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.
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.
Government of Andhra Pradesh
has taken several measures for the promotion of tourism in
the State. Tourist Information Centres were established at
Hyderabad Airport, Nagarjunasagar, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam
and Warangal. The Government also established Tourist Information
Centres at New Delhi and Goa. The department prepares tourist
literature and publishes several booklets incorporating therein
the places of tourist importance in the State along with pictures
for the use of tourists. It promotes the construction of well-furnished
hotels and rest houses for the tourists. The department organises
training courses to the guides.
Hyderabad guide, and the
booklets on Horsley Hill, Nagarjunasagar, Golconda, Lepakshi,
Srisailam, Yadagirigutta, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam, Bhadrachalam,
Vijayawada and a booklet on Andhra Pradesh, etc., are supplied
free of cost to the tourists by the department.
The state tourism dept. has bagged six awards for excellence
out of the 14 categories at the national level.
The following are
the award winning categories:
The places of tourist importance in the State are
discussed under:
Hyderabad: Hyderabad,
the fifth largest city in the country, is the capital of Andhra
Pradesh and has several prominent places in and around it.
It has a Hindu-Muslim culture with a number of monuments of
historical importance like Charminar, Golconda, Salarjung
Museum, Mecca Maszid, Osman Sagar and Osmania University.
The capital is in reality the twin cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad linked together by the Hussain Sagar.
Charminar constructed
in 1591 is worth seeing for its grandeur and architectural
beauty. The minarets are 48.77 metres high and they spring
from the abutments of open arches facing the four cardinal
points. Mecca Maszid is to the south of Charminar.
Golconda,
about 8 km from the city, the capital of the Qutb Shahis in
the 16th century, is rich in historical monuments, which include
the famous Golconda Fort. Golconda was known the world over
as a rich mine of diamonds in medieval times. Qutb Shahi tombs
are nearer to this fort. These tombs mark the third and final
stage of architecture that flourished during the 16th-17th
centuries A.D.
Salarjung Museum
was constructed by the Prime Minister Salarjung III of the
erstwhile Nizams but was later shifted in 1968 to the new
imposing building constructed on the southern bank of the
river Musi. The museum consists of a vast and varied art mass
collected from several countries in the world.
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The `Public Garden' in
the heart of the city is another tourist attraction with State
Museum and Art gallery, Jawahar Bal Bhavan, Health Museum,
Assembly Buildings, Lalita Kala Toranam (open-air theatre).
On the other side, on the hillock, there is the Birla Mandir
and the Planetarium. The State Museum displays prehistoric
implements, sculptures, paintings, inscriptions, illuminated
manuscripts, coins, old arms, Bidri and old Chinaware and
textiles. It is an impressive building with four minarets,
two large and two small. Its most unusual features are the
lofty pillars supporting the arches and the prayer niche carved
in single slabs of granite. Falaknuma Palace is a castle built
on a hill by Sir Vicar-ul-Umra, one of the Prime Ministers
of the Nizam's Dominions. The Nehru Zoological Park on the
Bangalore National Highway is spread over 300 acres of undulating
landscape, which preserves the beauty of the boulders in all
its pristine glory.
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Gandipet:
18 Km west of Hyderabad is a dam named `Osmansagar dam' constructed
on the river Musi to control floods, some five and a half
decades ago. It is now the source of drinking water to the
twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The pleasant and
beautiful gardens, comfortable rest-houses and placid expanses
of water have made this place a tourist attraction and a picnic
spot.
Warangal:
It lies on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad section of the South Central
Railway. It was the capital of the Kakatiyas during the 13th
century AD. Warangal with its historic monuments, temples
and fort attracts a variety of people including pilgrims,
historians and archaeologists. The thousand- pillared temple
at Hanamkonda, near Warangal is the best example of the architecture
of the Kakatiya period.
Ramappa Temple:
This is located at Palampet near Mulug in Warangal district.
