An idol of Lord Buddha found in Hyderabad

A limestone idol of Lord Buddha, dating back to the 2nd century AD of the Satavahana dynasty, found by The department of archaeology and museums, Andhra Pradesh, at Chada village in Atmakur mandal of Nalgonda district. A limestone parasol, Buddhist sculptural panels and large sized bricks were also excavated from the sight apart from the Idol. For safe custody The findings have been shifted to the Ramannapet police station.

A release issued by the department stated that the three feet tall idol was found by villagers when they were working on the land at Chada, which is situated 40 km away from the famous Buddhist site, Phanigiri. Jayesh Ranjan, the principal secretary of tourism, Andhra pradesh, has directed officials to conduct small-scale excavations at the spot, to study the cultural potential of the site.

In the past, Buddhist traces were found at Vardhamanukota, Aravapalli, Tirumalagiri and Gazulabanda in Nalgonda district. The department is now planning to create a circuit of all these Buddhist sites in the district to facilitate tourism activity.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is located along the south eastern coast of India. Tamil Nadu extends from the Coromandel Coast(coastal region along the Bay of Bengal) in the east to the forested Western Ghats in the west. Tamil Nadu shares borders with Kerala in the west, Andhra Pradesh in the north and Karnataka in the northwest. Indian peninsula's southernmost point Kanyakumari, where the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean meet is in Tamilnadu. Kanyakumari is one of the famous tourist destinations in India.

Tamil Nadu is a land of Enduring Heritage. It is mostly famous for its numerous Temples based on Dravidian architecture. The temples are of a distinct style which is famous for its towering — gopurams. Famous temple towns include Madurai, Trichy, Tanjore, Palani, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur and Mahabalipuram. The 7th century port city of Mamallpuram is known for its spectacular rock-cut temples and sculptures.

Chennai (known as Madras before) is the capital of Tamil Nadu. It is one of India's four metropolitan cities, and one of the biggest, with a population of over four million, founded in 1640 by the British. Important tourist attractions include historic examples of colonial architecture. It is one of the main harbours in India and has a few popular beaches like the Marina Beach. Big cities like Chennai and Coimbatore are centres of manufacturing industries and service sector.

The Nilgiri hills are a trekker's paradise. Udhagamandalam (Ooty) offers several trek routes, which vary in altitudes, distance and terrain. Ooty and Kodaikanal are the most famous Hill stations in south india. Other famous hillstations of Tamilnadu include Yelagiri, Yercaud, Anamalai and Kolli hills.

Pongal - a celebration of harvest season is Tamil Nadu's most important festival celebrated in January. The Tamil New Year - Chitirai, is celebrated in mid April.

For more info:

• Department of Tourism, Government of Tamilnadu
• Official website of Government of Tamilnadu

Kerala

Kerala, a small State at the southern tip of India, known as God’s own country is one of the world’s top tourist places, because of its spectacular scenic beauty.

What makes Kerala a popular tourist destination and attracting millions of tourists around the world? The most important factor is its geographical structure. A narrow strip of land, with Arabian Sea in the west, Western Ghat mountain ranges in the east and networked by 44 rivers, enjoys unique geographical features.

Lush green hill stations, Tranquilizing backwaters, Stunning wildlife, Waterfalls, Serene Beaches, Sprawling plantations and paddy fields, all these you can access within short distances.

Kerala's Art forms, Historic monuments and Festivals attracts tourists all over the world.

Kerala's all villages are well connected by road and Southern Railway line runs throughout the state, connecting all major towns and cities. Kerala's major railway stations are Trivandrum Central, Ernakulam Junction, Kollam Junction, Thrissur, Shoranur Junction, Kozhikode and Palakkad.

International airports are at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi(Cochin) and Kozhikode.

Important Tourist spots in Kerala

Munnar

Kovalam Beach

Thekkady

Kochi

Kozhikode

Kumarakom Backwaters

Mattupetty

Thiruvananthapuram

Alappuzha

Athirappilly and Vazhachal water falls

Nelliyampathy

Malampuzha

Wayanad

Bekal

For more info:

• Official Website, Department of Tourism, Kerala
• The official web portal of Government of Kerala
• PRD Kerala

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is the largest state in South India and the 5th largest state in India. Andhra Pradesh comprises three regions - Telangana, Costal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Even though these regions are parts of the same state, are distinctly different in climate, dialect, lifestyle and cuisine. The state has about 1000 kms of coastline with serene beaches.

Most widely spoken languages here are Telugu, Hindi, Urdu and English. The best time of the year to visit is during the winter (November - February).

The excellent infrastructure of roads, rail, airports and ports makes Andhra Pradesh easily accessible from anywhere in India.

Hyderabad

Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh is also a hot destination for travel and tourism. Located in the heart of Deccan Plateau, 1760 ft. above the sea level, Hyderabad has a very salubrious climate with hills, tanks, and forests. The city is studded with architectural monuments, museums, gardens and other hot spots. The landmark is the Charminar that lies right in the heart of Hyderabad. Other major attractions are the Falaknuma Palace, Golconda fort, Qutub Shahi tomb, Raymond's tomb and Ramoji Film City (The largest Film city).

Tirupati

Tirupati is surrounded by seven scenic hills, which have water falls, forests and beautiful views of valleys.

Sri Venkateswara Temple located at the seventh peak of the Tirupati Hills, is the major attraction of Tirupati. The Temple of Lord Venkateshwara, dated back to 9th century is one of the richest and widely visited temples around the world.

Other pilgrim spots nearby are Sri Govindarajaswami Temple, Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple, Sri Kapileshwaraswami Temple and Tiruchanur.

Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, popularly known as Vizag is endowed with sparkling beaches, scenic landscape and a rich cultural heritage. The three majestic hills - The Kailasha Hill, the Yarada Hill and The Porlupalam Hill form an excellent backdrop and enhance the charm of this beautiful Port city. Visakhapatnam has many tourist spots in and around its boundaries.

Rajahmundry

Rajahmundry is situated on the left bank of the Godavari river in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Rajahmundry and its surrounding places are really a visual treat for the visitors. Asia's largest rail-cum-road bridge, across the Godavari river, is the major attraction here. The biggest attraction in Rajahmundry is the Godavari river. The three bridges over Godavari river are the most attractive and lengthy bridges in Andhra Pradesh. Important places in and around are Pattiseema, Kotilingalarevu Shiva Temple and Kadiyam nurseries.

For more info:

• Andhra Pradesh Portal
• Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
• NIC, Andhra Pradesh