Andhra Pradesh We Must Know

Welcome to the third largest state in India - Andhra Pradesh, a State rich in natural
resources, cultural heritage, history and most of all, an opportunity to explore them.
Created by combining the old princely state of Hyderabad with the Telugu speaking
portions of the former state of Chennai, Andhra Pradesh to this day retains much of
its regal glory and mystic charm.

Geographically, the state enjoys a strategic location. Most of it stands on the high
arid Deccan Plateau, sloping down to the low-lying coastal region to the east where
the mighty Godavari and Krishna rivers consummate with the Bay of Bengal. Andhra
Pradesh is blessed with a charming countryside, watered by 34 rivers and commands
a 1000 km. coastline.

Rocks, forests, verdant green fields, lakes and golden beaches washed by the sea
make Andhra Pradesh a fascinating state and one that is ideally suited for
wildlife. There are about 20 notified sanctuaries in the state and each of them is
home to a variety of rare animal species such as the Great Indian Bustard, Nilgai,
etc.

History of Andhra Pradesh:

Centuries ago, Andhra Pradesh was a major Buddhist centre and part of Emperor
Ashoka's sprawling kingdom. Not surprisingly, traces of early Buddhist influence are
still visible in several places in and around the state. After the death of Emperor
Ashoka, the Satavahanas established their kingdom in this region.

During the 7th century, the Chalukyas held sway over Andhra Pradesh until the 10th
century, when the Cholas seized power. In the 14th century, Muslim power reached
this southern state and for centuriesruled over this princely state and finally was
taken over by a General of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1713. The successors
of the General, known as Nizams, ruled the state till Indian Independence.

Successive dynasties from the Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas,

Vijayanagaram kings, Qutb Shahis, Mughals and the Asaf Jahis, have contributed
significantly to the State's rich cultural tapestry and have left behind a heritage
studded with spectacular monuments, temples, mosques, palaces all vibrant with
arts, crafts, dance and literature.

Heritage of Andhra Pradesh:

Beautiful crafts, exquisite remnants of a glorious past, vibrant religious festivals,

irresistible delicacies together with the charming people and the sonorant mother
tongue Telugu, are some of the indelible impressions of this state.

The sky-scrapes of the state present a montage of architectural styles, replete with
astonishing sculpture and splendid edifices left behind by several
dynasties. Hyderabad, the state capital, is a historic city, and is famous as the
former seat of the wealthy Nizams. Charminar, Salar Jung Museum and the
mighty Golconda Fort are some of the famous heritage spots in the city.

Kuchipudi is a classical dance form of Andhra Pradesh. Lacquer toys, Anakapalli

articles, Nirmal - painted pottery, Bidri - lead inlaid black metal trinklets, palm and
slate articles, as well as Gadhwal, Pochampalli and Dharmavaram silk saris are some
of the amazing handlooms andhandicrafts the state is renowned for.
Agriculture is the main occupation of about 70% of the people in Andhra Pradesh.
The main crops are rice, maize, millets, pulses, castor, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane,
groundnut and banana. The covered forest area in the state is about 23%, and
important forest products include teak, eucalyptus, cashew, bamboo and soft wood.
Some of the major industries in the state are machine tools, synthetic drugs,
pharmaceuticals, heavy electrical machinery, ships, fertilizers, electronic equipment,
aeronautical parts, cement and cement products, chemicals, asbestos, glass and
watches. Important minerals found in the state are copper ore, manganese, mica,
coal and limestone.

Cuisine of Andhra Pradesh has a distinct flavor and is relished by many epicureans.
Rice is the staple food and chillies dominate the native taste.The ubiquitous Andhra
pickle, spicy in taste and flavor is the most appetising dish. Even Gongura chutneys
enhance the basic flavor of a meal. Papads roasted or fried are an often-preferred
addition. To round off a sumptuous lunch, kheers, a variety of sweets and paans are
veritable specialties.

