|
|seal = Andhraseal.png
}}
'''Andhra Pradesh''' <!--Do not add any link to wowtelugu.com or fullastrology.com. See talk page for details.-->({{lang-te|ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్}}) ({{audio|Andhra.ogg|pronunciation}}, [[translation]]: '''Province of Andhras'''), abbreviated '''A.P.''', is a state situated on the south-eastern coast of [[India]]. It is India's [[List of states of India by area|fourth largest state by area]] and [[List of states of India by population|fifth largest by population]]. Its capital and largest city is [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]]. The State has the second longest coastline (972 km) among all the States in India, the longest coastline being that of Gujarat (1600 km).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/apfactfile/apfactmain.html |title=:: Citizen Help |publisher=APOnline |date=1956-11-01 |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref>
Andhra Pradesh lies between 12°41' and 22°N latitude and 77° and 84°40'E longitude, and is bordered by [[Maharashtra]], [[Chhattisgarh]] and [[Orissa]] in the north, the [[Bay of Bengal]] in the East, [[Tamil Nadu]] to the south and [[Karnataka]] to the west. Andhra Pradesh is historically called the "''Rice Bowl of India''". More than 77% of its crop is rice
It<ref>http://www.irri.org/science/ricestat/data/may2008/WRS2008-Table07.pdf</ref> Two major rivers, the [[Godavari River|Godavari]] and the [[Krishna River|Krishna]] run across the state. The small enclave (12 sq mi (30 km²)) of the [[Yanam (India)|Yanam]] district of [[Puducherry]] (Pondicherry) state lies in the Godavari Delta in north-east of the state.
Historically the region comprising the state was known as ''Andhraapatha'', ''Andhradesa'', ''Andhraavani'', and ''Andhra vishaya''.<ref> A Study of Telugu Place-names By S. S. Ramachandra Murthy, P. 10</ref> Andhra Pradesh was formed from Andhra State on 1 November 1956.
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="1" style="float:right; width:260px; margin:0 0 1em 1em; background:#f4f5f6; border:1px #c6c7c8 solid; font-size:90%;"
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#C2D6E5" align="center" | ''' Andhra Pradesh State Symbols '''
|-
|[[State language]] || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] (తెలుగు)
|-
| [[State symbol]] || Poorna Kumbham (పూర్ణకుంభం)
|-
| [[State song]] || [[Maa telugu thalliki|Maa Telugu Thalliki]] (మా తెలుగు తల్లికి మల్లె పూదండ) by Sankarambadi Sundarachari
|-
| [[State animal]] || [[Blackbuck|Black Buck]], (''కృష్ణ జింక'')
|-
| [[State bird]] || [[Indian Roller]], (''పాల పిట్ట'')
|-
| [[State tree]] || [[කොහොඹ]] (''వేప'')
|-
| [[State sport]] || [[Kabaddi]] (''చెడుగుడు'')
|-
| [[State dance]] || [[Kuchipudi]] (''కూచిపూడి'')
|-
| [[State flower]] || [[මානෙල්]] (''కలువ పువ్వు'')
|}
== History ==
{{මූලික|History of Andhra Pradesh}}
An [[Andhra Kingdom]] was mentioned in the [[Sanskrit epics]] such as [[Aitareya Brahmana]] (B.C.800) and [[Mahabharata]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history.html |title=History and Culture-History |publisher=APonline |date= |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref> The Natyasastra
of Bharatha (1st Century B.C) also mentioned the "Andhra" race.<ref>Antiquity of Andhra race: http://teluguuniversity.ac.in/Language/prachina_telugu_note.html</ref> The roots of the [[Telugu]] language have been traced to inscriptions found at [[Bhattiprolu]].<ref>Antiquity of Telugu: http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/20/stories/2007122054820600.htm</ref>
Megasthenese, who visited the Court of Chandragupta Maurya (B.C.322–297), mentioned that Andhra country had 3 fortified towns and an army of 100,000infantry, 200 cavalry and 1,000 elephants. Buddhist books reveal that Andhras established their kingdoms on the Godavari belt at that time. Asoka referred in his 13th rock edict that Andhras were his subordinates.<ref>http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick links/hist-cult/history.html</ref>
Inscriptional evidence shows that there was an early<ref>http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/india/hyderabad/excursions-from-hyderabad/bhattiprolu.html</ref> kingdom in coastal Andhra ruled by Kuberaka, with Pratipalapura ([[Bhattiprolu]]) as his capital. This is probably <ref>http://www.indialine.com/travel/andhrapradesh/about-andhrapradesh.html</ref>the oldest known kingdom in [[India]]. Around the same time Dhanyakatakam/[[Dharanikota]] (present day [[Amaravati]]) appears to have been an important place, which was visited by [[Gautama Buddha]]. According to the ancient Tibetan scholar [[Taranatha]]: "On the full moon of the month [[Chaitra]] in the year following his enlightenment, at the great [[stupa]] of Dhanyakataka, the Buddha emanated the [[mandala]] of 'The Glorious Lunar Mansions' ([[Kalachakra]])".<ref>Helmutt Hoffmann, "Buddha's Preaching of the Kalachakra [[Tantra]] at the Stupa of Dhanyakataka," in: German Scholars on India, Vol. I. PP. 136-140. (Varanasi, 1973)</ref><ref>Taranatha; http://www.kalacakra.org/history/khistor2.htm</ref>
[[ගොනුව:Kakateeya Sculpture.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya]] sculpture at [[Warangal]].]]
The [[Maurya]]ns extended their rule over Andhra in 4th century BCE. With the fall of the [[Mauryan Empire]] Andhra [[Satavahana]]s became independent in 3rd century BCE. After the decline of the Satavahanas in 220 CE, [[Ikshvaku dynasty]], [[Pallava]]s, [[Vishnukundina]]s, [[Ananda Gotrika]]s and [[Chola]]s ruled the [[Telugu people|Telugu]] land. Inscriptional evidence of [[Telugu language]] was found during the rule of Renati Cholas (Kadapa region) in 5th century CE.<ref>Indian Epigraphy, R. Saloman, Oxford University Press, 1998,
ISBN 0-19-509984-2, p. 106</ref> During this period Telugu emerged as a popular medium undermining the predominance of [[Prakrit]] and [[සංස්කෘත]].<ref>Epigraphica Indica, 27: 220-228</ref> Telugu was made the official language by the Vishnukundina kings who ruled from their capital [[Vinukonda]]. Eastern Chalukyas ruled for a long period after the decline of Vishnukundinas from their capital in [[Vengi]]. As early as 1st century CE, Chalukyas were mentioned as being vassals and chieftains under the [[Satavahana]]s and later under [[Ikshvaku]]s. The Chalukya ruler Rajaraja Narendra ruled [[Rajahmundry]] around 1022 CE.
