Guntur

Ask anyone who has lived or grown up in Guntur and they will have an entire list of things to say about Guntur and its culture. One trait peculiar to Guntur is its perfect blend of urban and rural culture. Guntur has a proud artistic culture and the famously witty and humorous Tenali Ramakrishna, known by the name of Tenali Raman in popular culture also hailed from Guntur. Well known poet Tikkana Somaayaji who translated the entire Mahabharata from Sanskrit to Telugu lived in Guntur as well. When it comes to Telugu, it is the most widely spoken language in Guntur. The version of Telugu spoken in Guntur is pure, without any slang and this is the version we hear in Telugu movies. Guntur is credited for being the Mother of Telugu Film Industry. Apart from movies and art, residents of Guntur love music and dancing. Carnatic music and Kuchipudi dance form is vastly popular here. Chindu, Dhimsa, and Lambadi are other popular forms of folk dance. Popular festivals like Diwali, Sankranti Eid, Ram Navami, Shiv Ratri, Vijaya Dasami, Ramadan and Gurpurab are celebrated with great fervour and local festivals like Ugaadi, Krishna-Ashtami, Vinayaka Chaviti, Ekadasi and Karthika Poornima bring about cycles of joy, music, enthusiasm, spelndour, and dance in lives of local residents. The 30th International Kalachakra festival was also concluded in Amravathi.

The second oldest evidence of human civilization is present in Guntur in the form of paleolithic tools and implements. The history of Guntur can be traced back to the time of Sala Kings who reigned during 5th Century BC. Gautam Buddha is said to have preached at Dharanikota/Dhanyakatakam, a place near Guntur. This is where he also conducted the Kalachakra ceremony and this is how Guntur achieved immense significance in Buddhist culture. Buddhists also established universities in the neighbouring regions of Amravati and Dhanyakatakam and this is where the rich academic atmosphere culture and history of Guntur finds its origin. The famous battle of Palnadu, commonly known as Palnati Yuddham was fought here in 1180 and various dynasties have ruled Guntur over the years including the Satavahanas, Andhra Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Ananda Gotrikas, Vishnukundina, Kota Vamsa, Chalukyas, Cholas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagara and Qutb Shahis. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb conquered Golconda in 1687. Guntur was part of Golconda back then and this is how it was annexed to the Mughal Empire. It also witnessed French occupation for a brief period and in 1783, nearby regions were brought under the reign of Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu between 1783-1816 who is credited for constructing multiple temples in the city. Guntur was later captured by the East India Company in 1788 and became part of the Madras Presidency. It formed part of the newly formed State of Andhra Pradesh in 1953 after 11 districts of Madras were combined to form a separate State.

The earliest known reference to Guntur was made in the Idern Plates of Ammaraja I, a Vengi Chalukyan king who ruled from 922 to 929 CE. Historically, Guntur was referred as Garthapuri or Guntlapuri which means a city surrounded by ponds. Guntla is the Tamil name for ponds and the word Guntla Uru translates to the pond village. The present name is said to have been come about as a variation of these names referring to the city’s existence near water ponds. Another story relates the name of Guntur to Kunta, a measuring unit and it is said that the words Kunta Uru later got loosely translated to Guntur and that is how the city got its name.

Andhra Pradesh is the rice bowl of India and naturally, rice is the staple food in Guntur. Andhra cuisine is spicy in general and the food in Guntur is particularly known for its spicy flavour profile. The spiciness is inherent in Guntur cuisine considering the fact that Guntur Sannam, an extremely hot variety of Chili is grown here.

Guntur Kodi Dosa stays true to the spicy nature of cuisine here and is a fluffy, Ghee laden version of regular dosa. Another spicy staple is the Mirapakay Baji which is long green chilli stuffed full of lemon juice and spices, covered with gram flour and then deep fried.

The silken, melt in your mouth Idlis covered with Guntur chilli powder are another tourist favourite here. Sweet dishes also make ample use of rice and rice products. Payasam, Ariselu, and Pootharekelu are rice-based desserts. Bobbatalu is another popular dessert which makes use of sweetened lentil mixture stuffed inside a maida chapati.

Kaja, another commonly available sweet dish is a syrupy dessert made with flour and sugar. Mamidi Tandra is a popular variety of Aam Papad which is made layer by layer over the period of one month and has a unique chewy texture because of the way it is made.


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Guntur is the city which offers several places of interest when it comes to the historic monument and religious places. To begin your trip in Guntur, get up early with a delicious breakfast at the hotel. Next, make a list of all the important places you can visit in a day. Amaravathi, Mangalagiri, Krishna Barrage, Uppalapadu Nature Conservation, Kondaveedu and Downtown are the most popular places you will love to explore. Make sure you do take a break and try out the delicious Mirchi bhaji and other local delicacies of the city. One day in this beautiful city is enough to fascinate you and charm you with its relics.

The top places near to Guntur are Vijayawada which is 31 km from Guntur, Amaravathi which is located 30 km from Guntur, Machelipatnam which is located 75 km from Guntur, Papi kondalu which is located 158 km from Guntur, Hyderabad which is located 239 km from Guntur

The top things to do in Guntur are Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Ethipothala Falls, Kondaveedu, Uppalapadu Nature Conservation, Kotappakonda Trikutaparvattam, Mangalagiri, Downtown, Guntur. You can see all the places to visit in Guntur here

Guntur city can be a little difficult to access. It can be reached via rail and road only. The nearest airport is in Hyderabad and Vijayawada. Thus, the most convenient way of travelling to Guntur is by train.
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Andhra Pradesh is the rice bowl of India and naturally, rice is the staple food in Guntur. Andhra cuisine is spicy in general and the food in Guntur is particularly known for its spicy flavour profile. The spiciness is inherent in Guntur cuisine considering the fact that Guntur Sannam, an extremely hot variety of Chili is grown here.

Guntur Kodi Dosa stays true to the spicy nature of cuisine here and is a fluffy, Ghee laden version of regular dosa. Another spicy staple is the Mirapakay Baji which is long green chilli stuffed full of lemon juice and spices, covered with gram flour and then deep fried.

The silken, melt in your mouth Idlis covered with Guntur chilli powder are another tourist favourite here. Sweet dishes also make ample use of rice and rice products. Payasam, Ariselu, and Pootharekelu are rice-based desserts. Bobbatalu is another popular dessert which makes use of sweetened lentil mixture stuffed inside a maida chapati.

Kaja, another commonly available sweet dish is a syrupy dessert made with flour and sugar. Mamidi Tandra is a popular variety of Aam Papad which is made layer by layer over the period of one month and has a unique chewy texture because of the way it is made.


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Guntur lying around 60 km from Bay of Bengal experiences hot and humid summers which get quite stuffy after the rain. It is not recommended as the best time to visit the city. Winters in the area are mildly cool and pleasant enough to explore its hidden treasures. Thus, the time period between October and March is recommended as the ideal time to visit Guntur.
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Guntur is for the architecture enthusiasts and history buffs. Also perfect for people living in the nearby places in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.