Andhra Pradesh

About Warrangal

The historic city of Warangal in the state of Andhra Pradesh, 160 kms from Hyderabad, is known for its beautiful turquoise lakes, spectacular temples and rich flora and fauna. The Capital of Kakatiya Kingdom, Warrangal is a place for those interested in Hindu temple architecture. Here in specimen of Kakatiya architecture-the star-shaped thousand pillars temple. This triple shrined temple dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Surya is noteworthy for its delicately carved pillars screens and exquisite icons. The rock cut elephants and the Nandi bull (1.8mts) are very impressive. The Bhadrakali temple atop a hill near Warrangal, which is noted for the eight armed stone image of the Goddess and the Warangal Fort are the places worth a visit.

Major Tourist Attractions in Warangal Warangal Fort Warangal fort is 12-km from Hanamakonda, which dates back to the 13th century. This is a must see sight in Warrangal.

Thousand Pillar Temple This temple is one of the finest examples of Kakatiya architecture and sculpture. Rudra Deva built it in 1163 AD in the style of Chalukyan temples, star shaped and triple shrined.

Bhadra Kali Temple Situated on a hilltop between Hanamkonda and Warangal, it is noted for its stone image of the Goddess Kali.

Jain Temple The 2,000-year-old Jain temple of Mahaveer is a famous place of worship for Jains in the country. The temple is embellished with beautiful images of Thirthankaras. The 5ft high image of Mahavira is entirely carved of Jade.

Kolanupaka, 80-km from Hyderabad, is situated between Hyderabad and Warangal. This was the second capital town of Kalyani Chalukyas during the 11th century AD. During this period the village was a religious centre of Jains, and ranks among other great Jain centers in the south.

Sri Veeranarayana Temple The temple is raised in the Chalukyan style around 1104 AD.

Pakhal Lake A man-made lake built in 1213 AD by the Kakatiya king, Ganapathidev, by harnessing a small tributary of the Krishna River. It is located 50-km from Warangal and spreads over an area of 30-sq-km.

Ramappa Temple Ramappa Temple or Ramalingeswara temple, is situated in Palampet village, which is 70-km form Warangal. This is a beautiful monument dating back to 1213 AD. It displays the glory and richness of the Kakatiya kingdom.

Kolanupaka Museum Kolanupaka came into influence when it was made the alternate capital of the Kalyani Chalukyas in the 11th century AD. The State Department of Archaeology and Museums established a sculptural gallery, which exhibits exquisite artifacts from the numerous historical monuments in Kolanupaka.

Getting There

Air : The nearest Airport is at Hyderabad (140-km) connected by Indian Airlines flights to all the major cities of India.

Rail : Warangal is well connected to all the major cities in India by rail.

Road : Regular bus services are available (APSRTC) from Hyderabad, Yadagirigutta, Vijayawada, Armur, Kolanupaka, Jangaon, Kodad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Suryapet, Palampet, Jagtial, Khammam, Bhadrachalam, Basara, Bangalore, Mysore and Tirupati.

About VishakaPtanam [Vizag]

About the place This coast-city is on the Chennai-Howrah broad-gauge line of South Eastern 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 and recreation.Vishakhapatnam is an amalgamation of old and new, a bustling city that encompasses blue sea, green-capped hills, breathtaking valleys, dense jungles and crystal clear cascades, ancient Buddhist sites, the only submarine museum of the subcontinent, lush green parks, and more profoundly its salubrious climate.

Kailasgiri This picturesque forested hill is located towards the north of Vishakhapatnam city, just beyond Lawson’s Bay. The site offers breathtaking view of the city and harbour, especially towards Bheemunipatnam.

Rishikonda Beach
Just 8 km away from Vishakhapatnam city is a golden sandy beach now being developed as a tourist resort by the Andhra Tourism Department. The beach considered to be one of the loveliest beaches of Andhra Pradesh, is widely visited by tourists who come to Vishakhapatnam.

Indira Gandhi Zoological Park The park named after the former Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi is set amidst the scenic eastern ghats of India, flanked by hills on either sides and Bay of Bengal on the east.

Dolphin’s Nose Along the southern coastline is Dolphin’s Nose, a 358-m long rocky outcrop that rises 175 m above the sea. This famous landmark is shaped like a Dolphin’s nose and attracts large tourists from India and abroad. On it stands a lighthouse with a beam that can be seen 64 kms out at sea.

Venkateshwara Konda The hilly ridge of Vishakhapatnam has three crests each with a religious shrine dedicated to Gods of various religions. On the southernmost one Venkateshwa Konda, is a temple dedicated to Balaji or Lord Krishna; in the middle is Ross Hill with a mid 19th century church and the third, Daragh Konda, has a shrine dedicated to a Muslim saint Ishaque Madina.

Bheemunipatnam
The Beach is situated at a distance of 24 km. from Visakhapatnam and is located at the mouth of the river Gosthani. Once a Dutch settlement, the ruins of a fort and cemetery are still intact. The beach provides a very safe swimming experience to the swimmers. The journey between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam is exhilarating. There are many beaches on its way, including Lawsons Bay, Rushikonda and Bhimili, a 17th century Dutch town and the second oldest municipality in the country.