The battle of [[Palnadu]] resulted in the weakening of Eastern [[Chalukya]]n power and emergence of the [[Kakatiya]] dynasty in the 12th and the 13th centuries CE. The Kakatiyas were at first feudatories of the Rashtrakutas ruling over a small territory near [[Warangal]]. All the Telugu lands were united by the Kakatiyas. In 1323 CE, Delhi [[Sultan]] Ghiaz-ud-din [[Tughlaq]] sent a large army under Ulugh Khan to conquer the Telugu country and capture Warangal. King [[Prataparudra]] was taken prisoner. [[Musunuri Nayaks]] recaptured Warangal from the [[Delhi Sultanate]] in 1326 CE and ruled for fifty years. Inspired by their success, the [[Vijayanagar empire]], one of the greatest empires in the history of Andhra Pradesh and [[India]], was founded by [[Harihara]] and [[Bukka]], who served as treasury officers of the Kakatiyas of Warangal.<ref>Robert Sewell, A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A contribution to the history of India, Chapter 2 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext02/fevch10.txt</ref> In 1347 CE, an independent Muslim state, the [[Bahmani]] kingdom, was established in [[south India]] by Alla-ud-din [[Hasan Gangu]] as a revolt against the [[Delhi Sultanate]]. The [[Qutb Shahi]] dynasty held sway over the Andhra country for about two hundred years from the early part of the 16th century to the end of the 17th century.
[[ගොනුව:Mecca.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mecca Masjid]]]]
In [[Colonial India]], [[Northern Circars]] became part of the British [[Madras Presidency]]. Eventually this region emerged as the [[Coastal Andhra]] region. Later the [[Nizam]] had ceded five territories to the British which eventually emerged as [[Rayalaseema]] region. The Nizams retained control of the interior provinces as the [[Princely state]] of [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]], acknowledging British rule in return for local autonomy. Meanwhile, the [[ප්රංශය|French]] had occupied Yanam (Yanaon), in the Godavari Delta, and (save for periods of British control) would hold it until 1954.
[[Independence of India|India became independent]] from the United Kingdom in 1947. The Muslim [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] wanted to retain his independence from India, but the people of the region launched the movement to join the Indian Union. The state of [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]] was forced to become part of the Republic of India in 1948 after [[Operation Polo]] which lasted 5 days and had popular support from the people of the Hyderabad State.
In an effort to gain an independent state, and protect the interests of the Telugu people of [[Madras State]], ''Amarajeevi'' [[Potti Sriramulu]] fasted until death. Public outcry and civil unrest after his death forced the government to announce the formation of a new state for Telugu speaking people. Andhra attained statehood on 1 October 1953, with [[Kurnool]] as its capital.
On 1 November 1956, Andhra State merged with the [[Telangana]] region of Hyderabad State to form the state of Andhra Pradesh. [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]], the former capital of the Hyderabad State, was made the capital of the new state Andhra Pradesh. Yanam was relinquished by the French in 1954, but one condition of the treaty was the retention of the district's separate and distinct identity, which also applied to the other South Indian enclaves constituting today's [[puducherry]] state.
== Geography and Climate ==
Andhra Pradesh Climate is generally hot and humid. The major role in determining the climate of the state is played by South- West Monsoons. But the winters in Andhra Pradesh are pleasant. This the time when the state attracts most of its tourists.
Summers in Andhra Pradesh last from the month of March to June. During these months the mercury level is quite high. In the coastal plain the summer temperatures are generally higher than the rest of the state. In summer temperature generally ranges between 20C and 40C At certain places the temperature as high as 45 degrees on a summer day.
July to September is the season for tropical rains in Andhra Pradesh. The state receives heavy rainfall during these months. About one third of the total rainfall in Andhra Pradesh is brought by the North- East Monsoons. Sometime around the month of October winter arrives in the state. October, November, December, January and February are the winter months in Andhra Pradesh. Since the state has a reasonably long coastal belt the winters are not much cold. The range of winter temperature is generally 13C to 30C.
You need to be well prepared with summer clothes in order to tour the state during the summer months. Andhra Pradesh Climate does not permit all sort of clothing. Cotton clothes are best suitable to cope with the Climate of Andhra Pradesh.
Since the Andhra Pradesh Climate is not much favorable during the major part of the year, so October to February is the best time to visit the state.
== Divisions ==
[[ගොනුව:Andhra Pradesh districts map.svg|thumb|right|200px|Andhra Pradesh districts map]]
Andhra Pradesh can be divided into three regions, namely [[Coastal Andhra]], [[Rayalaseema]] and [[Telangana]].<ref> [http://www.blonnet.com/2007/05/17/stories/2007051704252100.htm AP Cabinet approves four regional planning boards].</ref>
Andhra Pradesh has 23 districts: [[Adilabad district|Adilabad]], [[Anantapur district|Anantapur]], [[Chittoor district|Chittoor]], [[Kadapa district|Kadapa]], [[East Godavari]], [[Guntur district|Guntur]], [[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]], [[Karimnagar district|Karimnagar]], [[Khammam district|Khammam]], [[Krishna district|Krishna]], [[Kurnool district|Kurnool]], [[Mahbubnagar district|Mahbubnagar]], [[Medak district|Medak]], [[Nalgonda district|Nalgonda]], [[Nellore district|Sri Potti Sreeramulu Nellore]], [[Nizamabad district|Nizamabad]], [[Prakasam district|Prakasam]], [[Rangareddy district|Rangareddy]], [[Srikakulam district|Srikakulam]], [[Visakhapatnam district|Visakhapatnam]], [[Vizianagaram district|Vizianagaram]], [[Warangal district|Warangal]] and [[West Godavari]].
Each district is divided into multiple [[Tehsil|mandals]] and each mandal is a group of a few villages.
[[Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh|Hyderabad]] is the capital and, along with the adjoining twin city [[Secunderabad]], is the largest city in the state. [[Visakhapatnam]], Andhra Pradesh's main seaport, is the second largest city of the state and is home to the [[Indian Navy]]'s Eastern Naval Command. [[Vijayawada]] due to its location and proximity to major rail and road routes is a major trading center and the third largest city of the state. Other important cities and towns are: [[Kakinada]], [[Warangal]], [[Guntur]] , [[Tirumala - Tirupati|Tirupati]], [[Rajahmundry]], [[Nellore]], [[Ongole]], [[Kurnool]], [[Anantapur]], [[Karimnagar]], [[Nizamabad]] and [[Eluru]].
