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Handicrafts of Andhra Pradesh
        Among other reasons that make up this beautiful state of south India is the art and craft that have been a part of Andhra ever since. Most handicrafts are have been learned as an art form down the ages. And some of them are still a part of the cottage industry of Andhra. Some of Andhra's handicrafts are as follows:

Bidri
        This is the most well known handicraft of Andhra Pradesh- a metal craft that derives its name from Bidar, the hometown of this exquisite craft. It is an art of inlaying silver on black metal and is believed to have originated in Iran seven centuries ago. The black art reflects the sufi influence till date. The Moghul rulers decorated their weapons using bidri style.

        Most commonly seen items of bidri include plates, bowls, vases, ash trays, trinket boxes, huqqa bases and jewellery. The black colour is the result of heating zinc and copper surfaces gently and applying sal ammoniac with old fort earth.

Kamalkari
        The name 'Kalamkari' is derived from the word 'kalam' which means a 'pen', the tool used in this craft. Kalamkari is hand painting with vegetable dyes. Only four basic colours are used to depict scenes from mythology. The colourful puppets are made from buffalo hide, bleached and tinted with local paints. The most popular figures are the heroes and villains from mythology. The artisans of Hyderabad from the days of the Golconda kingdom have perfected the art of creating jewellery. Hyderabad today, is the largest pearl centre of India.

        The pen-painted fabrics of Machilipatnam and Kalahasti, known for their intricate and detailed designs, are used in clothing and wall decorations. These designs are outlined with a cotton-tipped bamboo stick and dyed in vegetable or mineral colours - black from palm jaggery and rusted iron, red from madder, yellow from the dried myrobalan fruit and blue from indigo.

        Each design can take several days of concentration to complete, as the process of dyeing is very elaborate. While smaller pieces are hand-drawn, large canvasses and sheets are block-printed. The Kalahasti school is noted for its wall panels depicting mythological tales and characters, while the Machilipatnam school for the block-painted, large pieces used for sarees or linen.

        Andhra Pradesh has an age-old tradition of hand-woven fabrics. Silk and cotton sarees from Pochampalli, Venkatagiri, Nayudupet, Gadwal, Narayanpet and Dharmavaram are household names throughout India.

Toys, Dolls & Puppets
        Kondapalli toys are colourful wooden creations which can enliven any interior. They are chiseled out of locally available wood into a variety of objects - birds, animals, mythological characters, fruits, vegetables, among many others.The designs are basic and the colours are flashy. Another craft is making leather puppets. The puppets of mythological figures are used to enact shadow plays.

Stone Work
       Divine creations are shaped out of formless rocks. The traditional sculptor relies on his knowledge and perception of divine forms and chisels out finely sculpted specimens that stand out with life-like features. The sharp anatomical contours seem to come alive before one's eyes. Durgi, Allagadda and Tirupati are three of the major centers of the stone art.

Folk Painting
       Telengana region is particularly well known for its folk paintings, very colourful and bright, that serve as ideal hall hangings. It is believed that the divine architect Vishwakarma handed it down to the artisans on earth. The themes are mostly mythological.

Nirmal Painting
        Nirmal, a town in predominantly tribal Adilabad is a world famous centre for oil paintings. The themes are generally from the epics - Ramayan and Mahabharath. Also Moghul miniatures among other schools on ponniki wood are famous.There are depictions of birds, animals, and landscape besides imaginative and surrealistic representations.

Bronze Castings
       Metal working has been transformed into a hallowed art by the artisans of Andhra Pradesh. Icons of various gods and goddesses are moulded to perfection in bronze. The beauty and grandeur of these realistic bronze castings are spellbinding to say the least.

Ikat Weaving
        The most unique and popular handloom heritage of Andhra Pradesh is IKAT. IKAT weaving is a heritage craft that even survives today. The IKAT weavers prepare the yarn for weaving by dipping it in oil and then weaving it into fabric. The semi- finished fabric is waxed and covered in clay as per the design envisaged by the weaver. This enables the subsequent dying process to take place in a select, controlled manner. Typical items include sarees, blankets, mats, carpets, coasters, fancy bags etc.

Pembarthi Sheet
       Metal Ware Pembarthy, a five-century old art that descended from the practice of embellishing chariots and statues is a popular Brassware craft. With the passage of time and constant adaptation to changing circumstances, the art has absorbed all the good influences that came its way, like the Islamic touch during the days of the Nizam. Typical items of this sheet metal art are large containers, frames and plaques.

Wood Carving
       Endowed with a rich forest cover, Andhra Pradesh has given rise to several types of wood carvings. The themes are gods, goddesses, figurines, birds, animals etc. The minutely sculpted piece is breathtaking. Red Sanders with its distinctive reddish brown appeal is used in the making of panels and columns.

Banjara Needle Craft
       Armed with just a thread and needle, the tribal Banjaran women transform any ordinary looking cloth into a colorful piece of art. The distinctive feature of Banjara works is the extensive use of mirrors. Typical items include cushion covers, bags, shirts, kurtas, bed spreads etc.

