Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh's recorded past spans over two millennia, making it a staple in Indian history syllabi. The Satavahanas (2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE), with capitals at Amaravati and later Paithan, are central — they patronized Buddhism, built the great Amaravati stupa and sustained trade with Rome, evidenced by Roman coins found along the Krishna valley. After them came the Ikshvakus at Nagarjunakonda, an early Buddhist university town, followed by the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi, the Kakatiyas whose influence extended into coastal Andhra, and the Vijayanagara Empire under Krishnadevaraya in the 16th century, when coastal ports flourished. The Qutb Shahis of Golconda ruled the region before Mughal and later British control as part of Madras Presidency. Modern political history is distinctive: in 1952, Gandhian Potti Sriramulu fasted to death demanding a Telugu-speaking state, and on 1 October 1953 Andhra State was carved from Madras, India's first state formed on a linguistic basis. On 1 November 1956 it merged with the Telugu areas of Hyderabad State to form united Andhra Pradesh under the States Reorganisation Act. After decades of the Telangana movement, Parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act in February 2014, and on 2 June 2014 Telangana was bifurcated, leaving residual Andhra Pradesh with 13 districts. Amaravati, near the ancient Satavahana capital Dharanikota, was chosen as the new capital, with Hyderabad as common capital for up to ten years.

Geography in Andhra Pradesh is a sharp east-west contrast. The Eastern Ghats run like a broken spine through the state, rising to Arma Konda at 1,680 metres in the north, while to the east lie broad coastal plains and two of India's great delta systems — the Godavari, India's second-longest river, and the Krishna, both draining into the Bay of Bengal alongside the Penna. These deltas create the rice-growing Konaseema and Krishna wetlands that justify the 'Rice Bowl' tag. Inland, the Nallamala and Seshachalam forests form the southern tip of the Eastern Ghats, and the Rayalaseema plateau in the southwest is drier, rockier and hotter. Climate is tropical, with intense summers above 40°C, monsoon rain from June to September, and humid coastal winters. Distinctive landscapes include Araku Valley in the north, a coffee-growing highland at 600–900 metres famous for its tunnels and tribal hamlets, and the Borra Caves nearby, limestone karst caves with stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. Wetlands matter here: Kolleru Lake between Krishna and Godavari is one of India's largest freshwater lakes and a Ramsar-linked bird haven for pelicans and painted storks, while Pulicat Lake on the Tamil Nadu border is India's second-largest brackish lagoon. Protected areas include Papikonda National Park along the Godavari gorge, Sri Venkateswara National Park in the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, and Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary near Kakinada, which shelters India's second-largest mangrove forest after the Sundarbans.

Culture in Andhra Pradesh feels both classical and fiery. Telugu, the official language and one of India's six Classical languages, is spoken by the vast majority, and the state is the birthplace of Kuchipudi, one of India's eight officially recognized classical dance forms that began in the village of Kuchipudi in Krishna district as a male Brahmin dance-drama tradition before opening to all. Handcraft traditions carry GI tags: Kalamkari hand-painted cotton from Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam, where artists use natural dyes and tamarind pens; Kondapalli softwood toys from Vijayawada; and Etikoppaka lacquered woodcraft. Festivals follow the agrarian and temple calendar — Sankranti in January is the major harvest festival, while Ugadi marks the Telugu New Year with pachadi that mixes six tastes. The spiritual centre is Tirumala: the Sri Venkateswara Temple above Tirupati draws more than 50,000 pilgrims daily and is among the world's wealthiest and most visited religious shrines. Nearby, the 16th-century Veerabhadra Temple at Lepakshi displays hanging pillars and a colossal Nandi, and the Gandikota gorge is often called the Grand Canyon of India. Cuisine is known for heat and tang: Guntur chilli, Gongura (sorrel leaf) pachadi, spicy Avakaya mango pickle, Pulusu stews, Pesarattu green-gram dosa, and Rayalaseema's Ragi Sangati (finger millet balls) with spicy curries show how chilli, tamarind and sesame define the plate.