== Demographics ==
{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="float:left;"
|-
! || Telugu || Other languages || Total
|-
| හින්දු
|align="right" |82%
|align="right" | 2%
|align="right" | '''84%'''
|-
| Muslim
|align="right" | 1%
|align="right" | 8%{{fn|1}}
|align="right" | '''9%'''
|-
| Christian
|align="right" | 4%
|align="right" | 1%
|align="right" | '''5%'''
|-
| Other religions
|align="right" | 0.5%
|align="right" | 0.5%
|align="right" | '''1%'''
|-
| '''Total'''
|align="right" | '''88.5%'''
|align="right" | '''11.5%'''
|align="right" | '''100%'''
|-
| colspan=4|
{{fnb|1}} mainly Urdu<br />
|}
{{IndiaCensusPop
| title= Population Trend
| 1961= 35983000
| 1971= 43503000
| 1981= 53550000
| 1991= 66508000
| 2001= 75727000
| estimate=
| est year=
| est ref=
| footnote=Source:Census of India<ref name="POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS - ANDHRA PRADESH">{{cite web|url=http://budget.ap.gov.in/tab1_1.htm|title=POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS — ANDHRA PRADESH|work=Census of India|publisher=budget.ap.gov.in|accessdate=2008-06-04}}</ref>
|state=
}}
[[Telugu language|Telugu]] is the official language of the state, spoken by 88.5% of the population. Telugu is the third most spoken language in India.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement6.htm |title= Comparative Ranking of Scheduled Languages in Descending Order of Speakers' Strength - 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 |accessdate=10 November 2008 |last= |first= |coauthors= |year= 2001 |work= |publisher= Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}</ref> The major linguistic minority groups in the state include the speakers of [[Urdu]] (8.63%) and [[Hindi]] (0.63%) and [[Tamil language|Tamil]] (1.01%).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement3.htm |title= Distribution of 10,000 Persons by Language — India, States and Union Territories - 2001 |accessdate=10 November 2008 |last= |first= |coauthors= |year= 2001 |work= |publisher= Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}</ref> The Indian government designated Telugu as a classical and ancient language on November 1, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Telugu_Kannada_get_classical_tag/articleshow/3660666.cms |title= Telugu, Kannada get classical tag |accessdate=10 November 2008 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= [[2008-11-01]] |work= [[Times of India]] |publisher=}}</ref>
Other languages spoken in Andhra Pradesh by less than 1% each are [[Kannada language|Kannada]] (0.94%), [[Marathi]] (0.84%), [[Oriya language|Oriya]] (0.42%), [[Gondi language|Gondi]] (0.21%) and [[Malayalam]] (0.1%). Languages spoken by less than 0.1% are the states residents include [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] (0.09%), [[Savara]] (0.09%), [[Koya language|Koya]] (0.08%), Jatapu (0.04%), [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] (0.04%), [[Kolami]] (0.03%), Konda (0.03%), [[Gadaba language|Gadaba]] (0.02%), [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] (0.02%), [[Nepali language|Gorkhali/Nepali]] (0.01%) and [[Khond]]/Kondh (0.01%).
The main ethnic group of Andhra Pradesh is the [[Telugu people]] who primarily belong to the mixed race of [[Aryans]] and [[Dravidians]].
== Economy ==
{{මූලික|Economy of Andhra Pradesh|Software industry in Andhra Pradesh|}}
[[Agriculture]] has been the chief source of income for the state's economy. Four important rivers of India, the [[Godavari River|Godavari]] , [[Krishna River|Krishna]] ,[[Penna River|Penna]] and [[Tungabhadra River|Thungabhadra]] flow through the state, providing irrigation. [[Rice]], [[sugarcane]], [[cotton]], [[Chili pepper|mirchi]] (chilli pepper), [[mango]] and [[tobacco]] are the local crops. Recently, crops used for [[Vegetable fats and oils|vegetable oil]] production such as [[sunflower]] and [[peanut]]s have gained favour. There are many multi-state irrigation projects in development, including [[Godavari River Basin Irrigation Projects]] and [[Nagarjuna Sagar Dam]], the world's highest masonry dam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agri.ap.nic.in|title=Agriculture dept. of Andhra Pradesh}}</ref><ref name = "dfljos">{{cite web|url=http://www.apind.gov.in/indussectors.html|title=Key Sectors of Andhra Pradesh}}</ref>
[[ගොනුව:Hitec city.jpg|thumb|left|Cyber towers at [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], the state capital and largest city in the state.]]
The state has also started to focus on the fields of [[information technology]] and [[biotechnology]]. In 2004–2005, Andhra Pradesh was at the fifth position in the list of top IT exporting states of India. The IT exports from the State were Rs.82,700 million in 2004-2005($ 1,800 million)<ref>http://finance.indiainfo.com/news/2005/05/11/1105it-exports.html</ref>. The IT sector is expanding at a rate of 52.3% every year. The IT exports reached Rs.190,000 million ($4.5 billion) in 2006–2007, contributed to 14 per cent of total IT exports of the nation and ranked fourth in India<ref>http://www.pppinindia.com/business-opportunities-andhra-pradesh.asp</ref>. The service sector of the state already accounts for 43% of the gross state domestic product (GSDP) and employs 20% of the work force.<ref name = "dfljos"/> The state capital, Hyderabad is considered to be bulk drug capital of the country. 50% of the top 10 companies in Pharmaceutical field are from the state. The state also commands a very prominent place in the infrastructure space, with many companies from the state being up there at the fore-front.
Andhra Pradesh is a mineral rich state, ranking second in India in terms of mineral wealth. The state has about one third of India's [[limestone]] reserves, estimated at about 30 billion tonnes.The [[Krishna Godavari basin]] has huge reserves of natural gas and petroleum reserves. The state is also blessed with huge amount of coal reserves.<ref name = "dfljos"/>
The state ranks first nationwide in [[States of India by installed power capacity|hydro electricity generation]] with national market share of over 11%.
