South Indian States

1. South Indian States South Indian states formed a linguistic unity in independent India and preserved the traditional culture and artwork despite of having many foreign invasions before its independence in modern age. South Indian states form the peninsular part of India, also known as Dakshin Bharat. South Indian states include Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. These South Indian states are covering the southern part of the peninsular Deccan Plateau. These states are bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse with two mountain ranges - the Western Ghats Mountain Range in India and Eastern Ghats Mountain Range in India, bordering the plateau heartland. Godavari River, Krishna River, Kaveri River, Tungabhadra River and Vaigai River are important sources of water. Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Amaravati, Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas in the south Indian states with the scope to develop the economic sectors. History of South Indian States Excavations have shows Neolithic cultures and artifacts dating back to 8000 BCE have been found in southern part of India. The region has been a part of the trade route used by Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Jews, and Chinese during 3rd and 4th century. This was also a part of Silk route that developed trade relations with the East and West. Southern India has been ruled by several dynasties during the ancient and medieval era from 6th century BCE to 14th century CE. Dynasties like Cheras, Zamorins, Pandyas, Cholas, Satavahanas, Travancore royal family, Kingdom of Cochin, Mushikas, Pallavas, Kadambas, Western Gangas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas, and Kakatiyas developed monumental sculptures and architectures in this region that are an integral part of the cultural and historical heritage of the country now. The architectural marvel at Hampi, built during 14th century CE by Vijayanagara Empire is an example here. Vijayanagara Empire was the last dynasty to rule the region and post that southern Indian has been through multiple invasions. Delhi Sultanate led to the fall of Vijayanagara Empire and eventually captured the region and ruled as Deccan Sultanate.

2. The region was later invaded by the Marathas, Palaiyakkarars, and Nayaks. Southern India was initially colonized by the Europeans in the 15th Century and by the mid 18th Century the French and British constantly fought over for control of that region. After several battles like the Anglo-Mysore war and the Vellore Mutiny, the British took control over that region in 1857 with exception of Pondicherry (now Puducherry) which remained under French rule. The British Empire divided the region into a few states and presidencies such as Madras Presidency, Hyderabad State, Mysore, Travancore, Cochin, and Jeypore. After the Independence of Indian in 1947, Andhra State was formed for Telugu speaking people in 1953 and added to the existing Madras State, Mysore State, Hyderabad State, and Travancore–Cochin. Under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, southern Indian was reorganized into multiple states based on linguistic lines. These states are what we have today with the recent addition of Telangana in 2 June 2014 by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. Geography of South Indian States The peninsular India shaped like an inverted triangle is guarded by sea on all sides. It has Vindhyas and Satpura ranges running along the coastal regions while Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats meeting at the Nilgiri mountains. The low-lying coral islands of Lakshwadeep form the southwestern coast of India while the Andaman and Nicobar islands are located in the eastern coast. The Palk Strait and the chain of islands forming Rama's Bridge separate southern India from Sri Lanka. The southernmost tip of India is at Kanyakumari which is also the meeting point of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea. The Deccan plateau is also an elevated region bounded by mountains and watered by many rivers and their tributaries.