View source for Andhra Pradesh

{{India state infobox|
state_name=Andhra Pradesh |
image_map=Map AP dist all blank.png |
capital=[[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] |
latd = 17.22|longd=78.26|
largest_city=[[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]]|
second largest = [[Visakhapatnam, India|Visakhapatnam]]|
abbreviation=IN-AP |
official_languages=[[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Urdu]]|
legislature_type=Unicameral |
legislature_strength=295 |
governor_name=[[Rameshwar Thakur]] |
chief_minister=[[Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy]] |
established_date=[[October 1]] [[1953]]|
area=275,068 |
order_of_area=11|
area_rank=4th |
area_magnitude=11 |
population_year=2001 |
population=75,727,000  |
population_rank=5th |
population_density=275 |
districts=23 |
website=www.aponline.gov.in |
seal=[[Image:Andhraseal.png|center]] |
footnotes = | 
}}
'''Andhra Pradesh''': ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్; ''Āndhra Prādesh''), is a [[States and territories of India|state]] in Eastern [[India]] and is part of the linguistic-cultural region of [[South India]] but is also considered Eastern and sometimes even Central India. It 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 the fifth largest state in India and it forms the major link between the north and the south of India. It is the biggest and most populous state in that area of India. It is also considered the [[rice]] bowl of India. The state is crossed by two major rivers, the [[Godavari River|Godavari]] and [[Krishna River|Krishna]]. ("Pradesh" means "region" or "state".)

== Prehistory ==
[http://www.wowtelugu.com ''''''Andhra''''''] is an ancient society of India. We encounter several references about Andhras in epics like [[Mahabharata]], [[Ramayana]], [[Puranas]], and Buddhist [[Jataka Tales]]. They confirm the ancient existence of Andhra society. Andhra means "Leader in battle". [[Sanskrit]] writings from the [[7th century BCE]] describe the Andhra people as [[Aryan]]s who mixed with [[Dravidian race|Dravidians]].

== Political History ==
[[Image:charminar.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|''Charminar'' or Four [[Minaret]]s in Hyderabad. Hyderabad was the capital of the Nizam kingdom and later the Nizam dominion.]]

===Ancient Ages===
During the [[Mauryan]] age there is historical evidence of the existence of Andhras as a political power in the southeastern Deccan. [[Megasthenes]], who visited the Court of [[Chandragupta Maurya]] (322-297 BCE), mentioned that Andhras had 30 fortified towns and an army of a million infantry, 2000 cavalry and 1000 elephants. Buddhist books reveal that Andhras established their kingdoms in the [[Godavari]] Valley at that time. [[Asoka]] referred in his 13th rock edict (232 BCE) that Andhra was under his rule.   

The continuous political and cultural accounts of Andhra begins with the fall of the Mauryan Empire. It commences with the rise of the [[Satavahana]]s as a political power. According to [[Matsya Purana]] there were 29 rulers of this dynasty. They ruled over the Andhradesa for about 456 years from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD.

The fall of the Satavahana empire left Andhra in political chaos. Local rulers as well as foreign invaders tried to carve out small kingdoms for themselves. From 180-624 AD. Ikshvaku, [[Brihatpalayana]], [[Salankayana]], [[Vishnukundina]], [[Vakataka]], [[Pallava]], [[Ananda Gotrika]], [[Kalinga]] and others ruled over parts of Andhra with small kingdoms.  Most important among these small dynasties were the Ikshvaku. [[Nagarjunakonda]] was their capital and they patronised [[Buddhism]], though they followed the [[vedic]] ritualism. 

Between 624-1323 AD a significant change came about in social, religious, linguistic and literary spheres of Andhra society. During this period the indigenous [[Telugu]] language, emerged as a literary medium overthrowing the domination of [[Prakrit]] and [[Sanskrit]]. As a result, Andhra achieved an identity and a distinction of its own. This change was brought by the Eastern and Western [[Chalukyas]], the [[Rashtrakutas]] and the early Cholas.
The Western Chalukyas consisted of two dynasties. The Early Chalukyas ruled from Badami (550-750 AD) and the later Chalukyas from Kalyani (973-1195 AD). Throughout this period and up to the 13th century, Telugu language was written in ''old Kannada'' script. The emergence of the Telugu script from the ''old Kannada'' script started around 13th century and culminated in the 19th century.