State at a glance:

State Capital Hyderabad

Population (thousands in 1991) 66,508
Area (thousand sq. km) 275
Females per 1000 males (1991) 972
Literacy rate (1991) 44.1
Ratio of urban population (1991) 26.9
Net Domestic Product
397,040
(Rs. million at current prices in 1992-93)
Per Capita Income 5,802
Principal Languages Telugu and Urdu
Dance of Andhra Pradesh

Kuchipudi:

Kuchipudi, the indigenous style of dance took its birth and effloresced in the village
originally called Kuchelapuri or Kuchelapuram, a hamlet in Krishna district. From its
origin, as far back in the dim recesses of time as the 3rd century BC, it has remained
a continuous and living dance tradition of this region. The genesis of Kuchipudi art,
as are most Indian classical dances, is associated with religion. For a long time, the
art was presented only at temples and that too only for annual festivals of certain
temples.

According to tradition, Kuchipudi dance was originally performed only by men and
they all belonged to the Brahmin community. These Brahmin families were known
popularly as Bhagavathulu of Kuchipudi. The very first group of Bhagavathulus of
Kuchipudi was formed in 1502 AD.

Siddhendra Yogi redefined the dance form. Fifteen Brahmin families belonging to
Kuchipudi have carried on the tradition for more than five centuries. Renowned gurus
like Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana, Chinta Krishna Murthy and Tadepalli Perayya
enriched the dance form by bringing in women. Dr.Vempati Chinna Satyam added
several dance dramas and choreographed many solo performances, thus broadening
the horizons of this dance form. The transition has been striking from a time when
men played female parts to the present when women play even the male parts.

Kuchipudi art, to be noted was intended as a dance-drama requiring a set of

characters, not just as a dance by a soloist which is common in present times. This
dance-drama is sometimes known as Ata Bhagavatham. The plays are in Telugu and
traditionally all roles are taken by men alone.

Kuchipudi plays are enacted in the open air and on improvised stages. The
presentation begins with some stage rites which are performed in full view of the
audience. Then the Soothradhara or the conductor and the supporting musicians
come on the stage and give a play of rhythm on the drums and cymbals. In a
Kuchipudi performance, each principal character introduces himself or herself on the
stage with a daru. A daru is a small composition of dance and song specially
designed for each character to help him or her reveal his or her identity and also to
show the performer's skill in the art. There are nearly 80 dharus or dance sequences
in the dance drama. Behind a beautiful curtain held by two persons, Satyabhama
enters the stage with her back to the audience. In Bhama Kalapam, Satyabhama is
Vipralamba Nayaki, i.e., the heroine who is deceived by her lover and dejected by his
absence.

The most popular Kuchipudi dance is the pot dance in which a dancer keeps a pot
filled with water on her head and feet kept on a brass plate. She moves on the stage
manipulating the brass plate, with the feet kept on its rim and doing some hand
movements without spilling a drop of water on the ground thus astounding the
audience.

Apart from Bhama Kalapam, the other famous dance dramas are Gollakalapam by
Bhagavatha Ramayya, Prahlada Charitam by Tirumala Narayanacharyalu, Sashirekha
Parinaya etc.

The makeup and costumes are characteristic of the art. There is nothing elaborate in
the costumes and the makeup is not so heavy. The important characters have
different make up and the female characters wear ornaments and jewellery such as
Rakudi (head ornament), Chandra Vanki (arm ornament), Adda Bhasa and Kasina
Sara (neck ornament) and a long plait decorated with flowers and jewellery.

The music in Kuchipudi is classical Karnatic. The mridanga, violin and a clarinet are
the common instruments employed as accompaniment.

Today Kuchipudi like Bharatanatyam has undergone many changes. The present day
dancers having advanced training in Kuchipudi style, present this art in their own
various individual ways. There are presently only two melams, or professional
troupes of male performers. The bulk of the dancers are woman. In its present day
dispensation, Kuchipudi has been reduced from a dance-drama to a mere dance and
from an uplifting theatre experience to a routine stage affair.

Handicrafts of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh has a rich tradition in handicrafts, with craftsmanship handed down
from generation to generation. The state abounds in varied forms of art
and traditional crafts, ranging from leather puppetry to Ikat weaving, each of them
highly developed and specialised. The crafts are still practiced as a family or cottage
industry.

A visit to Chirala, in Prakasam district, a major weaving centre, one may find several
families working on looms or dyeing the yarn, in a very similar way as was done
centuries ago. Collections such as traditional arts and crafts are available in several
emporia in Hyderabad and other places, from Government handloom cooperatives to
handicraft stores.