Andhra Pradesh's GSDP for 2005 was estimated at $62 billion in current prices. This is a chart of trend of GSDP of Andhra Pradesh at market prices [http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_nad_main.htm estimated] by ''Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation'' with figures in millions of Indian Rupees. Accordingly, the state ranks fourth in terms of overall GSDP<ref>http://mospi.nic.in/6_gsdp_cur_9394ser.htm</ref> and fourth in per capita GSDP among the major states of India. According to another metric, the state ranks third in terms of Gross State Product among all the states of the Indian Union.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_between_Indian_states_and_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)</ref>
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Year
! State GDP (Rs. MM)
|-
| 1980
|align="right"| 81,910
|-
| 1985
|align="right"| 152,660
|-
| 1990
|align="right"| 333,360
|-
| 1995
|align="right"| 798,540
|-
| 2000
|align="right"| 1,401,190
|-
| 2007
|align="right"| 2,294,610
|}
== Government and politics ==
{{මූලික|Government of Andhra Pradesh|Politics of Andhra Pradesh|List of Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh}}
[[ගොනුව:800px-Assembly1.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Andhra Pradesh State Assembly|Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly]] at the centre of [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] City.]]
Andhra Pradesh has a [[Vidhan Sabha|Legislative Assembly]] of 294 seats. The state has 60
members in the [[Parliament of India]]; 18 in the [[Rajya Sabha]], the Upper House and 42 in the [[Lok Sabha]], the Lower House.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apassemblylive.com|title=Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://164.100.24.209/newls/membershomepage.aspx|title=Parliament of India}}</ref>
Andhra Pradesh had a series of governments headed by Indian National Congress (INC) Party until 1982. [[Kasu Brahmananda Reddy]] held the record for the longest serving chief minister which was broken by [[N.T.Rama Rao]] in 1983. [[P.V. Narasimha Rao]] also served as the chief minister of the state, who later went on to become the Prime Minister of India in 1991. Among the notable chief ministers of the state are [[Tanguturi Prakasam]], Chief Minister (CM) of Andhra State (the first CM of the present Andhra Pradesh was Neelam Sanjiva Reddy) others include [[Kasu Brahmananda Reddy]], [[Marri Chenna Reddy]], [[Jalagam Vengal Rao]], [[Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy]], [[Nadendla Bhaskara Rao]], [[Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy]], [[N.T. Rama Rao]], [[Nara Chandrababu Naidu]] and [[Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy]].
[[ගොනුව:Highcourt11.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[Andhra Pradesh High Court|High Court]] at [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], the main [[judicial]] body for the State.]]
In 1983 the [[Telugu Desam Party]] (TDP) won the State elections and [[N.T. Rama Rao]] (NTR) became the chief minister of the state for the first time introducing a formidable second political party to Andhra Pradesh's politics and thus breaking the single party monopoly on Andhra Pradesh's politics. After a few months, Nadendla Bhaskar Rao usurped power when NTR was away in the United States for medical treatment. After coming back, NTR successfully convinced the then State Governor to dissolve the Assembly and call for a fresh election. TDP won the elections with a large majority.
In 1989 group elections ended the 7-year rule of NTR with INC party returning to power with Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy at the helm of affairs. He was replaced by N. Janardhan Reddy who was in turn replaced by Kotla Vijaya Bhasker Reddy.
In 1994, Andhra Pradesh gave a mandate to TDP again and saw NTR becoming the chief minister again. Chandrababu Naidu who was the Son In Law of NTR usurped power by backstabbing him in a political maneuvering. NTR, unable to digest the treachery, later died of a heart attack. TDP won election in 1999 before he was defeated by the INC-led coalition spearheaded by YS Rajasekhara Reddy in the May 2004 polls.
In 2008 [[Praja Rajyam Party]] (PRP) was formed by movie star [[Chiranjeevi]] and led to a triangular fight in the 2009 elctions. In spite of the immense media hype and expections, it was unable to be a game changer and managed to win only 18 seats. The silver lining is that it managed to win 17 percent of the total votes as against the 36 percent by congress and 25 percent by Telugu Desam.
YS Rajasekhara Reddy became the CM again by fending off Praja Rajyam Party and mega alliance of TDP, TRS, CPI and CPM. YSR Reddy became the first CM in AP history to complete 5 full years as CM in one term.
== Culture ==
=== Cultural institutions ===
Andhra Pradesh has many museums, including the [http://asi.nic.in/asi_museums_amravati.asp Archaeological Museum] at [[Amaravati]] near Guntur City that features relics of nearby ancient sites, the [[Salar Jung Museum]] in Hyderabad, which features a varied collection of sculptures, paintings, and religious artifacts and the Visakha Museum in [[Visakhapatnam]], which displays the history of the pre-Independence [[Madras Presidency]] in a rehabilitated Dutch bungalow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vizagcityonline.com/visakha_museum/ |title=VizagCityOnline.com — Visakha Museum |publisher=Vizagcityonline.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-29}}</ref> Victoria Jubilee Museum in [[Vijayawada]] has a good collection of ancient sculptures, paintings, idols, weapons, cutlery and inscriptions.<ref>Victoria Jubilee Museum: http://www.indiatourism.com/andhra-pradesh-museums/victoria-jubilee-museum.html</ref>
=== Cuisine ===
{{මූලික|Andhra cuisine}}
[[ගොනුව:India food.jpg|thumb|left|[[Hyderabadi biryani]] served with other [[Indian cuisine|Indian dishes]].]]
The cuisine of Andhra Pradesh is reputedly one of the spiciest of all [[Indian cuisine]]{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}. There are many variations to the Andhra cuisine depending on geographical regions, caste, traditions etc. [[Indian pickle|Pickles]] and [[chutney]]s, called ''pachchadi'' in [[Telugu]] are particularly popular in Andhra Pradesh and many varieties of pickles and chutneys are unique to the State. Chutneys are made from practically every vegetable including [[tomato]]es, [[Eggplant|brinjals]] (eggplant), and [[roselle (plant)|roselle]] (''[[Gongura]]''). The mango pickle ''[[Aavakaaya]]'' is probably the best known of the Andhra pickles.
[[Rice]] is the [[staple food]] and is used in a wide variety of ways. Typically, rice is either boiled and eaten with [[curry]], or made into a [[Batter (cooking)|batter]] for use in a [[Crêpe|crepe]]-like dish called attu ([[pesarattu]] - made of a mixture of this batter and mung beans) or [[dosa]]s.
[[Meat]], [[vegetable]]s and [[Leaf vegetable|greens]] are prepared with different spices ([[masala]]) into a variety of strongly flavoured dishes.
Hyderabadi cuisine is influenced by the Muslims who arrived in [[Telangana]] in the 14th century. Much of the cuisine revolves around meat. It is rich and aromatic, with a liberal use of exotic spices and ''[[ghee]]'' (clarified butter). Lamb, chicken and fish are the most widely used meats in the non-vegetarian dishes. The [[biryani]] is perhaps the most distinctive and popular of Hyderabadi dishes.