The Eastern Chalukyas were a branch of the [[Chalukyas]] of [[Badami]]. [[Pulakesin II]], the renowned ruler of Chalukyas conquered [[Vengi]] (near [[Eluru]]) in 624 AD and built the splendid [[vesara]] style ''Navabrahma'' temples at Alampur and installed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana (624-641 CE) as its ruler. His dynasty, known as the Eastern Chalukyas, ruled for nearly four centuries in all. Vishnuvardhana extended his dominions up to [[Srikakulam]] in the north and [[Nellore]] in the south.

The Eastern Chalukyas occupied a prominent place in the history of Andhra Pradesh. Since the time of Gunaga Vijayaditya (848 AD), inscriptions show Telugu stanzas, culminating in the production of literary works in the coming centuries. Later in the 11th century, the [[Mahabharata]] was translated partly by the court poet [[Nannaya]] under the patronage of the then Eastern Chalukya King Raja Rajendra.

After a brief period of sovereignty under Gunaga Vijayaditya, the Vengi region again came under the Rashtrakuta rule and later the Kalyani Chalukya rule from the beginning of 10th century to the 11th century, when the [[Cholas]] managed to wrest control from the Chalukyas. However by 1118 AD, with the defeat of the Kulottunga Chola at the hands of [[Vikramaditya VI]] of the Kalyani Chalukya dynasty and the victory of [[Hoysala]] king Vishnuvardhana over the Cholas at Talakad,  Vengi once again came under Chalukya rule. The Kalyani Chalukya power itself went into decline after the death of Vikramaditya VI. By the end of the 12th century, their empire was split into several local kingdoms, namely the Hoysalas, Kakatiyas and Yadavas.
The 12th and the 13th centuries saw the emergence of the [[Kakatiya]]s. They were at first the feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani, ruling over a small territory near [[Warangal]]. A ruler of this dynasty, Prola II (1110-1158 AD) extended his sway to the south and declared his independence. His successor [[Rudra]] (1158-1195) pushed the kingdom to the north up to the Godavari delta. He built a fort at [[Warangal]] to serve as a second capital and faced the invasions of the [[Yadavas]] of [[Devagiri]]. The next ruler Mahadeva extended the kingdom to the coastal area. In 1199, Ganapati succeeded him. He was the greatest of the Kakatiyas and the first after the Satavahanas to bring the entire Telugu area under one rule. He put an end to the rule of the Velanati Cholas in 1210.

The Kakatiya period was called one of the brightest periods of the Telugu history. The entire Telugu speaking area was under the kings who spoke Telugu and encouraged Telugu. They established order throughout the strife torn land and the forts built by them played a dominant role in the defence of the realm. Kakatiya art preserved the balance between art and architecture, that is, while valuing art, they laid emphasis on architecture where due. The Kakatiya temples, dedicated mostly to [[Siva]], reveal in their construction a blending of the styles of [[North India]] and [[South India]] which influenced the political life of the Deccan. Some of their finest art is seen in the ''1000 pillared'' temple in Hanmakonda and ''Ramappa'' temple near Warangal. Their temple architecture essentially used the Chalukya style of architecture.

Kakatiya empire faced Muslim onslaughts from 1310 AD and came under the control of Delhi Sultanate in 1323 AD. A brief period (50 years) of independence was enjoyed under Musunuri Nayaks who rebelled and liberated Telugu land from the rule of Delhi. Eventually, at the fall of the Kakatiya empire in 1370 AD, the [[Vijayanagar]] empire, considered the last great Hindu empire, swept across the Telugu region and the present day Karnataka. Most parts of present day Andhra Pradesh merged into this empire (1336 - 1450 A.D). Strong Hindu sentiment was reverberated by the Haridasa movement which spread the gospel of [[Madhwacharya]] of [[Udupi]] across southern India. The empire reached its peak under king [[Krishnadevaraya]] in the early part of 16th century. Telugu literature reached new heights during this time. Fine Vijayanagar monuments were built across South India including Lepakshi, Tirupathi and Sri Kalahasthi in Andhra Pradesh.

