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Photographs and Text: Sanjay Singh Badnor

The next afternoon I was due to fly off to the coastal city of Vishakapatnam. So I dutifully packed in some of the other sights of Hyderabad. The splendid palaces, mosques, the magnificent fort complex of Golconda, which was the former capital of the Qutab Shahi kings. As well as the Qutab Shahi tombs -- another fine example of decorative architecture. It was Id, and I was lucky enough to see/photograph the faithful hurrying to the mosques for Id prayers.

It was midday by the time I headed for the airport. En route I passed more cinema halls than I could count and scores of movie goers queued for tickets. It doesn't take a mathematician to figure that the Telugu cinema industry must be thriving. I was told that the public treat their film stars like demigods in Hyderabad. Only in Andhra Pradesh did I see hoardings of Telugu matinee idols in outrageously gigantic sizes.

A sultry, humid breeze hit my face as I disembarked in Vishakapatnam. A beach at last! Vishakapatnam, which derives its name from Vishka, the god of valour, is situated along the east coast on the Bay of Bengal. The city has a natural harbour and a beach stretching endlessly into the horizon, against a backdrop of low hills and hidden creeks.

Vizag, as it is commonly known, is the commercial and industrial heart of northeastern Andhra Pradesh. I was told that this metropolis is home to India's largest shipbuilding yard. Originally there were two separate towns -- Waltair and Vishakapatnam. However, due to rapid development the two have virtually merged.

I checked in at the plush Grand Bay hotel, which has an envious location, overlooking the Ramakrishna beach and wasted no time in setting off to explore the city.

Owing to that old IA chestnut -- 'unexpected disruption of flight schedules' -- I had lost an entire day. I had just about two days in which to tour Vishakapatnam. I still had a couple of hours of light before sunset so I immediately headed for Ross Hill.

Named after a certain Monsieur Ross who built a house on it in 1864, it has now been converted into a chapel. Nearby there was also a mosque as well as a temple. From Ross Hill there were excellent views of the ship building yard and the port channel, which was the entrance of the harbour for ships and liners.

From Ross Hill, I drove down to the Ramakrishna beach to join the evening strollers wading in the shallow waters and pigging out on spicy snack food from the numerous vendors.

The weather was perfect as I walked up to the Grand Bay hotel in time for dinner at the much celebrated Dakshin restaurant. It's a speciality restaurant which promises the finest cuisine from the four states of South India.

Sunrise from my hotel window on Day 5 was as if from a picture post card -- the pale blue sky, an aquamarine sea, the golden sun and a solitary sail boat on the horizon. I had seen many a sunset on the Bay of Bengal, but this was my first sunrise. The day had been reserved for an excursion out of Vishakapatnam. Not wanting to waste any time, I hit the road with my trustworthy Ambassador car and driver rather early.

It was a beautiful morning. And as I meandered through the lush, rural regions of Andhra Pradesh, the landscape was proving to be wonderful indeed... Paddy fields brimming with water, bullock carts with unusually large wheels, settlements of thatched huts. As we ascended upwards through the Eastern Ghats, towards the Borra caves, 70 km away, the land changed. It was coffee plantations, mulberry farms and waterfalls at every bend.

The dramatic looking, million-year-old limestone Borra caves were a treat. The stalagamite and stalactite formations, illuminated by an eerie light, looked truly spectacular.

From the Borra caves I journeyed onto the picturesque Arraku valley, thickly covered with haunting forests of teak, bamboo, tamarind, drumstick fig and silver oak. The valley is home to several isolated tribal communities. I tried to venture out and photograph the interesting tribals and their lifestyle. But they were shy and withdrawn and I was unsuccessful.

I had been on the road for almost four hours and was contemplating turning back, when my driver pointed out an interesting village. It was called Sundermetla and a weekly Sunday bazaar of the tribals of the Arraku valley was on. I couldn't have been more lucky. For here at the marketplace the tribal folk had shed all their inhibitions and mingled freely; shopping, merry making and enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon. The women with their peculiar nose rings made interesting portraits.

My Andhra holiday was nearly over. It had been most satisfying. Munching on a paratha roll with a filling of Gongura achaar (a typical spicy Andhra leafy vegetable pickle) I told the driver to take a U-turn home.

The next morning, on my last day at Vishakapatnam and in Andhra Pradesh, I went off to check out the beach at Bheemunipatnam and see the remains of an old Dutch fort and the odd-looking tombs at the over-grown cemetery there. Then back to the best vantage point of Vizag at Kailashgiri for a final breathtaking view of the city.

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