Andhra Pradesh Travel Guide

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Andhra Pradesh is rich in historical monuments. It possesses many holy temples with architectural beauty, which attract large numbers of pilgrims and tourists from inside and outside the country. Andhra Pradesh (275,00 sq. km) stands on the high Deccan plateau, sloping down to the low-lying coastal region to the east where the mighty Godavari and Krishna rivers meet the Bay of Bengal. Once a major Buddhist centre and part of Ashok's large empire; it was in the hands of Chalukyas from 7th to 10th century and was ruled by Cholas till the 13th century. The seat was annexed by the Muslims and conquered by Vijaynagar rulers. Finally in the 16th century, the Qutab Shahi dynasty was established at Hyderabad. During this period, fortresses of Golconda. Their regime came to an end in 1687 when the kingdom was taken over by a general of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The general's successor, the Nizams of Hyderabad ruled the state thereafter till the Independence. The places of main tourist attraction are the world famous Salarjung Museum, Charminar, Golconda Fort, Nagarjunasagar and the vicinity, Simhachalam, Araku valley, Horsley Hills, Tirupati, Srisailam, Bhadrachalam, Lepakshi, Amaravati, Ramappa, Thousand-pillared temple at Warangal, etc.

Getting There:
By Air:
The capital is well connected by air, rail and road to all major cities of India.
By Rail:
Trains go to all the big cities - Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi.
By Bus:
There are 3 main bus stations in addition to privately run companies. They run both interstate and out of state.

Fact File:
Area: 38,863 sq km
Population: 31.8 million.
Religion: Hindus (57.28%), Muslims (23.32%), Christians (19.31%)
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Languages: Malayalam, Hindi, English
Major Cities : Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi & Kozhikode

Tourist Attractions:
Hyderabad:
Travel to Hyderabad, the fifth largest metropolis in India. Being the state capital of Andhra Pradesh, the city is famous for its monuments, temples, and mosques representing the culture and heritage of the region. The palaces and buildings, houses and tenements, gardens and streets have a history and an architectural individuality of their own, which makes Hyderabad, a city of enchantment. The city is well known as the 'city of Nawabs'. On your Travel to Hyderabad you can visit several old monuments, which are popular among the tourists. Charminar forms the main attraction of the place nearby is the massive and sacred structure of the Mecca Masjid.A tour to Hyderabad would take you to the Jami Masjid and the Toli Masjid mosques, which are worth visiting.

Jama Masjid:
Also near the Char Minar is the oldest mosque in Hyderabad (1597 AD).

Tirupati:
Tirupati is famed for the shrine on the Seven Hills of Tirumala dedicated to Lord Venkateswara. The town of Tirupati is one of the most ancient and sacred pilgrimage spots in India. The hill near the temple is called ‘Tirumala’ or the “sacred hill.” The temple is said to be the busiest in the world and the Brahmotsavam is undoubtedly celebrated for its oriental pomp and pageantry in September every year.

Char Minar:
Often called "The Arc de triomphe of the East", Charminar was built by Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah, the erstwhile Qutub Shahi Sultan of Golconda, in 1591. It was the centre of attraction of the magnificent capital city of Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah.

Golconda Fort:
Standing atop an isolation hill on the outskirts of the city, the fort is known for its acoustic effects in built in the architectural design. The original fort was built by the Kakatiyas of Warangal, some eight hundred years ago. The Qutb Shahi rulers of hyderabad adopted for fort and converted the mud structure into solid battlements and palaces with stone.

Warangal:
The city was once the heartland of Telugu culture. The capital of the Kakatiya rulers. Warangal today contains some of the best forms of architecute, especially in temples. The 1000-pillar temple and the Ramappa temple in the district are glowing examples of the exquisite architecture patronized by the Kakatiyas.

Qutub Shahi Tombs
This cluster of graceful structures is the last resting place of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. Surrounded by well maintained gardens, the tombs are remarkable in their uniformity of design, each crowned by an onion-shaped dome.