=== Muslim Era ===
In 1323, the [[Delhi]] [[Sultan]] Ghiaz-ud-din [[Tughlaq]] sent a large army under Ulugh Khan to conquer the [[Telugu]] country and lay siege to [[Warangal]]. The disastrous fall of the Kakatiya capital in 1323 brought the [[Andhras]], for the first time in their history, under the yoke of alien rulers, the [[Muslim]]s. In 1347, 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]]. By the end of the 15th century, the Bahmani rule was plagued with faction fights and there came into existence the five [[Shahi]] kingdoms. Of these, it was the Qutbshahi dynasty that played a significant and notable role in the history of Telugu land.

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. Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of the dynasty, served the Bahmanis faithfully and was appointed governor of [[Telangana]] in 1496. He declared independence after the death of his patron king, Mahmud Shah, in 1518. Qutb Shahi rulers adopted religious tolerance and local customs to a great extent. They treated Hindus equal with Muslims and maintained cordial relations between the two communities. They encouraged the local language Telugu besides the Deccani [[Urdu]]. The socio-cultural life of the people during the rule of the Qutb Shahis was marked by a spirit of broad-mindedness and [[Catholicism]] based on sharing and adopting of mutual traditions and customs. The Deccani architecture, is a combination of [[Persian Empire|Persian]], [[Hindu]] and [[Pathan]] styles. [[Charminar]], [[Citadel]] of Hyderabad, is the most remarkable of all the Qutb Shahi monuments.   

[[Aurangazeb]], the [[Mughal]] emperor, invaded [[Golconda]] in 1687 and annexed it to the Mughal empire. He appointed a [[Nizam]] (governor) and thus for about a period of 35 years this region was ruled by Mughal Nizams. Aurangazeb died in 1707 and the administrative machinery of the Mughal imperial regime began to crumble and it gradually lost control over the provinces. It enabled two foreign mercantile companies to consolidate themselves as political powers capable of subsequently playing decisive roles in shaping the destiny of the nation. They were the [[British East India Company|East India Company]] of [[England]] and the Compagnie de Inde Orientale of [[France]].

=== Colonial Era ===
During the [[17th century]], the British acquired the [[Coastal Andhra]] region along the [[Bay of Bengal]], then known as the [[Northern Circars]], from the Nizams, which became part of the British [[Madras Presidency]]. The Nizams retained control of the interior provinces as the [[Princely state]] of [[Hyderabad state|Hyderabad]], acknowledging British rule in return for local autonomy. 

The provinces were at the time governed in a feudal manner, with [[Zamindar]]s in areas such as Kulla and other parts of the Godavari acting as lords under the Nizam. The feudal or zamindari system was removed after independence.

The Andhras (or [[Telugu people|Telugu]]) were at the forefront of Indian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [[Potti Sriramulu]] fought for independence alongside [[Mahatma Gandhi]], and later fought for Andhra unification.

=== Post-Independence ===
[[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 his state was [[History of Hyderabad#The Liberation of Hyderabad|forcibly integrated]] into India in [[1948]] as the [[Hyderabad state]]. Andhra Pradesh is the first state in India that has been formed on a purely linguistic basis. When India became independent, the Andhras, that is, the Telugu-speaking people (although Urdu is widely spoken in Hyderabad) were distributed in about 21 districts, 9 of them in the Nizam's Dominions and 12 in the Madras Presidency. On the basis of an agitation, on Oct. 1, 1953, 11 districts in the Telugu-speaking portion of [[Madras State]] voted to become the new state of Andhra Pradesh with Kurnool as capital. On Nov. 1, 1956 in accordance with the recommendations of the State Reorganization Commission, the Andhra State was enlarged by the addition of nine districts formerly in the Nizam's Dominion. Hyderabad, the former capital of the Nizam, was made the capital of the enlarged Andhra State.

