History

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, several dynasties from the Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagaram kings, Qutb Shahis, Mughals and the Asaf Jahi's, ruled this princely city.

The history of Andhra Pradesh dates back to the epic era of the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha. But the documented history points to 236 BC, when Satavahana established a kingdom and a dynasty around the modern Hyderabad. During the reign of 450 years, Buddhism flourished in the kingdom. The rulers were followers of Brahmanism, but the women folk practiced Buddism. It was during this period that Buddhism spread from these shores to China, The far East and to Sri Lanka. The Ikshvakus succeeded the Satavahanas and ruled the kingdom for 57 years. The Pallavas annexed the area South of River Krishna and ruled till the end of 6th century.

Then came the dynasties of Chalukyas and the Kakatiyas. The Kakatiyas established themselves as rulers of a Telugu speaking people.  The glorious reign of the Kakatiyas came to end in the 14th century and for the first time Telugus came under a Muslim regime that brought with it a totally different set of customs, language and religion.

The Delhi Sultanate came in power in 1347 AD, governed by Allahuddin Hasan, claiming lineage to Bahman Shah of Persia, revolted against the Delhi Sultanate and declared himself ruler of the southern part of the territory, comprising mainly the Deccan and Telangana area.

It was somewhere around this time that the Qutub Shahi dynasty came into being when Sultan Quli, the Bahmani governor of Telangana, became independent and extend the new kingdom of Golconda right upto Machlipatnam on the east coast. Given the title of Quli-ul-Mulk by the Bahmanis, Qutub Shah, a descendant of a royal family of Hamdan in Persia, took over the reins and ruled till 1548.

Aurangazeb last Mogul king to rule India, conquered the Deccan in 1687 and left his governors, the Nizams, to rule Andhra. The British and French took over from the Nizams. Andhra became a part of Indian Union in 1947. The present state was formed in 1953, merging a part of the then Madras State (present Tamil Naidu) and the princely state of Hyderabad.

Arts & Crafts

In keeping with the rich traditions of the State, the people of Andhra Pradesh have patronised a host of arts and crafts that not only enrich the milieu but earn the artisans a decent livelihood. Kalamkari, Bidri, Nirmal paintings, fascinating weaves from Pochampalli, Gadwal, Venkatagiri and a number of other centres have earned a name all over the world.

The State is well known for its handlooms and textiles and its silk sarees are among the best produced in the country. The people of the State too have been patrons of the arts and crafts and this has resulted in the traditions being kept alive through the ages.

It is not only such exclusive and delicate material as silk that the artisans of Andhra Pradesh deal in, but metalware, carpets, wood and stone carving too. From the exquisite silver filigree and brass and sheet metalware, artisans of Andhra Pradesh strive to bring out the best and it is sheer magic when they get down to producing their ware.

Kalamkari, using a quill (kalam) and vegetable dyes, is an art found nowhere else but in and around Machilipatnam and Srikalahasti of the State. While the Srikalahasti style is to draw outlines with a pen or quill and fill in the colours through a wax process, the Machilipatnam practice is to use wooden blocks carved into designs for printing.

All dyes and colours are natural and the painstaking process of Kalamkari printing on fabric goes through as many as a dozen stages. 

Wall hangings come in another style from Siddipet in Medak district. This method, known as Batik, utilises the ‘cold’ process involving wax to create graphic designs and figures. Batik cloth also comes in the form of dress material, scarves and even sarees.

Cherial Scroll paintings done on cloth in earth colours is one of the traditional crafts practised mainly at Cherial in Warangal district. Painted in freestyle and depicting mythological stories, they are used as visual aids, and have attained great popularity as wall decorations.

Decorative hand-crocheted lace from Narsapur and Palakollu of West Godavari district adorns many a dining table in the form of mats. Curtains and bedspreads are some of the lacework produced here.


Sheets of Artistry

Metalware is another area in which the artisan of Andhra Pradesh excels. Be it the brass sheet metal of Pembarti in Warangal district, the silver filigree of Karimnagar, the Bidriware of Hyderabad or the bronze castings in Chittoor and East Godavari district, the artistry stands out to international acclaim and acceptance.

Bidriwork originated some three centuries ago at Bidar, which was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad State. Alloys are used in moulds to create shapes and the dark metal is then inlaid with designs using silver thread. Decorative pieces, bangles, ashtrays, pen-stands, caskets, cufflinks and paper-cutters are some of the Bidriware manufactured in and around Hyderabad.

From sheet metal to wood, craftsmen vie with each other to produce delicate and intricate designs. Wood carving in Chittoor district is one of the oldest traditional crafts. The carvings depict scenes from mythology as well as figures of deities.

In other parts of the State, wood carving is done to make musical instruments and in places like in Vizianagaram town and in Nuzvid of Krishna district, such instruments as Veena and Tambura are carved out of a single block of wood.

The Simple Wood

The soft wood available in many parts of the State is used in doll and toy making as well. The wooden figures are painted in bright colours that are pleasing to the eye.

Kondapalli is a small village in Krishna district and it is here that toys and dolls that have won international acclaim are made. The simple-looking

dolls depict the typical rural Indian life. Kondapalli dolls take the shape of humans, birds, animals and fruits.

The craftsmen of Nirmal too take advantage of the locally-available soft wood to carve brightly coloured vegetables, fruits and animals. Wooden dolls are made of the soft Poniki or Ankudu wood and Etikoppaka in Visakhapatnam district is another centre that makes exquisite dolls with a rustic touch.


Weaving Magic

An area that Andhra Pradesh excels in is Sarees. Silk and cotton and a mixture of both are used to create alluring weaves and designs. Pochampalli, Gadwal, Venkatagiri, Narayanpet and Chirala are some of the places where some of the world’s best sarees are woven.

Among the cottons, Narayanpet and Venkatagiri are preferred. Venkatagiri in Nellore district is known for its excellent cotton sarees with gold borders and large golden ‘pallav’. Narayanpet cotton sarees are less expensive and long-lasting. Silk sarees from Dhamavaram compare with the rich silks of Kancheepuram in broad borders with extensive gold ‘zari’ work.

In Pochampalli sarees of Nalgonda district adjoining Hyderabad, a unique method of tie-and-dye is used and this is known as ‘ikat’. Weavers in Andhra Pradesh have mastered the art of using cotton and silk alternately for warp (length) and weft (across). Known as ‘Himroo’, the art originated in Kashmir and was brought down south by Moghal rulers.


Pearls & Bangles

Shopping for bangles in the narrow bazaars of the Old City of Hyderabad is an experience one should not miss. Lac is used to manually create designs on glass bangles and the array in which they come is mind boggling. More romantic are the names given to sets of bangles by the local sellers.

Hyderabad is also known as the ‘city of pearls’. Though not close to the sea, Hyderabad has had a flourishing trade in pearls, as the Golconda kingdom was famous for its diamonds. The processing of pearls has been skillfully mastered in Hyderabad in that craftsmen can sort, refine and polish pearls with ease.

Andhra Pradesh has turned out to be a gem of a State even in the sphere of arts and crafts.