=== Dance ===
[[ගොනුව:Kuchi pudi dancers.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Kuchipudi]], the traditional dance of Andhra Pradesh.]]
Jayapa Senani ([[Jayapa Nayudu]]) is the first person who wrote about the dances prevalent in Andhra Pradesh.<ref>''Ntitya Ratnavali'' (http://www.telugupeople.com/discussion/article.asp?id=111</ref> Both Desi and Margi forms of dances have been included in his Sanskrit treatise 'Nritya Ratnavali'. It contains eight chapters. Folk dance forms like Perani, Prenkhana, Suddha Nartana, Carcari, Rasaka, Danda Rasaka, Shiva Priya, Kanduka Nartana, Bhandika Nrityam, Carana Nrityam, Chindu, Gondali and Kolatam are described. In the first chapter the author deals with discussion of the differences between Marga and Desi, Tandava and lasya, Natya and Nritta. In the 2nd and 3rd chapters he deals with Angi-kabhinaya, Caris, Sthanakas and Mandalas. In the 4th Chapter Karnas, angaharas and recakas are described. In following chapters he described the local dance forms i.e. desi nritya. In the last chapter he deals with art and practice of dance.
Classical dance in Andhra can be performed by both men and women; however women tend to learn it more often. [[Kuchipudi]] is the state's best-known classical [[dance forms of Andhra Pradesh|dance form]]. The various dance forms that existed through the state's history are Chenchu Bhagotham, [[Kuchipudi]], [[Bhamakalapam]], [[Burra katha|Burrakatha]], [[Veeranatyam]], [[Butta bommalu]], [[Dappu]], [[Tappeta Gullu]], [[Lambadi]], Bonalu, [[Dhimsa]], [[Kolattam]] and chindu .
=== Festivals ===
* [[Sankranthi]] in January.
* [[Maha Shivaratri]] in February/March.
* [[Holi]] in March.
* [[Ugadi]] or the Telugu New Year in March/April.
* [[Sri Rama Navami]] celebrated in March/April, 9 days after Ugadi.
* [[Varalakshmi Vratham]] in August.
* [[Rakhi poornima]] in August.
* [[Ganesh Chaturdhi|Vinayaka Chavithi]] in August
* [[Vijayadasami|Dasara]] in September/October.
* [[Atla Tadde]] 3rd day in bright half of Aswiyuja month (falls in September/October in Gregorian calendar)
* [[Diwali|Deepavali]] in October/November 20days after [[Vijayadasami|Dasara]].
* [[Eid ul-Fitr]], [[Bakr-Id]], [[Muharram]].
* [[Bonalu]] in [[Sravanam]]. (Celebrated in [[Telangana]] region).
* [[Bathukamma]] celebrated for 9 days during [[Durgastami called as Nava ratri]]-[[Vijayadasami|Dasara]] in [[Telangana]] region.
* [[Nowruz]]
* [[Christmas]]
=== Literature ===
{{මූලික|Telugu literature}}
[[Nannayya]], [[Tikkana]], and [[Yerrapragada]] form the trinity who translated the great Sanskrit epic ''[[Mahabharatha]]'' into Telugu. Bommera [[Potana]] is another poet who composed the classic ''SriMad Andhra Maha Bhagavatamu'', a Telugu translation of ''Sri Bhagavatham'' authored by Veda Vyasa in [[සංස්කෘත]]. Nannayya is called ''Adikavi'' and was patronized by the king Rajarajanarendra who ruled from Rajamahendravaram ([[Rajahmundry]]). The [[Vijayanagara]] emperor [[Sri Krishnadevaraya|Krishna Deva Raya]] wrote [[Amuktamalyada]]. Telugu poet [[Vemana]], a native of [[Kadapa]], is also notable for his philosophical poems. Telugu literature after [[Kandukuri Veeresalingam]] is termed modern literature. Known as ''Gadya Tikkana'', Satyavathi Charitam was the author Telugu-language social novel, ''Satyavathi Charitam''. Other modern writers include [[Jnanpith Award]] winners [[Viswanatha Satyanarayana|Sri Viswanatha Satya Narayana]] and [[C. Narayana Reddy|Dr. C. Narayana Reddy]]. The Andhra Pradesh native and revolutionary poet [[Sri Sri]] brought new forms of expressionism into Telugu literature.
Shri Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu is also one of the scholar poets of Telugu literature. He was a contemporary of Shri Vishwanatha Satyanarayana. Shri Puttaparthy Narayanacharyulu wrote the famous books ''Sivatandavam'' and ''Panduranga Mahatyam'' as dwipadakavyam{{Clarifyme|date=December 2008}}.
Other notable writers from Andhra Pradesh include [[Srirangam Sreenivasarao]], [[Gurram Jashuva]], [[Chinnaya Suri]], [[Viswanatha Satyanarayana]] and [[Vaddera Chandidas]].
=== Movies ===
{{මූලික|Telugu Cinema}}
Andhra Pradesh is the state with the most cinema halls in India, at around 2700{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}. The state also produces about 200{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} movies a year. It has around 40%, 330 cinema halls out of 930 DTS cinema halls in India<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dtsonline.com/digitalcinema/find/index.php |title=DTS | Home |publisher=Dtsonline.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-29}}</ref> of all the Dolby digital theatres in India. Now it also houses an IMax theatre with a big 3D screen and also 3-5 multiplexes. Tollywood produces the largest number of movies in India.
=== Music ===
{{මූලික|Music of Andhra Pradesh}}
The state has a rich musical heritage. Many legends of the [[Carnatic music]] including [[Trinity of Carnatic music]] - [[Thyagaraja]], [[Annamacharya]], Kshetrayya, and Bhadrachala [[Ramadasu]] were of Telugu descent.
Great Mandolin player, [[Mandolin Srinivas]] is also from Andhra Pradesh.
Folk songs are also popular in the rural areas of the state. A great Carnatic singer, who invented some more Ragas in Carnatic Music, the great Sri [[Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna]] is of Telugu descent.
=== Religion ===
Andhra Pradesh is home to [[Hindu saints]] of all castes. An important backward-caste figure is, Sant Yogi [[Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami]] was born in Vishwabrahmin (Gold Smith) caste who had Brahmin, [[Dalit#Hindu Dalits (Harijans)|Harijan]] and Muslim disciples.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mihira.com/wisdommasters/veerabrahmam.htm |title=Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami |publisher=Mihira.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-29}}</ref> Fisherman Raghu was also a Sudra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telugubhakti.com/telugupages/Monthly/Bhaktas/content1.htm |title=Stories of Bhaktas — Fisherman Raghu |publisher=Telugubhakti.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-29}}</ref> Sant Kakkayya was a chura (cobbler) [[Dalit#Hindu Dalits (Harijans)|Harijan]] saint.