(''See also [[History of Hyderabad]]'')

== Dynasties ==
*[[Satavahana]]
*[[Shakas]]
*[[Andhra Ikshvaku]]
*[[Brihatpalayana]]
*[[Ananda Gotrika]]
*[[Kalachuris]] of Chedi
*[[Salankayana]]
*[[Eastern Chalukya]]
*[[Rashtrakuta]]
*[[Chalukya|Eastern Chalukyas]]
*[[Vengi]]
*[[Kakatiya]]s
*[[Musunuri Nayaks]]
*[[Vijayanagar]]
*[[Reddy]]
*Paricheda
*[[Qutb Shahi]]
*[[Nizam]]

==Geography==
Andhra Pradesh , is a state in south-eastern India and is part of the linguistic-cultural region of South India. It lies between 12°41' and 22°N latitude and 77° and 84°40'E longitude, and is bounded 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 the fifth largest state in India and it forms the major link between the north and the south of India. It is the biggest and most populous state in the south of India. The state is crisscrossed by two major rivers, the Godavari and Krishna. ("Pradesh" means "region" or "state".)

Andhra Pradesh can be broadly divided into three regions, namely [[Konaseema (Coastal Andhra)]], [[Telangana]] and [[Rayalaseema]].

'''Regions'''

[[Konaseema]] occupies the coastal plain between [[Eastern Ghats]] ranges, which run the length of the state, and the [[Bay of Bengal]]. 

[[Telangana]] lies west of the Ghats on the [[Deccan]] plateau. The [[Godavari River|Godavari]] and [[Krishna River|Krishna]] rivers rise in the [[Western Ghats]] of [[Karnataka]] and [[Maharashtra]] and flow east across Telangana to empty into the Bay of Bengal in a combined [[river delta]]. 

[[Rayalaseema]] lies in the southeast of the state on the Deccan plateau, in the basin of the [[Penner River]]. It is separated from Telangana by the low [[Erramala]] hills, and from Coastal Andhra by the Eastern Ghats.

The Krishna and Godavari rivers together irrigate thousands of square kilometres of land, and create the largest perennial cultivable area in the country. Andhra Pradesh leads in the production of [[rice]] ([[paddy]]) and is called India's Rice Bowl.

== Important Cities/Towns ==
*[[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] is the [[capital]] of the state and, along with its twin town of Secunderabad, is the largest city.
*[[Visakhapatnam]] is the second largest city, India's fourth largest [[port]], an important Naval Centre and an industrial hub.
*[[Tirupati]] features the famous Venkateswara temple, is a major pilgrimage center.
*[[Vijayawada]] is the third largest city and an important [[trade|trading]] center and a prominent [[railway]] junction.
*[[Guntur]] is the fourth largest city of A.P, it is the heart of the [[tobacco]], [[cotton]] industry, features the famous [[Amaravati]]. 
*[[Warangal]] was the capital of the [[Kakatiya]] dynasty.
*[[Nellore]] is famous for its sea food and rice quality. Also famous for mica industry and space research centre.
*[[Kurnool]] was the capital city of the Andhra state.
*[[Kakinada]] is the hub of [[natural gas]] exploration and industrial activity.
*[[Rajahmundry]] is known for the [[Godavari River|Godavari]] barrage which is the largest bridge in the state.
*[[Ramagundam]] is an industrial town in the upper Godavari valley

== Districts ==
[[Image:Map_AP_dist_all_shaded.png|thumb|right|250px|[[Districts of Andhra Pradesh]].]]
''[[Districts of Andhra Pradesh|23 districts of Andhra Pradesh]]''
{| valign="top"
|-
|<ul><ol start="1"><li>[[Adilabad]]<li>[[Anantapur]]<li>[[Chittoor]]<li>[[Cuddapah]]<li>[[East Godavari]]<li>[[Guntur]]<li>[[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]]<li>[[Karimnagar]]</ol></ul>
|<ul><ol start="9"><li>[[Khammam]]<li>[[Krishna District|Krishna]]<li>[[Kurnool]]<li>[[Mahbubnagar]]<li>[[Medak]]<li>[[Nalgonda]]<li>[[Nellore]]<li>[[Nizamabad]]</ol></ul>
|<ul><ol start="17"><li>[[Prakasam]]<li>[[Rangareddy]]<li>[[Srikakulam]]<li>[[Visakhapatnam]]<li>[[Vizianagaram]]<li>[[Warangal]]<li>[[West Godavari]]</ol></ul>
|}

