Amaravati - The Capital City of Andhra Pradesh

Before Andhra Pradesh got bifurcated and a new state of Telangana was formed, Hyderabad was the capital city of Andhra Pradesh. After it's bifurcation, the state got it's a new proposed capital city - Amaravati. It is a beautiful riverfront city. However, both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana initially share Hyderabad as their capital for a limited period of time but not more than 10 years.

The new riverfront capital city is located in Guntur district on the southernmost banks of the Krishna river. Amaravati covers an area of 217.23 square kilometers within the boundaries of the capital region of Andhra Pradesh.

Amaravati's foundation was laid by the Prime Minister of India Sri Narendra Modi at Uddandarayunipalem village of Guntur district on October 22, 2015. The major suburbs of the new city are Guntur and Vijayawada.

History

The new name given to the modern city of Amravati is an etymology because it is named after Amaravathi. Amaravathi is a center of Buddhist culture and has vigorously grown from 400 BC to 1100 AD.

Andhra Pradesh, after it's bifurcation, shared its capital with the new state Telangana. As Hyderabad was no longer located within the boundaries of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati was chosen to be its new capital. However, for a limited time period of fewer than 10 years, Hyderabad became the capital, shared by both the states - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, under APRA (Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act) 2014.

The foundation of the new capital of Andhra Pradesh was laid by the Prime Minister of India - Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh - N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Telangana - Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, the Singaporean Minister for Trade and Industry, and the Japanese minister for economy trade and industry - Yosuke Takagi at Uddandarayunipalem on October 22, 2015.

Geography

The land chose to build and beautify the new capital city Amaravati is located on the banks of one of the main rivers that flow through the state, river Krishna in Guntur district. The area of the land is 217.23 square kilometers i.e., 83.87 square miles. Amaravati would be 24 km i.e., 15 miles north of Guntur district and 12 km i.e., 7.5 miles south-west of Vijayawada city.

Centers of Attraction

Amaravati or Amaravathi is an ancient city. It has its own historical stories to attract anybody's attention. There are some beautiful and fascinating sights to visit in Amaravati like;

The Amaravati Stupa: Also recognized by the name Mahachaitya Stupa is the largest stupa present in India. Tourists interested to know more about Buddhism and gets attracted to the site of this historical place.

Ashokan Pillar: The ruins of the Ashokan Pillars found in Amaravati during the diggings or excavations are to be considered as the first evidence of the Mauryan art in the southern region of India.

Amaravati Museum: Though it is a small museum in the city, impressive as it displays some exhibits from third century BC to twelfth century AD. Statues of Buddha with extraordinary features, Goddess Tara's limestone sculptures, etc. are some of the most fascinating ancient exhibits displayed here.

The Amareswara Temple: Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has a 15 ft. high Shiva Lingam made up of white marble. It is said that earlier, this temple was a Buddhist temple, but later, it was converted into a Hindu temple. The beautiful inscriptions on the walls of the temple show that they have witnessed the lives of various kings who once ruled that place.

Getting There and Around

Air: The closest airport from Amaravati is at Vijayawada.

Rail: There are railway stations at Guntur and Vijayawada, both have connected networks with Amaravati.

Road: One can avail taxis and buses from Vijayawada and Guntur.

Culture

Amaravati acts as a pilgrimage center to the Buddhists and the Hindus. There are many ancient temples which tell their own specific story about the ancient era. Many kings used to rule Andhra Pradesh, so the cities here provide information about their rule, their life, etc. The walls of the temples, the ruins of historical monuments, and the exhibits in the museums of Amaravati are those evidence which takes us to ancient India. The Amareswara temple, the Amaralingeswara temple, the Dhyana Buddha statue, and other historical places have a mesmerizing effect.

People speak Telugu! Saree in women, whereas Lungi and Uttariyam in men are worn as an article of ordinary traditional clothing by the people of Amaravati.

Mahashivaratri and Navaratri are celebrated as the main Hindu festival here. A famous Buddhist ritual, the 30th Kalachakra festival, was held at Amaravati in the initial weak of the month of January in 2006.

Amaravati is also called "Hills of Lamps" and "Abode of God," meaning 'the place where God lives.'

Best Time to Visit

The weather here is normally warm to hot. It reaches approximately 27ºC to 30ºC. The peak summer season arrives from the month of March to May. Still, mid-February, when Mahashivaratri and Navaratri festivals are celebrated, is the best time to enjoy a mesmerizing visit to Amaravati.

Food and Refreshment

Telugu Cuisine

Lots of variety of finger-licking food that is rich in seasoning is famous in Andhra Pradesh. Rice is the main content of the cuisines and is used widely in and with a variety of food. People here are fond of curd, chutneys, and pickles. Rice, dal, relishes, and vegetable curry is included in the main course.

Coconut is also used widely in chutneys, edible oil, dishes, and refreshments. Andhra Bhakshyam's meaning, a food of Andhra Pradesh, is a term given to roselle leaves is also served as a typical meal here.

Restaurants