Several important Hindu modern-day saints are from Andhra Pradesh. These include [[Nimbarka]] who founded [[Dvaitadvaita]], Mother Meera who advocated [[Indian independence movement|Indian independence]], [[Sri Sathya Sai Baba]] who advocates religious unity in worship, Swami Sundara Chaitanyanandaji and Aurobindo Mission.
==== Pilgrimages and Religious Sites ====
[[ගොනුව:Tirumalatemple.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple]], a very important pilgrimage site located in [[Tirumala - Tirupati|Tirupati]].]]
[[Tirumala - Tirupati|Tirupati or Tirumala]] is a very important pilgrimage for Hindus throughout India. It is the richest piligrimage city (of any religious faith) in the world. Its main temple is dedicated to the god [[Venkateswara]]. Tirpuathi is located in [[Chittoor]] district. [[Satyanarayana swamy]] temple famous in Annavaram in East Godavari district. [[Simhachalam]] is another very popular pilgrmage of national importance. Simhachalam is said in mythology to be the abode of the savior-god [[Narasimha]], who rescued [[Prahlada]] from abusive father [[Hiranyakasipu]]. [[Kanaka Durga Temple]] is one of the famous in Andhra Pradesh which is situated in [[Vijayawada]] city. [[Sri Kalahasti]] is one of the important ancient siva temples and is located on the banks of river [[Swarnamukhi]] in [[Chittoor]] district.
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:vb210.jpg|1000px|thumbnail|Simhachalam Temple]] -->
Simhachalam is a hill shrine 16 km away from Visakhapatnam on the other side of the Hill on the north of the city. One of the most exquisitely sculpted shrines of Andhra Pradesh, it is located among thickly wooded hills. The beautifully-carved 16-pillared Natya mantapa and the 96-pillared Kalyana mantapa bear testimony to the architectural brilliance of the temple. The image of the presiding deity, Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy, is covered by a thick layer of sandalwood paste. This is one of the oldest temple in India dedicated to [[Lord Narasimha]], one of the incarnations of [[Vishnu]], built in 11th century by Kullotunga, a [[Chola]] king. One Vijaya stamba is erected by [[Sri Krishna Deva Raya]] emerged victorious over the Gajapati kings of Orissa. One will find ancient [[Telugu]] inscriptions in this temple. This temple is one of the most famous temples in India. Its architecture is Dravida (South Indian). There is a popular belief that this lord is protecting Vizag from natural disasters like floods, cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis. Not even a single death occurred due to natural calamities to this date. Couples just before marriage go to this temple as a ritual. This temple is one of the most crowded temples of Andhra Pradesh.
[[ගොනුව:Hussain Sagar lake, Hyderabad.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Statue of [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] on the [[Hussain sagar|Hussain Sagar Lake]].]]
[[Srisailam]] is another major temple in Andhra Pradesh of national importance. It is dedicated to [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]]. It is one of the locations of the various [[Jyothirlingam]]s. The ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' has a chapter called "Srisaila Kandam" dedicated to it, which points to the ancient origin. This is confirmed also by the fact that Tamil saints of the past millennia have sung praises of this temple. It is said that [[Adi Sankara]] visited this temple and at that time he composed his "''[[Shivanandalahari|Sivananda Lahiri]]''". Shiva's sacred bull Vrishabha is said to have performed penance at the [[Mahakali]] temple till Shiva and [[Parvati]] appeared before him as Mallikarjuna and Brahmaramba. The temple is one of the 12 hallowed [[jyotirlingas]]; [[Rama|Lord Rama]] himself installed the Sahasralinga, while the Pandavas lodged the Panchapandava lingas in the temple courtyard. Srisailam is located in [[Kurnool]] district.
[[ගොනුව:vb211.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Mandapam]] at [[Simhachalam]] Temple.]]
[[Bhadrachalam]] is known for the Sri Rama temple and the [[Godavari]] river. This is the place where the famous Bhakta Ramadasu (originally - [[Kancherla Gopanna]]) wrote his devotional songs dedicated to lord Rama. It was believed that lord Rama spent some years on the banks of river Godavari here in [[Tretayug]]. Legend says that Bhadra (a mountain), after a severe penance asked Rama to have a permanent residence on him. [[Lord Rama]] along with his wife [[Sita]] and brother [[Lakshmana]] are said to have settled on Bhadragiri. Bhadrachalam is located in [[Khammam district]]. Gopanna constructed the temple for Rama by raising funds from the people during the reign of Tanisha in 17 th century. He started celebrating the marriage of lord Rama and Sita. From then [[Sri Rama Navami]] is celebrated every year. Government of Andhra Pradesh sends pearls for the event at Bhadrachalam every year.
[[Basar - Saraswathi temple]] is another famous place for Saraswathi — goddess of education. Basara is located in [[Adilabad]] district. [[Yaaganti Caves]] is also an important pilgrim center in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from that Mahanandi, Kurnool Dt is another piligrim center which is full of greenary. The famous [[හින්දු]] [[Birla Mandir, Hyderabad|Birla Mandir]] and [[Ramappa Temple]], [[Muslim]] [[Mecca Masjid]] and [[Charminar]] as well as the statue of [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] on the [[Hussain sagar|Hussain Sagar Lake]] are wonderful religious monuments in Andhra Pradesh.
[[ගොනුව:Ramappa1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Ramappa Temple]]]]
Kanakadurga temple is a famous temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located on the Indrakeeladri hill in the city of Vijayawada on the banks of Krishna River. According to a legend, the now verdant Vijayawada was once a rocky region strewn with hillocks that were obstructing the flow of River Krishna. The land was thus rendered unfit for habitation or cultivation. Invocation to Lord Siva led to His directing the hills to give way to river Krishna. And lo! the river started flowing unimpeded with all its might, through the tunnels or "Bejjam" bored into the hills by Lord Siva. That is how the place got its name Bezawada.
