ANDHRA PRADESH: HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE

The state of Andhra Pradesh is embraced in archeological remains and religious monuments. The Satavahanas of 1st century CE left behind an era of works of art and the remains seen near Amravati and Guntur. The Ikshvakus, later succeeded the Satavahanas and the monuments were finally discovered at excavations at Nagarjunakonda. Andhra Pradesh is also known for the Buddhist monuments such as Mahastupa and some more Hindu temples. The history of the state is heavily rooted in mythology and the name also occurs in the Mahabharat.

Traditional House of Andhra Pradesh

Most of these houses have a single rectangular linear form that depicts the typical architectural culture of the area. The houses are planned to minimize heat gain and heat loss along with a little plantation area. The old houses have a well connected close to the house to take care of all the washing activity. There are benches made of kadappa stone tiles and placed between two adjacent gates of the house. The terrace of the house is given importance for all the drying activity and for family members to sleep in the summers. The space under the narrow staircase is used as a storage area for household items. The flooring is done with kadappa stones that are locally available and the foundation is also made of the same stone blocks.

The rectangular plan of the house is aligned along the north-south axis with the entrance facing the south. There are east and west compound walls built that shade the house on each side. The overhangs and projections further help in shading the underlying areas around the house.

Temple Architecture

Sri Venkateswara Temple and the Kalahasteeswara Temple are the oldest temples in the state that dates back to pre-Christian times. The state is adorned with architectural styles inspired by the Chalukyan, Dravidian, Nagara, and the Orissa idiom. Tirupati is one of the most renowned temples in Andhra Pradesh.

The Varaha Narasimha temple in Andhra Pradesh was built during the reign of the East Ganga dynasty. One sees a south Indian-style gopura at the entrance of the temple. Inside the temple, the precinct is a small shrine resembling the Konark temple with the horse and the wheels on the northeast side. The shikhara on the top is in step design of the south. one can see high-quality sculptures depicting human and fantasy animals on the walls and the foundation platform.

Varaha Narasimha temple

The Ramappa Temple holds broad eaves engraved even on the underside. The pillars supporting the eaves also have sculptures.

Ramappa Temple

The Temples of Alampur are dedicated to Lord Shiva and have a basic style of the mandapa and the shrine surrounded by a rectangular fence. There is a pathway for devotees provided to walk around the shrine. The shrine is crowned with a shikhara and the outer walls have niches with various gods placed. The chaitya window style has been sculpted with angels on both sides.

Temples of Alampur

The architecture of Venkataramana Temple belongs to the Dravidian era, making the embellishments and engravings look finer. The pillars in the mandapa offer an illusion of space and create a graceful Indian rococo pattern.

Venkataramana Temple

Islamic Architecture

Hyderabad houses the Charminar, a magnificent Islamic structure. It is a 57metre tall structure with latticework representing the time. Each minaret holds four stories, each floor marked by an engraved ring around the minaret. Charminar, with great aplomb, proclaims the architectural distinction with aspect and dignity. There are 12 tombs of the Qutub Shahi Emperors existing outside the city walls. These tombs too reflect the Islamic style of the Deccan.

The Charminar

Buddhist Architecture

Andhra Pradesh has a massive legacy of Buddhist architecture left behind. The village of Chexarla is home to many Buddhist shrines.

The Kapotesheara temple, which was earlier a Buddhist temple was converted to a Hindu temple with a mandapa built in front of it. It has a Chaitya shrine with the chaitya window and Hindu sculptures seen on it.

Kapotesheara temple

The Amaravati Stupa is famous for the Buddhist architecture of ancient India. It is constructed with brick and holds a circular vedica depicting Lord Buddha in a human form on an elephant. The stupa has elevated platforms that reach the height of 95 ft projecting in four directions. This is an ideal example of Mauryan architecture in South India. The ruins of Nagarjunakonda also bear imperative features of Buddhist architecture.

Amaravati Stupa

The architecture of Andhra Pradesh is vast in a way that it comprises Hindu, Islamic, and Buddhist architectural styles. It is the diverse richness of the state's architecture makes it one of the most coveted architectural destinations in India.