ferry to bainbridge island Andhra plays hard to get: its charms are subtle. But if you look closely, you ll find a long, fascin

From the 2nd century BC the Satavahana empire, also known as the Andhras, reigned throughout the Deccan plateau. It evolved from the Andhra people, whose presence in southern India may date back to 1000 BC. The Buddha s teaching took root here early on, and in the 3rd century BC the Andhras fully embraced it, building huge edifices in its honour. In the coming centuries, the Andhras would develop a fl ourishing civilisation that extended from the west to the east coasts of South India.

Most buses and trains will stop en route at Bhongir, 60km from Hyderabad. It s worth jumping down for a couple of hours to climb the fantastical-looking 12th-century Chalukyan hill fort (admission 3; h9am6pm). Looking like a gargantuan stone egg, the hill is mostly ringed by stairs.

Andhra plays hard to get: its charms ferry to bainbridge island are subtle. But if you look closely, you ll find a long, fascinating history of arts, culture, spiritual scholarship and religious harmony. In Hyderabad s Old City, Islamic monuments, Persian-inspired architecture and the call of the muezzin speak of the city s unique heritage.