One of the many mythologies associated with this place is that Arjuna prayed to Lord Siva on top of Indrakeela hill to win His blessings and the city derived its name "Vijayawada" after this victory. Yet another popular legend is about the triumph of goddess [[Kanakadurga]] over the demon king Mahishasura. It is said that once upon a time, the growing menace of demons became unendurable for the natives living in this region. Sage Indrakila performed severe penance and when the goddess appeared, the sage begged Her to reside on his head and keep vigil on the wicked demons. As per his wishes, after killing the demons, goddess Durga made Indrakila Her permanent abode. Later, She slayed the demon king Mahishasura, freeing the people of Vijayawada from the evil clutches of the demon. Special pujas are performed during [[Dasara]] also called [[Navaratri]]. The most significant are Saraswati puja and Theppotsavam. The festival of Dasara for Goddess Durga is celebrated here every year. A large number of pilgrims attend the colourful celebrations and take a holy dip in the [[Krishna river]].
=== Other cultural elements ===
[[Bapu (artist)|Bapu's]] paintings, [[Nanduri Subbarao]]'s ''Yenki Paatalu'' (Songs on/by a washerwoman called Yenki), mischievous Budugu (a character by [[Mullapudi]]), [[Annamacharya|Annamayya's]] songs, [[Aavakaaya]] (a variant of mango pickle in which the kernel of mango is retained), [[Gongura]] (a [[chutney]] from Roselle plant), ''Atla Taddi'' (a seasonal festival predominantly for teenage girls), banks of river Godavari, ''Dudu basavanna'' (The ceremonial ox decorated for door-to-door exhibition during the harvest festival [[Sankranti]]) have long defined Telugu culture. The village of [[Durgi]] is known for stone craft, carvings of [[cult image|idols]] in soft stone that must be exhibited in the shade because they are prone to weathering. 'Kalankari' is an ancient art form dating back to the Harappan civilization. Andhra is also famous for doll making. Dolls are made from wood, mud, dry grass, and light weight metal alloys. Tirupathi is famous for redwood carvings. Kondapalli is famous for mud toys with rich colors.eetikoppaka located in vizag is famous for toys. Nirmal paintings are expressive and are usually painted over a black background. Story telling in Andhra is an art form by itself. 'Yaksha ganam', 'Burra katha' (usually done by three people, telling stories using three different musical instruments), 'Jangama kathalu', 'Hari kathalu', 'Chekka bajana', 'Urumula natyam' (usually done in festivals, where a group of people dance in circles for loud music), 'Ghata natyam' (performances done with earthen pots over one's head) are all folk dances unique to Andhrapradesh palumamba festival in Visaka famous.
== Education ==
[[ගොනුව:Ind school of business.jpg|thumb|350px|right|[[Indian School of Business]]]]
Andhra Pradesh is served by more than 20 institutes of higher education. All major arts, humanities, science, engineering, law, medicine, business and veterinary science are offered, leading to first degrees as well as postgraduate awards. Advanced research is conducted in all major areas.
Andhra Pradesh has 1330 arts, science and commerce colleges; 1000 [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] and [[Master of Computer Applications|MCA]] colleges; 500 engineering colleges; and 53 medical colleges. The student to teacher ratio is 19:1 in higher education. According to the 2001 census, Andhra Pradesh has an overall literacy rate of 60.5%. While the male literacy rate is at 70.3%, the female literacy rate is only at 50.4%, a cause for concern.
The state has recently made strides in setting up several institutes. Andhra Pradesh is home to the prestigious Birla Institute of Technology and Science, ([[BITS Pilani]] Hyderabad Campus) and [[IIT Hyderabad]].
[[IIIT Hyderabad|International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H)]], [[University of Hyderabad]](Hyderabad Central University) and the [[Indian School of Business]] (ISB) are gaining national attention for their standards. The National Institute of Fashion Technology and The Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (NIFT) are also located in Hyderabad. The prestigious [[Osmania University]] is situated in Hyderabad.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has the distinction of establishing the first University of Health Sciences fulfilling the recommendations of several committees.Thus the “Andhra Pradesh University of Health Sciences” was established by the Act.No. 6 of the Andhra Pradesh legislature and was inaugurated on 9-4-1986 by the late Sri N.T. Rama Rao, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.The University of Health Sciences started functioning at Vijayawada from 01-11-1986. After the death of its founder Sri N.T. Rama Rao the University was named after him as NTR University of Health Sciences, Andhra Pradesh with effect from 2.2.98 vide Act No.4 of 1998.
== Newspapers ==
{{Cleanup-section|date=July 2009}}
Andhra Pradesh has several Telugu-language newspapers. ''[[Eenadu]]'', ''[[Andhra Jyothi]]'', ''[[Sakshi]]'', ''[[Prajasakti]]'', ''[[Vaartha]]'', ''[[Andhra Bhoomi]]'', ''[[Visalandra]]'', ''[[Suryaa]]'' and ''[[Andhra Prabha]]'' are the main Telugu-language newspapers in the state.
Andhra Pradesh's Urdu-language newspapers include ''[[Siasat Daily]]'', ''[[Munsif Daily]]'', ''[[Rehnuma-e-Deccan]]'', ''[[Itimad Urdu Daily]]'', ''[[Awam]]'' and ''[[The Milap Daily]]''.
There are several English-language newspapers in Andhra Pradesh, including the ''[[Deccan Chronicle]]'', ''[[The Hindu]]'', ''[[The Times of India]]'', ''[[The New Indian Express]]'', ''[[The Economic Times]]'', ''[[Business Line|The Business Line]]''.
Andhra Pradesh is also home to several Hindi-language newspapers. Among these are ''[[Swatantra Vaartha]]'', ''[[Vishakhapatanam]] Nizamabad'', and ''[[Hindi Milap]]'', one of the oldest [[Hindi newspaper]]s published from [[Hyderabad]].
== Tourism ==
[[ගොනුව:Araku-valley.gif|thumb|right|[[Araku valley]]]]
[[ගොනුව:vb125.jpg|thumb|right|[[Borra caves]] (stalagmites and stalactites)]]
[[ගොනුව:Cave entrance.jpg|thumb|right|[[Belum Caves]]]]
Andhra Pradesh is promoted by tourism department as "''[[Kohinoor]] of India''."
Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centres. [[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple|Tirupati]], the abode of [[Lord Venkateswara]], is most visited religious center (of any faith) in the world.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} [[Srisailam]], nestled in the [[Nallamala Hills]] is the abode of ''Sri Mallikarjuna'' and is one of twelve ''[[Jyothirlingam|Jyothirlingalu]]'' in India. Amaravati's Siva temple is one of the Pancharamams, as is Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. The Ramappa temple and Thousand Pillars temple in Warangal are famous for their temple carvings. The state has numerous Buddhist centres at Amaravati, Nagarjuna Konda, Bhattiprolu, Ghantasala, Nelakondapalli, Dhulikatta, Bavikonda, [[Thotlakonda]], Shalihundam, Pavuralakonda, Sankaram, Phanigiri and Kolanpaka.