The ethnic handicrafts of Andhra Pradesh are as follows:

Bidri is a metal craft that derives its name from Bidar, the hometown of this
exquisite craft. The basic material used is an alloy of zinc, oxidized and intricately
inlaid with silver. This famous art can be traced back to the Kakatiyas.Decorative,
beautifully painted wooden articles like furniture, bowls, lamps, ash trays, boxes are
typical items.

Himroo is a distinctive, luxurious fabric, once used as dress material by the nobles,
with a cotton base and silk or art silk weave, made into stoles, gowns and
furnishings.

The name 'Kalamkari' is derived from the word 'kalam' which means a 'pen',the tool
used in this craft. Kalamkari is hand painting with vegetable dyes. Only four basic
colours are used to depict scenes from mythology.The colourful puppets are made
from buffalo hide, bleached and tinted with local paints. The most popular figures are
the heroes and villains from mythology. The artisans of Hyderabad from the days of
the Golconda kingdom have perfected the art of creating jewellery. Hyderabad today,
is the largest pearl centre of India.

Andhra Pradesh, has an age-old tradition of hand-woven fabrics. Silk and cotton
sarees from Pochampalli, Venkatagiri, Nayudupet, Gadwal, Narayanpet and
Dharmavaram are household names throughout India.

• Toys,Dolls & Puppets • Pembarthi Sheet Metal Ware

• Stone Work • Wood Carving
• Folk Painting • Banjara Needle Craft
• Nirmal Painting • Kalamkari
• Bidri • Fabrics
• Bronze Castings • Silver Filigree-Karimnagar
• Ikat Weaving • Budithi

Food
Andhra Pradesh tickles the tastebuds to have a binge
with traditional cuisine.Biryani, a blend of rice and
meat, kulcha, the charcoal-baked rotis, haleem made
of coarsely pounded wheat and spiced mutton gravy
are some of the regional specialties. Dishes like
nahari, pattar-ka- gosh, korma, salans, tamatar-ka-
kat and baghare baigan are some of the special
delicacies.

The balmy weather helps grow a delicious variety of fruits like mangoes, anabshahi
grapes, custard apples and a miscellany of the common ones.Hyderabad cuisine is a
distinct dialogue in food based on the traditional method of combining the sour and
the sweet, the hot and the salty.

One of India's finest foods, the Biryani is closely associated with Hyderabadi cuisine.
The Mughal court and the predominant Hindu subculture influenced the kitchens of
the Nizams so much so that even the brinjal takes the form of baghare baigan,
embodying it with the flavor of a fine dish indeed. Influenced by the Mughals, but
without the natural resources of fresh fruits, saffron and other
ingredients, Hyderabadi cuisine is lighter, the taste more distinct and the fresh fruit
normally used is replaced by dried fruits. Lamb is a great favourite.

Andhra food, in turn, is different from Hyderabadi, as

day from night. Like southern foods, the typical dosa
etc., can be found in many restaurants, but the
favourite remains to be pesarattu, a dosa (rice
pancake) which has filling of upma made with
semolina and onions in it. Rasam, fire-hot, is typical
favourite of the southern region. The more famous
muligatawny soup of the west is derived from the
Telugu mullkigatanni or pepper water.

Served in its original form, it is hot enough to scald the tongue. The spicy chutneys
and pickles of Andhra, specially mango and shrimp, are a great favourite. Andhra
cuisine is largely vegetarian, with only the coastal areas showing a marked
preference for seafood. Fish and Prawn are curried in sesame and coconut oils, and
flavored with freshly ground pepper and eaten with rice. Rice, the staple Andhra
food, is served with sambar, other lentil preparations along with vegetables.

Snack time could mean onion pakodas, vadas or savoury doughnuts dunked in
steaming hot sambar and steamed rice dumplings called idli.Savories are murku,
roundels of rice flour that are deep fried and appadams. For desserts, try payasam, a
pudding made with rice and milk and of course the famed Sheer Khurma- a
Hyderabadi delicacy with dry fruits and dates.

Chowki Dinner :

Andhra Pradesh Tourism offers on order a typically Hyderabadi multi-course dinner

served on a low table (Chowki) around which 8 people can squat. Authentic
Hyderabadi cuisine is served course by course, as the Nawabs were served with a
Deccan ambience accompanied by traditional entertainment like Ghazals.