History of Andhra Pradesh

The history of Andhra Pradesh dates back to ancient times. It has mention in the famous Indian epics Mahabharata, Ramayana, the Jataka Tales and the Puranas. The glorious past of Andhra Pradesh is a result of the many different dynasties that have ruled the region. The influence of the rulers on the culture and tradition of this south Indian state have been immense.

It is known that during the Mauryan age, the great Greek traveler, Megasthenes visited Chandragupta Maurya’s court around 2nd century. During this time Andhra had been in a position of an established political power. Kingdoms belonging to the region were established in the Godavari Valley.

Historical evidence proves that between 624 AD and 1323 AD a significant change in social, religious and the literary fields were brought about. The identity of Andhra Pradesh as an established region was brought about during the reign of the Chalukya’s, the Rashtrakutas and the Cholas.

During the 12th and 13th century the Kakatiya dynasty took over the administration of present Andhra Pradesh. They ruled from a region near Warangal. The Fort of Warangal was built during this time by the then ruler Rudra. This period in the history of Andhra Pradesh is believed to be one of the most prominent times. Muslim attacks during the period were well faced by the dynasty.

After the fall of the Kakatiya dynasty in 1370 the administration of the region was overtaken by the Vijayanagar Empire. The last Hindu empire it spread in size and strengthened its position easily. The dynasty was founded by Hukka and Bukka and reached its pinnacle of glory at a very early stage.

The Delhi Sultanate under the rule of Ghiaz-ud-din Tughlaq sent an army to seize Warangal. The fall of Warangal led to the administration being overtaken by Muslim rulers. After the death of the founder, Andhra was lost to the Qutb Shahi dynasty. The culture and society of the region by then had undergone many changes.

In 1687 the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb invaded Golconda which was known for its impenetrability. For about 35 years the region was ruled by the Mughal rulers. After the death of Aurangzeb the British East India Company got indirectly involved in the governance of the region. One of the most important events of the era was the battle between the French and the British in 1785 in which the French lost.

The Post Independence history of Andhra Pradesh is significant in shaping the traditions of the region. Initially the Nizam of Hyderabad attempted to retain independence. However in 1948 it was forced to become a part of the country as the state of Hyderabad.

After a long fight for independence eventually on October 1, 1953, 11 districts of the then Madras State became the State of Andhra Pradesh with Kurnool as the capital. Later in 1956 the erstwhile state of Andhra was united with the Telangana region of the state of Hyderabad. However this led to the Telangana Movement as the people of the two regions were dissatisfied with the union. In the year 2004 after the Parliamentary elections the Congress Party and the TRS formed a coalition in the Telangana region with the aim to create a separate Telangana region.