This is of tourist importance owing to the existence of the
renowned and exquisitely carved sculptures of the Ramappa
Temple, and the Ramappa Lake constructed at the time of Kakatiya
Ganapati. The temple, built of black basalt with splendid
carvings, is 12.19 metres high. The Ramappa lake is a magnificient
irrigation work of the 13th century AD, and the place, where
the lake stands, is surrounded by thick forests and presents
a beautiful natural scenery making it a popular holiday resort.
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Nizamsagar:
At a distance of about 144 km north-west of Hyderabad, a reservoir
known by the name Nizamsagar was constructed across the Manjira
river, a tributary of the Godavari, between Achampet and Banjapalle
villages of Nizamabad district. The most outstanding feature
of the project is the gigantic masonry dam sprawling across
the river for 3 km with a motorable road of 14ft width over
it. There are excellent boarding and lodging facilities for
the tourists at this project.
Kuntala:
It is situated in Adilabad district, 22 km from Boath on the
bank of the Kadam river. Here the river falls from a height
of about 45 metres and enters Khanapur. The waterfall known
as ``Kuntala Waterfalls'' is the highest in Andhra Pradesh.
It affords picturesque scenery.
Basara (Adilabad
district): It is on the bank of the Godavari on the
Secunderabad-Manmad metre-gauge line of South Central Railway.
It has one of the two temples dedicated to Goddess Saraswati
in India, the other being at Kashmir. Vemulavada is in Karimnagar
district and situated about 32 km., from Karimnagar on the
road to Kamareddy. The village is an ancient one and has been
in existence from the time of the Western Chalukyas. It is
famous for the temples of Rajarajeswaraswami and another for
Vaddegesvara. It is also a place of great historical importance
and attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists.
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Bhadrachalam:
This temple-town on the left bank of the river Godavari in
Khammam district is considered a holy spot since Lord Rama
is supposed to have lived here for some time. It owes its
importance to the temple dedicated to Lord Rama, which is
said to have been constructed by His ardent devotee, Kancherla
Gopanna, popularly called as "Ramadas''. He was an official
in the Taluk Office during the reign of the last Qutb Shahi
ruler, Abul Hasan Tana Shah.
Vijayawada: It is one of the biggest cities
and business centres in the State situated on the northern
bank of the river Krishna. It is also the biggest railway
junction in the South Central Railway leading to many major
cities in the country like Chennai, Calcutta, Delhi and Hyderabad.
Visitors and tourists to this place make it a point to see
the Mogalrajapuram Caves, Kanakadurga Temple, Prakasam Barrage
and Gandhi Hill.
The Gandhi Hill in the
centre of Vijayawada is a unique monument dedicated to Mahatma
Gandhi. A fifty-two feet column of red marble was built and
various figures representing the cottage industries were carved
on it. Below this column, a Gandhi Memorial Library and a
Seminar Hall were constructed. On the slopes of the hill,
replicas of Mahatma Gandhi's house at Porbandar in Gujarat,
his Phoenix Ashram in South Africa, his Sabarmati Ashram at
Ahmedabad and his Sevagram Ashram near Wardha were built.
A medium size planetarium was installed in an attractive building
near the main entrance to the Gandhi Hill. A telescope and
a camera were in the observatory set up on the Gandhi Memorial
Library. It provides an opportunity to the visitors to have
the thrill of seeing the distant stars in the universe and
the grand scenery around the Hill.
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Vijayawada
is surrounded by picturesque hills, important of which are
the Sitanagaram (on the southern bank of the river Krishna),
and Indrakiladri. The city is a pilgrim centre for the Hindus
on account of its location on the bank of the Krishna, and
three important temples, namely, Kanakadurga, Bhramaramba
Malleswara and Vijayeswara. The Krishna Pushkaram, celebrated
once in twelve years, attracts Hindu devotees from all over
the country. Prakasam Barrage, constructed on the river Krishna,
is a scenic attraction.
