 Andhra Pradesh
Location:
South-East of India |
| Climate Summer |
420(max) |
| Winter |
100-120(min) |
Best time to visit:
October to February |
Andhra Pradesh, located in the South India, is India's fifth largest state and extends over an area of 275, 068 sq. km. It is also known as the "Rice Granary of India" and is the only tourist state in India which has a coast line of 1000 kms with eight of its 23 districts having direct access to the sea. Andhra Pradesh is surrounded by Tamil Nadu in the south, Maharashtra in the North and North-West, Madhya Pradesh in the North-East, Karnataka in the West, and by the Bay of Bengal in the East. The medieval city of Hyderabad is its capital. The main languages that are spoken in Andhra are Telugu, English, Urdu & Hindi.
 History
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 century, when the Cholas seized power. In the 14th century, Muslim power reached this southern state and for centuries ruled over this princely state. It was finally taken over by a General of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. The General's successors, called Nizams, ruled the state till Independence.
Geography
 A little over a third of the geographical area is tilled under agriculture and 22 per cent of the area is under forest cover. Forests occupy 63,814 Sq. Kms with rich flora and fauna. The State has a coastline of 974 Kms. The Krishna and Godavari rivers account for 84% of the total riparian water resources of the state. Andhra Pradesh boasts of some of the best sun kissed beaches in the country. Andhra Pradesh has a typical tropical climate of hot summers but relatively pleasant winters, especially in the plains of the interior.
 Tourism
Its unique blend of history, beaches and mountains make it a great travel destination. The state of Andhra Pradesh is renowned for its legendary dynasties, revered temple, beautiful language- Telugu, lacquer toys and beautiful weaves, rich literature and the vibrant Kuchipudi. The places to see in Andhra Pradesh are Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati, Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, Golconda Fort in Hyderabad and Buddhist viharas at Nagarjunasagar. Andhra Pradesh is also a vital seat of rich Buddhist heritage. Andhra Pradesh also owns the largest IT Park and largest Film City in Asia.
Andhra Pradesh has the world's tallest masonry dam, million year old caves, South Asia's first lion safari and the world's richest temple, all these are the gems in the crown of Andhra Pradesh.
 Hyderabad: Hyderabad, the Second Silicon Valley of India, is the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and is a bustling 400-year-old metropolis with an urban population of 4.2 million people approximately. Hyderabad is located on the Deccan Plateau and the Musi River, 650m above sea level. The physiography of Hyderabad is dominated by hills, tanks, forests, and rock formations.
Vishakhapatnam
 Vishakhapatnam, the City of Destiny is built along the seashore of the Bay of Bengal, and is bounded and broken by the bold headland called the Dolphin's Nose (357m above the sea level). The city boasts of a beautiful beach with a long beach road ending at nearly Bheemunipatnam on the northern end. The surrounding area is dominated on the west by the well-forested Eastern Ghats and farther east is drained by numerous rivers, among them the Godavari and Indravati.
Vijayawada
Vijayawada, also called as "Bezawada", is 257-km from Hyderabad and is located on the banks of the Krishna River, and is bounded by the Indrakiladri hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. Situated along the Chennai - Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail route, this is the largest railway junction of the South Central Railway. The city forms a part of the Krishna district, spread over an area of 58-sq- kms (urban area).
Warangal
 Warangal is located on northern Andhra Pradesh State lies along the Chennai -Kazipet-Delhi rail route. Warangal was the ancient capital of the Kakatiyas, an Andhra dynasty that flourished in the 12th century AD. The city stands out for its beautiful lakes, temples and wildlife. It is very rich in antiques and relics.
Puttaparthi
Located 400-km from Hyderabad by road, the village Chitravati, situated at a distance of about 18 miles from Penukonda, 2 miles from Penukond-Bukkapatnam road has now become a centre of great attraction, Puttaparthi. It is abode of Puttaparthi Sri Satya Sai Baba. An important tourist attraction of Ananthapur district, Puttaparthi is surrounded by the arid and rocky hills bordering Karnataka.
Tirupati Balaji
 Tirupati City is located in the southeastern part of Andhra Pradesh State. It lies about 152-km northwest of Chennai in the Palkonda Hills. Tirupati is known as the abode of the Hindu god Venkateshvara (also spelt as 'Venkatesvara'), "Lord of Seven Hills". About 10-km northwest of Tirupati, at an elevation of 750m, is the sacred hill of Tirumala, which was considered so holy that before 1870 non-Hindus were not permitted to ascend it.
How to reach Andhra Pradesh
By Air: The state has one international Airport in it's capital - Hyderabad. Other important airports are located at Tirupathi and Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry and Vijayawada.
By Rail: Around 4,104 km of the National Highways network pass through Andhra Pradesh. State highways measure up to nearly 60,000 km and there is another 1,04,000 km of Panchayati Raj road network.
By Road: early 5,085 km of the railways route cover the state Andhra Pradesh out of which 4,362 km is broad-gauge, 686 km is metre-gauge and 37 km is narrow gauge.
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