Puttaparthi

This small town is renowned for a large number of authentic handicrafts that are easily available here. Compared to other large cities in Andhra, the crafts of this town are cheaper and much more authentic since they are locally made. Among the most famous items available in this town are Banjara needle work fabrics, brass and wooden home decor items, stone and birdi crafts, toys and lacquer ware.

Banjara needlework is famous for its bright colours, mirrors and bold patterns and should be a part of everyone's wardrobe. The brass and wood work is of a very high quality and is also exported. The most common patterns include themes from Indian Mythology, animals, human figurines and Hindu gods. Birdi crafts are a local speciality and are made with silver inlay on metal which gives it a very alluring sheen. In the markets of this town, you can find many retailers selling these and many more items for a very reasonable price.

Being a religious town, only vegetarian food is available here. However cuisines of different countries are also available giving the town an almost surprising and rich variety in food. Local dishes include Laskora Undalu (coconut laddu) Sunnundallu, Pachadi-typically made of vegetables/greens and roasted green/red chilies, Pappu Koora(Lentil based dish), Vepudu(Fry)- crispy fried vegetables, Garelu (A type of Vada), Dosa, Chutney, Sambhar.
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Day 1: Arrive in Puttaparthi by road, rail or air. Settle into your hotel and explore the markets and small temples of the city like Lord Dattatreya Temple and Gopalaswami Temple. There are also many gardens, small restaurants serving home-cooked food and street stalls selling a variety of items that you can visit.

Day 2: Visit the Chaitanya Ashram and the number of buildings, museums and gardens within its premises. The meditation tree, planetarium, Sathya Sai babe Museum, wish-fulfilling tree and sports stadium. Exploring the large Ashram complex will take up the full day.