== Languages in Andhra Pradesh ==
[[Telugu language|Telugu]] is the regional and official language of the state, spoken by 84.86% of the population. The major linguistic minority groups in the State include the speakers of [[Urdu]] (7.86%), [[Hindi]] (2.65%) and [[Tamil language|Tamil]] (1.27%). The minority language speakers who constitute less than 1% are the speakers of [[Kannada]] (0.94%), [[Marathi]] (0.84%), [[Oriya]] (0.42%), [[Malayalam]] (0.10%), [[Gondi]] (0.21%), and [[Koya]] (0.30%).

The state government has notified the areas where the population of linguistic minority constitutes 15% or more of the local population. 38% of Urdu speaking population in Andhra Pradesh is bilingual in Telugu as well.

==Politics==
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:APLegislativeAssembly.jpg|right|thumbnail|300px|The Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly at the center of the [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] City. This white building was originally a [[Nizam]] construction.]] -->

Andhra Pradesh has a [[Legislative Assembly]] of 294 seats. The state has 60 members in the [[Indian national parliament]]: 18 in the [[Rajya Sabha]] (upper house) and 42 in the [[Lok Sabha]] (lower house).

Andhra Pradesh had a row of Congress governments till 1982. Kasu Bramhananda Reddy held the record for the longest serving chief minister which was broken by [[Nara Chandrababu Naidu]]. [[P.V. Narasimha Rao]] also served as the chief minister for the state, who later went on to become the Prime Minister of India. Among the notable chief ministers of the state are Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Kasu Bramhananda Reddy, Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy, Kotla Vijaya Bhasker Reddy, [[N.T. Rama Rao]] and Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

===The Beginning of Multi-Party Politics===
1982 saw the rise of [[N.T. Rama Rao]] (or [[NTR]]) as the chief minister of the state for the first time introducing a formidable second political party to Andhra politics and thus breaking the virtually-single party monopoly on Andhra politics. Nadendla Bhaskar Rao attempted a hijack when NTR was away to the United States for a medical treatment. After coming back, NTR successfully convinced the governor to dissolve the Assembly and call for a fresh election. NTR won by a large majority. His government's policies included investment in education and rural development and in holding corrupt government offices accountable.

1989 assembly elections ended the 7-year rule of NTR with the congress being returned to power and Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy at the helm. He was replaced by N. Janardhan Reddy who was in turn replaced by Kotla Vijaya Bhasker Reddy.

In 1994 Assembly saw NTR becoming the chief minister again, but he was soon thrown out of power by his finance minister and son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu won a second term before he was defeated by the Congress-led coalition in the May 2004 polls.

[[Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy]] of the Indian National Congress (INC) is the current chief minister of the states. Rajasekhara Reddy fought the 2004 Assembly elections in an alliance with a new party called Telangana Rashtra Samithi (or TRS), which hopes to form a separate state called Telangana.

See [[:Category:Indian political parties-Andhra Pradesh|List of political parties in the state]]

{{seealso|Andhra Pradesh Politics|List of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh}}

==Economy==
[[Image:Map_AP_dist_NH_roads.png|thumb|right|300px|Major road links of Andhra Pradesh]]
Andhra Pradesh's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $62 billion in current prices.

===Recent Economic Progress===
In the last decade, the state has emerged at the forefront of India's progress in fields like 

* [[Information Technology]]
* [[Biotechnology]], 	
* [[Pharmaceuticals]], 
* [[Business Management]], and 
* [[Construction]],
and has emerged as a land of immense business opportunities.

In spite of some liberalization since 1990, Andhra's economy still faces many challenges, especially in the  drought-hit agricultural sector.

Agriculture has been the chief source of income for the state's economy. Two important rivers of India, the [[Godavari]] and [[Krishna]], flow through the state. [[Rice]], [[sugarcane]], [[cotton]], [[Chilli pepper|mirchi]], and [[tobacco]] are the local [[agriculture|crops]]. The state has also started to focus on the fields of [[information technology]] and [[biotechnology]].