Simhachalam 16 km from Visakhapatnam, Simhachalam 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
Araku is the only hill station close to Vishakhapatnam, some 110 kms away. The site is rapidly being developed by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department. The thick forests of Eastern Ghats, beautiful green valleys, picturesque landscapes and waterfalls altogether make the surrounding vivacious. There are huge coffee plantations here which also add to the beauty.Out of several attractions in Araku one that is worth seeing is the Tribal Museum, which offers a glimpse of the traditional lifestyle and cultural and social features of the tribal people. The display objects include some hunting tools and artifacts dating back to 18th century. Padmapuram Gardens is a popular leisure centre in Araku. The 26-acre (10.4 hectare) location has tree-top cottages, which have become popular among tourists. The Jungle Bells Nature Camp is in a sleepy village, amidst pristine environs. You can have rare experiences like trekking, rock climbing and bird watching, and can also enjoy the stay in log-huts.

How to Reach

By Air: Vishakhapatnam has an airport just 16 kms from the city centre. Indian Airlines operates flights from Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

By Rail: Vishakhapatnam is an important railhead of the east coast railway line. It is on the main Kolkata Chennai railway line connected by several express and super-fast trains on regular basis.

By Road: Vishakhapatnam is located on the National Highway No. 5 (Howrah to Chennai), well connected by private and state owned buses of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. The road comes under the Golden Quadrilateral project and transport is smooth and comfortable. The distance between Vishakhapatnam and Hyderabad is 650 kms.

Thirupathi

About the place

Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara is a widely visited Hindu pilgrimage in India. The temple town of Tirupati is situated amidst the thickly wooded hills and deep forests of Chittoor district. Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity who is worshiped as “Balaji” by north Indians is a living God for all south Indians.This temple town is among the busiest pilgrimages of the world with 40, 000 pilgrims visiting the site everyday. As Tirupati and Tirumala are used concurrently but the difference is that – the hill on which the temple is located is called Tirumala and the town at the foot of the hill is Tirumala.Tirumala is one of the seven peaks of Seshachalam hill range and is a symbolic representation of the seven headed serpent God Adisesha, the snake on which Lord Vishnu reclines.Major Attractions
Shri Venkateshwara TempleThe temple of Venkateshwara is one of the richest and widely visited temple complexes in the world. The temple dated back to 9th century but renovated from 15th century onwards. The gold Vimana and flagpole and the gold plated doorway into the inner sanctum proclaims the temple’s wealth. The jet-black stone image (2 m high) stands on a lotus and is adorned with rubies, diamonds and gold witnessing its wealth. The deity also wears a diamond crown, believed to be the single most precious ornament in the world.The entire complex is built in such a way to accommodate large pilgrims who rush to the place to have Lord’s grace. This is one of the few temples in India where non Hindus are allowed into the inner sanctum. Devotees irrespective of religion stand in long queues for special darshans and offer money, gold and valuables of their choice. During festivals the numbers of devotees exceed 1, 00,000. The temple complex includes a ritual bathing tank, and a small Art Museum with images of deities, musical instruments and votive objects. The temple is surrounded by green valleys and the Akash Ganga waterfall which is the source of water for bathing the deity.Govindarajaswami Temple
The second most important temple in Tirupati is Sri Govindarajaswami temple. The temple was created in 1130 by a Saint namely Ramanujacharya. The main attraction is the imposing gopuram that can be seen from a short distance.During festivals and functions the temple premise is full with large visitors. One such festival is the Brahmotsavam celebrated in the month of Vaishakha every year that attracts large crowds. The annual float festival is also celebrated here with great enthusiasm.Sites NearbyChandragiri
Chandragiri was once the former capital of Vijayanagar Empire, located just 12 kms away from the temple city of Tirupati. The site has magnificent forts and mahals which are attracting and fascinating. Chandragiri signifies the “Hill of the Moon” is traditionally associated with the Moon God who is said to have performed penance at this place to please Lord Shiva. The temple complex includes religious structures like temples of Venugopala, Karttikeya, Siva and Hanuman at the entrance of the fort as guardian deity; ponds, tanks and many sculptured mandapas.Chandragiri’s glorious past can also be seen in its fortress dating back to 16th century. The most important palace inside the fort is the Raja Mahal where Francis Day of the East India Company granted land in 1639. Close to this monument is another magnificent edifice called Rani Mahal with tall pyramidal towers and façade decorated with foliate and geometric motifs.Sri Kalahasti
Srikalahasti is a town located between two steep hills on the southern banks of the river Swarnamukhi, a tributary of river Pennar. The town is famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and the art of Kalamkari fabrics. This is one of the most important pilgrimages of India.On one end of the main street of the town lies the 36.5 m high gopura erected in 1516 by the emperor Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagara. Nearby the town, a similar but smaller gopuras provide access to the Kalahastishwara temple, the prime attraction of the town. The temple has one lingam in the form of Kalahasti is believed to have been worshipped by a spider, a snake and an elephant. The word Srikalahasti consists of three words sri, kala, and hasti signifying the name of spider, serpent and elephant respectively. The main lingam in the temple forms the shape of the trunk of an elephant with tusks on either side and a figure of a spider at the bottom.How to ReachBy Air: Tirupati has an airport (14 kms from downtown) connecting to Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. It takes only around 30 minutes from Hyderabad and 1 hour from Bangalore/Chennai to reach Tirupati by air.By Rail: Tirupati is an important railhead of south India connecting several destinations of the country. There are regular express and super-fast trains running from Chennai, Bangalore, Vishkhapatnam and other destinations.By Road: Tirupati is well connected by roads to/from cities like Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Regular buses ply between Tirupati and Tirumala. Private and state owned buses connect almost all parts of the state with a well maintained network of roads.