The [[Badami Chalukyas]] ([[Badami]] is in [[Karnataka]]) in 6th century built the '''Alampur Bhrama temples'''<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.templenet.com/encandh1.html
|title=The Templenet Encyclopedia — Temples of Andhra Pradesh
|publisher=
|accessdate=2009-02-26
}}</ref>, an excellent examples of [[Chalukya]] art and sculpture. The [[Vijayanagar Empire]] built number of monuments, the [[Srisailam]] temple and [[Lepakshi]] temples.
The golden beaches at [[Visakhapatnam]], the one-million-year old limestone caves at Borra, picturesque [[Araku Valley]], hill resorts of Horsley Hills, river Godavari racing through a narrow gorge at ''Papi Kondalu'', waterfalls at Ettipotala, Kuntala and rich bio-diversity at [[Talakona]], are some of the natural attractions of the state. Kailashagiri is near the sea in Visakhapatnam. A park is on the hill top of Kailashagiri. Visakhapatnam is home to many tourist attactions like INS Karasura Submarine museum (The only one of its kind in India), the longest Beach Road in India, Yarada Beach, Araku Valley, VUDA Park, and Indira Gandhi Zoological Gardens.
[[ගොනුව:Borra-caves4 vzg.jpg|thumb|left|[[Borra caves]]]]
[[ගොනුව:RishikondaBeachmain.jpg|thumb|left|Rishikonda beach]]
The [[Borra Caves]] are located in the Anatagiri Hills of Eastern Ghats, near Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh State in India. They are at a height of about 800 to 1300 metres above Mean Sea Level and are famous for million-year-old stalactite and stalagmite formations. They were discovered by William King George, the British geologist in the year 1807. The caves get their name from a formation inside the caves that looks like the human brain, which in the local language, Telugu, is known as ''burra''. Similarly, the Belum caves were formed due to erosion in limestone deposits in the area by Chitravati River, millions of years ago. These limestone caves was formed due to action of carbonic acid — or weakly acidic groundwater formed due to reaction between limestone and water.
The [[Belum Caves]] are the second largest cave system in the Indian sub-continent. The Belum Caves derives their name from ''Bilum'', the Sanskrit word for caves. In Telugu, the caves are known as ''Belum Guhalu''. The Belum Caves have a length of 3229 meters, making them the second largest natural caves on the Indian subcontinent. The Belum Caves have long passages, spacious chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons. The caves' deepest point is {{convert|120|ft|m}} from the entrance and is known as at ''Patalganaga''.
[[Horsley Hills]] Horsley Hills, elevation 1,265 m, is a famous summer hill resort in Andhra Pradesh, about 160 km from Bangalore, India and 144 km from Tirupati. The town of Madanapalle lies nearby. Major tourist attractions include the Mallamma temple and the Rishi valley school. Horsely Hills is the departure point for the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary at a distance of 87 km.
[[Charminar]], [[Golconda Sultanate|Golconda Fort]], [[Chandragiri|Chandragiri Fort]], [[Chowmahalla Palace]] and [[Falaknuma Palace]] are some of the monuments in the state.
[[Kanaka Durga Temple]] in [[Vijayawada]] in [[Krishna District]],[[Venkateswara Temple]] in Dwarakatirumala, West Godavari District (It is also called as Chinna Tirupathi), [[Surya temple in Arasavelli]] in Srikakulam District and also so many places to watch in Andhra Pradesh. Annavaram satayannarayana swami temple in East Godavari
== Transport ==
[[ගොනුව:Map AP dist NH roads.png|thumb|left|Major road links of Andhra Pradesh]]
[[ගොනුව:Vizag seaport.jpg|thumb|right|[[Visakhapatnam]] seaport]]
[[ගොනුව:Secbad rly stn.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Secunderabad Railway Station]], headquarter of [[South Central Railway]]]]
A total of 1,46,944 km of road are maintained by the State, of which State Highways comprise 42,511 km, National Highways 2,949 km and District Roads 1,01,484 km. The Growth rate of Vehicles in Andhra Pradesh is highest in the country with 16%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/Quick%20links/apfactfile/naturaladvantages.html#Airways |title=AP Fact File-Natural Advantages |publisher=APonline |date= |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref>
[[Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation]] (APSRTC) is the major public transport corporation owned by the government of Andhra Pradesh connecting all the cities and villages. APSRTC also has the distinction of being in the Guinness book of World records for having the largest fleet of vehicles, and the longest area covered/commuted daily. Apart from these, thousands of private operators run buses connecting major cities and towns of the state. Private vehicles like cars, motorised scooters and bicycles occupy a major share of the local transport in the cities and adjoining villages.
There are five airports in the state: [[Hyderabad International Airport|Hyderabad]] (Rajiv Gandhi International) (the largest in the state), [[Visakhapatnam]], [[Vijayawada]], [[Rajahmundry]] and [[Tirumala - Tirupati|Tirupati]]. The government also have plans to start airports in six other cities: [[Nellore]], [[Warangal]], [[Kadapa]], [[Tadepalligudem]], [[Ramagundam]] and [[Ongole]].
Andhra Pradesh has two major ports of India at [[Visakhapatnam]] and [[Kakinada]] and three minor ports, [[Machilipatnam]], [[Nizampatnam]]([[Guntur]]) and [[Krishnapatnam]]. One more private port is being developed at [[Gangavaram]], near Visakhapatnam. This deep sea port can accommodate ocean liners up to 200,000-250,000 DWT, allowing big ocean liners to enter into Indian shores.
== See also ==
* [[List of people from Andhra Pradesh]]
* [[History of India]]
* [[Middle kingdoms of India]]
* [[Andhra state]]
* [[Rivalry and Tribute: Society and Ritual in a Telugu village in South India]] by [[Bruce Elliot Tapper]]
* [[Yanam (India)|Yanam]]
* [[Guntur division]]
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{commonscat}}
* [http://www.aponline.gov.in/ Official website of the Government of Andhra Pradesh]
* [http://www.aptourism.in/ Andhra Pradesh Government Tourism Department]
* {{ODP|Regional/Asia/India/Andhra_Pradesh/}}
* [http://www.ap.nic.in/ Andhra Pradesh Portal at NIC website]
* [http://www.apstatepolice.org/ Official website of State Police of Andhra Pradesh]
{{Major Cities of Andhra Pradesh}}
{{States and territories of India}}
[[ප්රවර්ගය:States and territories of India]]
[[ප්රවර්ගය:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[ප්රවර්ගය:States and territories established in 1956]]
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