In 2004-2005 Andhra Pradesh is at the fifth position in the list of top IT exporting states of India. The IT exports from the state are 1.8 billion during the year. The service sector of the state already accounts for 43% of the [[GSDP]] and employs 20% of the work force.

Andhra Pradesh is a mineral rich state ranked second in the country containing a vast and variety of mineral wealth.

===Urban Centers of Economic Importance===
[[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], the capital of Andhra Pradesh, is the sixth largest cosmopolitan city in India, rich in culture, enduring history and industrial growth. It is unique in being one of the few cities where tradition and technology co-exist. [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], like [[Bangalore]], has become a center for [[outsourcing]]. Notable amongst the multinational companies in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] are [[Microsoft]], Google, [http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/may/10bpo5.htm Bank of America], Intergraph and Oracle. 

[[Vizag]], Andhra's main port, is home to the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command. The city's shipyards, fisheries, docks, and steel works make it an economic powerhouse. Recently, Vizag has seen a rise in investment as industry in Andhra begins to turn towards the lucrative export market. Also, because of its highly valuable geographic location, and because of recent political movement towards a creation of a separate [[Telangana]] state, Vizag has seen a massive rise in investment in the city's real estate market.

==Culture==
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:MovieManiaAP.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Movie posters cover a wall in [[Vijayawada]], Andhra Pradesh.]] -->

===Language===
====History====
Telugu words appear in an Maharashtri [[Prakrit]] anthology of poems (the Gathasaptashathi) collected by an first century BC [[Satavahana]] King Hala. Telugu speakers were probably an oldest peoples inhabiting an land between an Krishna with Godavari rivers.

Andhra society is one of the ancient societies of India, with an name Andhra has remained unchanged since antiquity. This is confirmed by an tales about Andhras in epics like Mahabharatam with Ramayanam, in great puranas, with in Buddhist Jataka Tales. The first clear historical inscriptions in Telugu appear about an 7th century AD with known literature starts with Nannaya writing an Telugu Mahabharata in an 11th century AD. There has been prolific literature ever since, but an golden age is considered by many to be an 16th century, under an patronage of an [[Vijayanagar]] Emperor [[Krishna Deva Raya]], However an purest form of Telugu is spoken under an reign of an Kakatiyas. One of an greatest Telugu poets, [[Pothana]], hailed from this region too.

The western portion of an Telugu speaking lands came under an influence of Mughal rulers during with after an 14th century, with most recently by an Nizams of Hyderabad. Ancient Sanskrit, Persian with Urdu influences show most in an Telugu dialect from these regions. In 1956, 10 [[Nizam]] districts with four districts of Rayalaseema were merged to an so-called Northern Circar districts forming an modern telugu vernacular state of Andhra Pradesh.

The Telugu with Kannada had same script till around 220 AD. One can see an common script carved on stone in Delhi National Museum. Old Kannada is essentially an continuation of an Kadamba script. The Kadamba script itself evolved from Brahmic script. It is used to write South Indian languages of Kannada with Telugu. In fact, Old Kannada is also known for an Kannada-Telugu script.

Differentiation of an Old Kannada script into an modern scripts of Kannada with Telugu began for early for an 13th century CE, but an process did not finish until an early 19th century CE with an arrival of printing. Even so, an Telugu with Kannada scripts have remained extremely similar.

====Classification====
Telugu is the [[Dravidian]] language, related to [[Kannada]], [[Malayalam]], with [[Tamil]], all of which are national languages of India. Other closely related Dravidian languages are Chenchu, Savara, with Waddar. Like all Dravidian langauges, there has been substantial historical borrowing of words from [[Sanskrit]].

====Official Status====
[[Telugu language|Telugu]] (తెలుగు) is the state's official language. Telugu is the second most widely spoken language in India after the national language, Hindi. It is known for its mellifluous nature and has also been called ''Italian of the East''. An [[Urdu]]-speaking and predominantly [[Muslim]] minority lives mostly in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]]. Among the many tribal languages, [[Banjara]], [[Koyi]], and [[Gondi]] have the greatest number of speakers.

