Andhra Pradesh - People
Andhra Pradesh is one of the 29 states of India, situated on the country’s southeastern coast. The state is the eighth largest state in India covering an area of 160,205 km2(61,855 sq mi). As per 2011 census of India, the state is tenth largest by population with 49,386,799 inhabitants.
The total population of Andhra Pradesh in 2001 was 762.1 lakhs [prior to partition of Telengana], which grew by 14.59 percent from previous decade. A total of 385.27 lakh male and 376.83 lakh female population was recorded with 978 females per 1,000 males. Similarly, the literacy rate among males was recorded to be 70.32 per cent whereas it was 50.43 per cent among females. State-wide literacy rate was 60.47 per cent. Census 2001 also enumerated 170.04 lakh households which include 126.07 lakh rural households and 43.97 urban households. While the proportion of total workers was 348.94 lakhs, the state-wide agricultural workers were 216.92 lakhs and non-agricultural workers were 132.02 lakhs.
It was believed that the original settlers in Andhra Pradesh where Dravidian's. People of all religions and faiths are found here. Because the state derives its heritage from the ancient world, hence the handicrafts are very popular of all kinds. Andhra Pradesh is one of the more highly populated states in India mainly due to the development and its location near the sea coast.
The census over the years has seen the state grow by steadily in terms of population. Located in the southern region of the country, the state shares its borders with states like Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Karnataka. The capital of the state is the vibrant city of Hyderabad that has seen the rule of the Nizams for a very long time. Andhra Pradesh has been one of the oldest states in the country and finds mentions in many ancient works of literature. The state has a population of about 84 million according to the Andhra Pradesh Census 2011. The growth rate of the population of Andhra Pradesh is about 11% which is below the national average. The state has grown in terms of its technological infrastructure and was among the major states that houses development in sectors like IT and Telecom.
In Andhra Pradesh, religion census 2011 provides good insight of current demography. As per census 2011, Hindu are majority in Andhra Pradesh state. Hinduism constitutes 88.46% of Andhra Pradesh population. In all Hindu form majority religion in out of districts of Andhra Pradesh state.
The Dwaita, the Visishtadwaita, the Advaita, and Saivite faiths coexist in Andhra Pradesh among Hindus, while Muslims and Christians also live side by side with tolerance. The Sakti, in her finer and cruder manifestations is also worshipped. In the better and richer type of villages, the temples of Vishnu, Siva and Sakti prevail. Vighneswara, Srirama and Hanuman are also provided in these shrines. Religious or sectarian fanaticism in general does not exist in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
Some of the famous temples in Andhra Pradesh are at Simahachalam, Sun temple in Arasavalli in Srikakulam District), Draksharama, Bhadrachalam in Khammam District, Annavaram and Antarvedi in the East Godavari District, Mangalagiri in Guntur District, Achanta, Palakol, Dwaraka Tirumala in West Godavari, Tirupati and Kalahasti in Chittoor, Kanaka Durga at Vijayawada in Krishna and Ahobilam in Kurnool District. The other famous temples are in Srikakulam, Mukhalingam. Kotappakonda, Srisailam and Mahanandi. All of them are structures of great antiquity and possess rare architectural values.
Local deities called Gramadevatas are held in reverence. Jataras are celebrated. They do not belong to any particular denomination. The Hindu priest would officiate at their ceremonies; nevertheless the villager regards them with awe and never fails to do obeisance before them. These are located generally on the village outskirts, the idol consisting of a stone smeared liberally with oil, saffron, kumkum and turmeric. The Gramadevatas, one comes across in rural Andhra are innumerable and are given local names such as Gangamma, Gogulamma, Nukalamma, Vellamma, Chinnamma, Muthyalammma, Bangaramma, Ankalamma, Pyditalli, Perantalamma and Poturaju. If disregarded for too long, people believe they cause diseases and disasters in the village. Animal or fowl sacrifice is practiced to appease them.
The religion of the hill tribes is based largely on superstition and animism. Witchcraft and animal sacrifice are also widely believed, though they are becoming things of the past by the spread of modern education. The most terrible visitation in the eyes of the Koya tribe in Godavari Valley are eclipses of the sun and the moon for they believe that the devil in the shape of a serpent or a tiger is thereby trying to swallow the earth. They ward it off by beating drums all the time the eclipse lasts.
Available data strongly suggests that after 1971 a large number of converts to Christianity from the Scheduled Castes chose to be counted among the Scheduled Castes rather than the Christians. While the number of Christians was steeply declining in Andhra Pradesh, there was a significant increase of the Christian numbers among the Scheduled Tribes, who do not lose their privileges on conversion.
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