Amaravati:
It is an important tourist centre at a distance of 32 km north-west
of Guntur owing to its world famous Buddhist stupa and antiquities
of the 2nd century B.C. The Stupa here is the biggest with
its dome measuring 49 metres and it rises to a height of 29
metres. Amaravati is a byword for sculpture among the plastic
arts of the world as the Buddhist sculptures found here are
perfect specimens of what is called the Andhra or Amaravati
style of sculptures.Amaravati and its neighbouring village
Dharanikota were the seats of the rule of the Satavahanas
and these places are full of antiquities of great archaeological
values depicting scenes from the life of Buddha, embodying
various Buddhist emblems and symbols, and also inscriptions
in Pali character. The lofty temple of Amareswara stands on
the southern bank of the river Krishna, and is considered
sacred and holy. It attracts a large number of pilgrims, especially
on the Sivaratri day.
Ettipothala Water
falls located six km northwest of Macherla in Guntur district
is one of the many beautiful scenic spots in the State. The
rivulet Chandravanka joins the Krishna falling from a height
of 21 metres and the waterfalls offer a delightful view.
Nagarjunakonda
is at a distance of 24 km both from Macherla and
Nagarjunasagar Project. It is of significance on account of
its ancient Buddhist culture. The museum, located on a hilltop
on the right side of the Nagarjunasagar Canal, is housed with
excavated antiquities.
Undavalli (Guntur
district) lies on the south bank of the river Krishna
about two kilometres from Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada.
There are the famous Undavalli Caves associated with the Vishnukundin
kings of A. D. 420--620. These caves were dedicated to Anantapadmanabha
and Narisimhaswami. From the point of sculptural and architectural
excellence, these caves compare very well with those of Ajanta.
Nagarjunasagar
Dam: the highest masonry dam in the world, is at
a distance of about 150-km from Hyderabad. It is constructed
on the river Krishna, bordering Nalgonda and Guntur districts.
The first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru laid
the foundation stone of this dam. It is one of the biggest
multipurpose projects in India.
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Srisailam:
This is known as a sacred place of pilgrimage in India, located
at an altitude of over 1,500 feet above the sea level in a
most picturesque natural surroundings in the northernmost
plateau of the Nallamala Hill range. Atop the hill, there
is the temple of Siva known as Mallikharjunaswami temple,
which is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in the country. Another
temple at this place is that of the goddess Bhramaramba, the
consort of Mallikharjuna. The temple abounds in sculpture
and there are many inscriptions in and around it. Apart from
the religious importance, Srisailam is also a place of scenic
beauty and one of the most important tourist spots in the
country.
Mantralayam: situated
on the southern bank of the river Tungabhadra in Kurnool district
is about 15 km. from Mantralayam Road Railway station on the
Chennai-Mumbai line. It is also well connected by road from
Hyderabad, Kurnool and other important centres. It is famous
for Raghavendraswami Matt or Brindavan. It is here that Raghavendraswami,
a great follower of Madhvacharya, entered samadhi after preaching
the Madhva cult or Dvaita philosophy. There is no idol of
Raghavendraswami but his Brindavan (samadhi) is worshipped.
Lepakshi lies
at about 14 km east of Hindupur in Anantapur district. It
is of great historical and archaeological importance in the
State. This place is a repository of the best mural paintings
of the Vijayanagara Kings. The best specimens of the Vijayanagara
style of sculpture and mural paintings are found in the temples
here. There is a colossal stone Nandi, reputed to be the largest
of its kind in the country.
Tirupati and Tirumala
in Chittoor district are two sacred places not only for Andhra
Pradesh but also for India. The presiding deity here is Lord
Venkateswara, who is also worshipped as `Balaji' by the north
Indians. Tirumala lies in the midst of the Seshachalam hills,
which are 2,000 feet above the sea level. It has also worldwide
importance as a major tourist centre.
