Andhra Pradesh is a state in the south-eastern coast of India. One of the largest state by area and one of the most populous states in the country, it is well known for its rich natural resources, temples and rivers. The state is known for its 3 capitals namely Visakhapatnam or Vizag, Amaravati and Kurnool. Vizag, is one of the oldest port cities in the country. Situated in the heart of Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam is known for its picturesque beaches and serene landscape, as well as a rich cultural past. Andhra Pradesh borders Telangana to north-west, Chhattisgarh to north, Odisha to north-east, TamilNadu to south, Karnataka to west and Bay of Bengal to east.
The state also borders a union territory, Yanam district of Puducherry to the south of Kakinada in the Godavari delta. Andhra Pradesh is the first state to be formed on a linguistic basis in India on 1 Oct 1953 with Telugu as the language. The state was once a major Buddhist pilgrimage site in the country and a Buddhist learning center which can be seen in many sites in the state in the form of ruins, chaityas and stupas. It is also known as the land of the world-famous diamond Koh-i-Noor and many other global known diamonds.
A major producer of rice in India, has been ruled by numerous dynasty including Satavahana , Western Chalukyan, Kakatiyas Eastern Chalukyan, Vishnukundinas, Salankayanas, Nizam, Vijayanagara, Golconda Sultans, Bahmani, and more; who ruled over vast areas of the state that comprises of two major regions, namely Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra . The state is famous for Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, one of the world’s richest and most visited religious sites. It is also home to a variety of other pilgrimage centres, such as Pancharama Kshetras, Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga and Kodanda Rama Temple.
The state has extremely fertile land with coastline bordered by Eastern Ghats which is home to dense tropical forests. Besides the 3 capitals other important cities in the state are Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Kakinada, Kadapa, and Anantapur. The state is a major commercial; and business hub and is one of the storehouses of mineral resources in India. Andhra Pradesh is a major producer of power, steel, agricultural, and also home to major companies. The city of Vizag and Vijaywada are also fast emerging as IT hubs. Andhra Pradesh is also home to India’s space centre at ShriHarikota.
Andhra Pradesh has rich culture and heritage. Kuchipudi, the cultural dance recognized as the official dance. Machilipatnam and Srikalahasti Kalamkari are the two unique textile art forms practised in India. The state has many 3museums, which house a variety of ancient sculptures, paintings, idols, weapons, cutlery, and inscriptions, and religious artifacts. The state is known for its spice cuisine. Well connected by road, rail, air and sea the state has numerous well known educational ionstitutes that attracts students from across India.
the state is home to numerous tourist hotspot like Lepakshi, Ahobilam, Kurnool, Tirupati, Puttaparthi, Vizag, Vijaywada and many more. Tourism in the state also includes picturesque locations like Araku Valley, Papikondalu, Gandikota, Srisailam, Pulicat lake and more. the wildlife scene in the state is pretty varied with numerous national parks, wildlife sanctuary and bird sanctuary besides beautiful beaches. Lambasingi or Lamsingi is the only place in South India that experiencesd snowfall in winter. The winter season between October and February is the best time to plan a trip to Andhra Pradesh.
As the state has numerous tourist locations, as such there are numerous hotels, resorts, lodges, and guesthouses that provide luxurious, mid range and budget accommodation to tourist. The state is a shoppers delight a there are numerous locations that are famous for selling handicraft, jewelry, textile, saree, dolls, statues, sandalwood and much more. all major cities in the state have numerous markets and shopping malls that sell variety of local and branded products.
