, are being re-produced. The Kohinoor diamond and other famous stones were found in these mines. Quartz, limestone and graphite are also found here. To make full use of its mineral resources, the state has set up a mining and metal trading corporation.
Industry and minerals
Andhra Pradesh, once industrially underdeveloped, has become one of India’s industrial states in the second half of the 20th century. The central government has established shipbuilding, aeronautical, electrical equipment, machine tools and pharmaceutical industries in the Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad regions. Most private industries are located in the Vijayawada-Guntur region, producing chemicals, textiles, cement, fertilizers, processed food products, petroleum products and cigarettes. Visakhapatnam has an oil refinery and the country’s largest shipbuilding yard, yet the mining and manufacturing industries account for only a small part of the state’s income. The central government has opened a large steel plant in Visakhapatnam because of the availability of raw materials and port facilities. In recent years, electrification from hydroelectric and thermal power projects has also helped in industrialization and irrigation. Due to the long coastline and many rivers, the fisheries industry is also an important and growing industry in the state.
Large industries near Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam produce machine tools, medicines, heavy electrical machinery, fertilizers, electronic equipment, aircraft parts, cement and chemicals, glass and watches etc. Andhra Pradesh has the largest reserves of high quality chrysolite asbestos in the country. Apart from this, important minerals like copper, manganese, mica, coal and limestone are also found here. Coal is supplied to the entire South India from the Singareni coal mines.
Information Technology
Andhra Pradesh is rapidly progressing in the field of information technology. Several schemes have been launched in the state in the IT sector.
IT is expanding in cities like Warangal, Tirupati, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur and Kadapa. IIT Medak is starting to function in the district and BITS Pilani is also preparing to open a campus in Hyderabad.
Efforts are being made to open three Indian Institutes of Information Technology (at Idupulapaya in Kadapa, Nuzivid in Krishna district and Basara in Adilabad) under the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technology.
Transportation
Roads
As of 2007, the length of national highways passing through Andhra Pradesh was 4,647 km and the length of state roads was 63,863 km, of which 10,412 km were state highways.
The extensive road system here includes three national highways, which connect Andhra Pradesh to other major cities in the country.
The road system is in the hands of state and local governments.
Bus transport, a large part of which was again privatized in the second half of the 20th century, provides rapid facilities between different cities.
Railways
Most parts of the state have a rail system, which connects it to the rest of India.
Of the approximately 5,107 km of railways in Andhra Pradesh, 4,633 km are broad gauge, 437 km are meter gauge and 37 km are narrow gauge.
Aviation
Visakhapatnam is a major sea international port.
The state has four major airports- Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.
There are regular international flights from Hyderabad.
Ports
The canals in the coastal areas, especially the salt water Kommamur Canal running parallel to the coast from the Krishna River to Chennai, are used to carry cargo.
Visakhapatnam is a major sea international port.
Education
The literacy rate in Andhra Pradesh is about 61.11 percent. The state’s education system consists of a two-year junior college course after 10 years of schooling, followed by undergraduate and postgraduate education. Primary education in the state has been free and compulsory since 1961. Secondary education, which is under the local bodies, is also free. The state has 12 universities—Hyderabad (five including the Agricultural University), Voltaire, Warangal, Guntur, Vijayawada, Anantapur and Tirupati (two)—each affiliated with several colleges. Several institutes provide postgraduate training and facilities. Hyderabad houses the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages.
To meet the requirements of industrialization, special attention has been given to technical education for many years. Many industrial training institutes provide vocational training, engineering colleges of universities train high-level technical personnel. These facilities are also available in private institutions.
Cultural Life\
Andhra Pradesh’s contribution to Indian cultural heritage is remarkable. Architecture and painting have been highly developed in this region since ancient times. The Kuchipudi dance style is unique in the Indian tradition. Carnatic (South Indian) music has borrowed a lot from Andhra Pradesh. Many South Indian classical musicians are from Andhra Pradesh and the language of many musical compositions has been Telugu. Telugu, one of the four major literary languages of the Dravidian family, has a respected place among Indian languages. This language is famous for its archaic style and melodious flow. Andhras have been prominent in the modern Indian literary renaissance and their writings reflect the influence of the contemporary revolution in literary forms and expression. Many magazines are published here in English, Telugu and Urdu.
The Muslim culture of the Telangana region further enriches the cultural diversity of the state. Art and literature flourished under royal and private patronage, some of which are still functioning today. The state has created autonomous academies to revive, popularize and promote fine arts, dance, drama, music and literature. The continuing consciousness of culture is an urban process rather than a rural one, as cultural programmes, literary meetings and religious discussions take place mostly in towns or cities.
Folk culture is predominant in rural areas. Due to cultural development in different historical circumstances in different parts of the state, differences in dialects, caste system and habits have brought diversity in folk art. Singing by folk singers, puppet dance and mythological story reading are the unique arts of this region. The reach of communication media, especially radio and television, in rural areas has helped in bringing awareness about classical culture among the rural people and folk culture among the urban people. Andhra Pradesh is one of the few major Indian states to produce films.
Tourist Spots
Charminar, Salarjung Museum and Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad
Thousand Pillar Temple and Fort in Warangal
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Yadagirigutta
Buddhist Stupas in Nagarjunakonda and Nagarjuna Sagar
Sri Tirupati Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala-Tirupati
Srimallikarjunaswamy Temple at Sriselamaka
Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada
Panigiri, where there are ruins of an ancient Satavahana period Buddhist colony.
Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Temple in Annavaram
Sri Varaha Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam
Sri Sitarama Temple in Bhadrachalam, Arakughatti, Horsley Hills, Seshachalam Hills, Eramala Ranges, Nallamalai Hills and Nelapattu are important tourist places in Andhra Pradesh. The Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad has 33 life-size statues of prominent Telugu personalities in the tankband and a 60-foot giant Buddha statue is installed on the Gibraltar Rock in the middle of the lake. This lake separates the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Kesarapalli is a historical place in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.