Srikalahasti (Chittoor
district) is also a famous pilgrim centre and the temple here
is dedicated to Lord Siva known as Vayulingam and considered
as Dakshina Kasi.
Horsley Hills about
16 km from Madanapalle in Chittoor district, lies at a height
of 1,265.53 metres above the sea level and forms the most
elevated table land in the south of Andhra Pradesh. This is
the coolest place and is a summer resort.
Rajahmundry:
It is situated on the left bank of the river Godavari in East
Godavari district. It has a hoary past and is said to have
been constructed by the Eastern Chalukya ruler Rajaraja Narendra
in A.D. 1022. The town has some traces of fine palaces, fort
walls, etc., of the 11th century A.D. Nannaya, the poet laureate,
who was called `Adi Kavi belonged to this place. The Asia's
largest rail-cum-road bridge on the river Godavari linking
Kovvur and Rajahmundry is considered to be an engineering
feat.There are a number of temples here and the Kotilingala
temple on the bank of the Godavari is one of the most important
temples. The Godavari Pushkaram, celebrated once in twelve
years, attracts a large number of pilgrims from all over the
country. At a distance of seven kilometres south of Rajahmundry,
there is the Dowlaiswaram anicut across the Godavari.
Ryali lies
at a distance of 25 km from Rajahmundry. It is famous for
the temple of Jaganmohini-Kesavaswami. The idol of the deity
is beautifully carved on black stone and it is worth seeing
for its sculptural beauty and grand appearance. Visakhapatnam:
This coast-city is on the Chennai-Howrah broad-gauge line
of SouthEastern Railway and is a big railhead. The city has
grown in importance educationally, commercially and industrially.
It is the seat of the Andhra University. The places of interest
in the city include harbour, Dolphin's Nose, a light-house,
Hindustan Ship Building Yard, Caltex Oil Refinery, Coromandal
Fertilisers Factory, Steel Plant, Circuit House on the Hill,
a beautiful beach and an airport. Visakhapatnam harbour is
considered to be one of the best natural harbours in the world,
and the ShipBuilding Yard has a nation-wide importance. The
city is worth visiting for both the internal and foreign tourists.
Bheemunipatnam beach, nearer to the city, is a place for a
short holiday.
Simhachalam 16
km from Visakhapatnam, is an important pilgrim centre owing
to the existence of the Varaha Lakshmi Narasimhaswami temple
on a hill, which is 800 feet above the sea level.
Araku Valley
is about 115 km, from Visakhapatnam. The valley extending
over 36 sq.km is situated at an altitude of 610 to 915 metres
above the sea level. The valley, with its bracing climate
and orchards, and the Ananthagiri Hills, which present an
enchanting view, attract Indian and foreign tourists.
Borra Caves in
Vizianagaram district have archaeological importance due to
the discovery of some Paleolithic implements. Vizianagaram,
64 km from Visakhapatnam, is a place of historical importance.
It was the capital of the Gajapati chiefs in the 17th century
A.D. The magnificent fort in this town depicts the past glory
of these rajas. It has a Music College and a Sanskrit College.
Besides
the above, there are also many other interesting places of
historical and architectural importance, and pilgrimage centres
which attract the pilgrims as well as tourists with their
natural scenery around them like Arasavalli, Srikurmam and
Mukhalingam (Srikakulam), Ramateerdham (Vizianagaram), Upamaka
(Visakhapatnam), Annavaram and Draksharama (East Godavari),
Dwarakatirumala (West Godavari), Kolleru lake (bordering West
Godavari and Krishna), Mangalagiri and Kotappakonda (Guntur),
Phanigiri and Yadagirigutta (Nalgonda), Buggarameswaram (Ranga
Reddy), Kaleswaram, DharMapsuri and Nanguru (Karimnagar) Bodhan
(Nizamabad), Alampuram (Mahbubnagar), Pushpagiri (Cuddapah),
Ahobilam and Mahanandi (Kurnool district), Pulicat Lake (Nellore
district), etc.
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