Fabrics
       Andhra Pradesh is well known for its handloom sarees, both cotton and silk. These come from the looms in Gadwal, Kothakota, Dharmavaram, Narayanapet, and Venkatagiri. Each of these weaving styles are distinct, producing a unique variety of fabric. Most of these traditional works have beautiful borders, often with ornate gold thread-work. Gadwal is especially noted for its fine cotton fabric, with silk and gold borders. Dharmavaram produces silks that are attractive in design.Pedapuram too produces handloom silks that are ideal for dress making. Narayanapet is famous for its cotton and silk sarees. Venkatagiri and Kothakota are known for pure cottons with zari (gold thread).

Silver Filigree-Karimnagar
       A variety of thin and delicately worked silver articles of jewellery and household items are the hallmarks of silver filigree work. Intricately twisted strands of silver are braided together, hammered out into a gentle lattice work of frail artistic grandeur. Generally the silver filigree craftsperson shapes key chains, boxes, trays, etc.

Budithi
       One of the less talked about and yet a very special handicraft is Budithi. It is practiced in Srikakulam. The objects of Budithi art are planters, pots, ashtrays, decorative floral patterns etc., slender necks and exquisite body shapes are highlights of Budithi art.

Performing Arts
      As the home of rich folk tradition, Andhra Pradesh offers a variety of performing arts unique to its culture. Kuchipudi, the famous classical dance takes its name from a village 60 km. away from Vijayawada just above the delta region of the river Krishna. It was Siddhendra Yogi who developed this form incorporating a repertoire of religious themes. This dance-drama enactment throbs with Telugu lyrics, Sanskrit verses and is distinguished from other dance forms which are interspersed by narratives making it popular and expressive.

      'Tholubommalata', a shadow puppetry theatre is a fascinating folk art. Ornamentally painted leather puppets locally referred to as ‘Tholubommalu’ take the form of mythological characters from the two renowned epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. The inanimate characters are handled with bamboo sticks against a magnificent lamplit background. Percussion instruments played to an intricate beat and lyrical narration reflect the aesthetics of this entertaining folk heritage. Tribal dances contribute in equal measure to the artistic heritage of Andhra Pradesh. The picturesque Araku valley that lies 112 km. from Visakhapatnam shelters nineteen- odd tribes. Many of their folk dances bring colour and joy to their religious processions and harvest celebrations. Dhimsa is one amongst the many colourful dances that present a tribal kaleidoscope in costume, lyric, style and zest.

Veeranatyam
This is the dance of Lord Shiva, who outraged at the humiliation meted out to Sati Devi, his first wife, picked a relic out of his Jata-Jhuta (hair) and created Veerabadhra. The Veeramusti community which claims to be the descendents of Veerabadhra, perform this vigorous dance with instruments like Thambura, Soolam, Dolu, Thasha and Veernam usually at Draksharamam in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. This place is believed to be Dakshawatika, the birth place of Veerabhadra.

Butta Bommalu
The dance of Masks. A typical folk dance form, popular in Tanuku of West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Butta Bommalu which literally means Basket toys are made of woodhusk, dry grass and cow dung. Each dancer wears a different mask over the head and shoulders enlarging the scope of the performer and dances to a nonverbal rhythm which adds colour to the movements.

Dappu
The Dappu, a percussion instrument made of goat skin and wood, is a tambourine-like drum which is when played with sticks creates a rhythm that’s softened only by the sound of ankle bells that the 16-20 dancers wear. Part of a Telangana custom which sees the Dappu dancers at the front of any procession, whether it be for Jataras, Festivals or Marriages, this is truly a celebration of the percussion powers of dance.

Chindu Bhagawatham
The dance of Colours and Costumes. This lively art form hails from Nizamabad district. The performers in colourful make up and costumes dance to the musical patterns set by Cymbals, Tabla and Harmonium. Mythological themes are usually enacted and the audience is mostly rural. The applause is however universal.

Tappeta Gullu
The dance of the Rain God. Popular in Srikakulam and Vijayanagaram districts, this is a devotional dance which invokes the Rain God with its vigour, rhythm and tempo. Also performed during festivals, the dance sees 15 – 20 vibrant artists with drums around their necks creating mesmerising beats and heart stopping acrobatics.

Lambadi
This dance is associated with daily tasks like harvesting, planting, sowing, etc. and belongs to the Banjaras, a semi-nomadic tribe seen all over Andhra Pradesh. The Lambadi is performed by the Costumes embroidered with glass beads and mirrors, ornate jewellery, ivory bangles, brass anklets and a natural rhythm makes this dance a colourful exposition of joy which is the highlight of many an occasion.

Bonalu
The dance of the Balancing Pots. The folk festival of Bonalu in the Telangana region brings with it a celebration of colourfully dressed female dancers balancing pots (Bonalu), stepping to the rhythmic beats and tunes in praise of the village deity Mahankali. Male dancers called Potharajus follow the female dancers to the temple lashing whips and emerald margosa leaves tied around their waists adding colour to the roaring trumpets and pulsating percussion.

Dhimsa
This tribal dance form of the Hill Tribes sees 15-20 women forming a chain and dancing to the beats of instruments like Mori, Thuduma and Dappu that are played by members. They dance in praise of their local deity.It is generally performed in the local fairs and festivals in Viskhapatnam district. Women attired in typical tribal dresses and ornaments.

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