====Dialects====
The dialects of Telugu identified by Ethnologue are Berad, Dasari, Dommara, Golari, Kamathi, Komtao, Konda-Reddi, Madiga Salewari, Telangana, Telugu, Vadaga, Vadari, Srikakula, Vishakapatnam, East Godavari, Rayalseema, Nellore with Guntur. In Tamil Nadu an Telugu dialect is classified into Salem, Coimbatore, Chennai Telugu dialects. It is also widely spoken in Virudhunagar, Tuticorin, Madurai with Thanjavur districts .

====Derived languages====
The dialect spoken in an area between Guntur (Guntur) with Rajahmundry (East Godavari; Rajamahendri in ancient times) where an first Telugu scholar Nannaya Bhattaraka first wrote an script with other important works is considered an standard dialect. Nannaya has given Telugu the character with an form of language.

===State Symbols===
* State Language - [[Telugu]], 	
* State Symbol - [[Poorna Kumbham]]
* State Song - [[Maa telugu talliki]] by Sankarambadi Sundarachari, 
* State Animal - [[Krishna Jinka]], 
* State Bird - [[Palla Pitta]],
* State Tree - [[Neem]](vepa), and 
* State Sport - [[Kabaddi]],

===Movies===
Andhra has 1,500 movie theaters, the second-most in India. The state also produces about 100 movies a year.
Now it also houses IMax theatre with a big 3D screen and also 3-5 multiplexes

===Music===
The state has a rich cultural heritage. The great composers of [[carnatic music]] [[Annamacharya]], [[Tyagaraja]] and many others were of Telugu descent who chose [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as their language of composition, thus enriching the language.

===Literature===
{{main|Telugu literature}}
[[Nannayya]], [[Tikkana]], and [[Yerrapragada]] form the trinity who translated the great epic Mahabharatha into Telugu. Modern writers include [[Jnanpith Award]] winners [[Viswanatha Satyanarayana|Sri Viswanatha Satyanarayana]] and [[C. Narayana Reddy|Dr. C.Narayana Reddy]].

===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 and widely practiced classical [[dance forms of Andhra Pradesh]]. The various dance forms that existed through the states's history are ''''''Chenchu Bhagotham,[[Kuchipudi]],[[Bhamakalpam]],[[Burrakatha]],[[Veeranatyam]],[[Butta bommalu]],[[Dappu]],[[Tappeta Gullu]],[[Lambadi]],[[Bonalu]],[[Dhimsa]],[[Kolattam]]

===Cultural Institutions===
Andhra Pradesh has many museums, including the [[Salar Jung Museum]] in Hyderabad, which features a varied collection of sculptures, paintings, and religious artifacts, and the [http://www.vizagcityonline.com/visakha_museum/ Visakha Museum] in Vizag, which displays the history of the pre-Independence [[Madras Presidency]] in a rehabilitated Dutch bungalow.

===Newspapers===
Andhra Pradesh has several newspapers. Prominent among them are

Telugu Newspapers - Eenadu, Vaartha, Andhra Jyothi, Prajasakti, Andhra Bhumi, Visalandra

English Newspapers - [[Deccan Chronicle]], [[The Hindu]], The Times of India

===Other elements of Culture===
[[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.

===Festivals===
* ''[[Sankranthi]]'' in January.
* ''[[Maha Shivaratri]]'' in February/March.
* ''[[Ugadi]]'' or the Telugu New Year in March/April.
* ''[[Ganesh Chaturdhi|Vinayaka Chavithi]]'' in August.
* ''[[Vijayadasami|Dasara]]'' in October.
* ''[[Diwali|Deepavali]]'' in November.
* ''[[Bonalu]]'' in [[Sravanam]].

===Food===
The cuisine of Andhra Pradesh is reputedly the spiciest of all Indian cuisine. Foods include both the original spicy Andhra cooking and [[Muslim]]-influenced Hyderabadi cuisine.

[[Pickle]]s and [[chutney]]s, called [[Patchadi]] 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  tomatoes, brinjals and an aromatic green called '[[Gongura]]'. A mango pickle, '[[Aavakaya]]', is probably the best known of the Andhra pickles.

Rice is the staple diet and is used in a wide variety of ways. Typically, rice is either boiled and eaten with curry, or made into a batter for use in a [[crepe]]-like dish called [[Attu]] or [[dosa]]s, or rice cakes called [[idli]]s. 

Meat, vegetables and greens are prepared with different masalas into a variety of strongly flavoured dishes. 

Hyderabadi cuisine is influenced by the Muslim population, which arrived in Andhra centuries ago. Much of the cuisine revolves around meat. It is rich and aromatic, with a liberal use of exotic spices and ghee, not to speak of nuts and dry fruits. Lamb, chicken and fish are the most widely used meats in the non-vegetarian dishes. The [[biryani]]s are perhaps the most distinctive and popular of Hyderabadi dishes.

==Tourism==
[[Image:tirumala.jpg|thumbnail|right|220px|The temple town [[Tirumala]] lit during the night]]
Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centers. [[Tirupati]], the abode of [[Lord Venkateswara]], has the richest and most visited Hindu temple in India. [[Srisailam]], the abode of ''Sri Mallikarjuna'', is one of twelve ''[[Jyothirlingam|Jyothirlingalu]]'' in India and Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. [[Puttaparthi]] hosts the ashram of popular guru Sri [[Sathya Sai Baba]]. The Ramappa temple at Warangal is famous for some fine temple carvings. The state has numerous Buddhist centers at [[Amaravati]], Bhattiprolu, Nagarjuna Konda, and Phanigiri.

The one-million-year old limestone caves at Borra, picturesque [[Araku Valley]], hill resorts of Horsley Hills, [[Godavari]] racing through a narrow gorge at ''Papi Kondalu'', waterfalls and rich bio-diversity at Talakona, the beaches of Vizag are some of the natural attractions of the state.

[[Charminar]], [[Golconda]] Fort, Chandragiri Fort, and Falaknuma Palace are some of the monuments in the state.

==Famous personalities from Andhra Pradesh==
See [[Telugu people]]

== See also ==
*[[Komati]] [[Vaishya]]
*[[Kapu (caste)]]
*[[Kamma]]
*[[Reddy]]
*[[Raju]]
*[[Telugu Brahmins]]
*[[Velama]]
*[[History of India]]
*[[Middle kingdoms of India]]

==External links==
* '''[http://wowtelugu.com WOWTELUGU.com]'''
* [http://maps-india.com/andhrapradesh/index.html Andhra Pradesh Tourist Map]
* [http://www.divyadesamonline.com Andhra Pradesh Temples] List of temple in Andhra Pradesh
* [http://www.aponline.gov.in/apportal/index.asp Andhra Pradesh government] Official Portal
* [http://www.apassemblylive.com/index.asp Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly] Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Live
* [http://www.telugutanam.com/italianofeast Telugu - Italian of the East]
* [http://www.whatisindia.com/issues/andhrapr/index.html Andhra Pradesh Portal on The Indian Analyst] Detailed information, index of News, Analysis, and Opinion from many sources

* [http://www.saamethalu.com/ Telugu Samethalu] Proverbs in Telugu
{{Andhra Pradesh}}
{{States and territories of India}}
[[Category:Andhra Pradesh|*]]
[[Category:States and territories of India]]

[[de:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[et:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[es:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[eo:Andra-Pradeŝo]]
[[fr:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[gl:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[gu:આંધ્ર પ્રદેશ]]
[[hi:आंध्र प्रदेश]]
[[id:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[kn:ಆ೦ಧ್ರ ಪ್ರದೇಶ]]
[[ka:ანდჰრა-პრადეში]]
[[mr:आंध्र प्रदेश]]
[[nl:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[ja:アーンドラ・プラデーシュ州]]
[[no:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[pl:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[pt:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[ru:Андхра-Прадеш]]
[[simple:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[fi:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[sv:Andhra Pradesh]]
[[ta:ஆந்திரப் பிரதேசம்]]
[[te:ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్]]
[[uk:Андгра Прадеш]]
[[zh:安得拉邦]]