The bustling city of Guntur and the administrative headquarters of Guntur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India is a major economic and cultural centre known for its heritage. It is situated 64 kms to the west of the Bay of Bengal, on the Eastern Coastal Plains. Bound on the east and north by the Krishna River, Economy of Guntur is dominated by the growing of chilli, cotton and tobacco for exports and has the largest chilli market yard in Asia. Besides these, the city is an important production and trading centre for jute and rice.
The city is surrounded by many ancient temples and historic sites that include Kondavidu, Amararama, Caves, Pedakakani. In Sanskrit, Guntur is called Garthapuri (Guntlapuri). The earliest reference to Guntur, a variant of Guntur, comes from the Modern plates of Ammaraja I (922-929 AD), the Vengichalakyan King. Guntur also appears in another two inscriptions dated 1147 AD and 1158 AD. the arrival of the Europeans in the late sixteenth century the city attained national and international significance. The French shifted their headquarters from Kondaveedu Fort to here in 1752, probably because of the ample availability of water due to the two large tanks.
During the 16th century, Guntur became part of the Mughal empire, and later the Nizams of Hyderabad and HyderAli also ruled the city until it came under British rule in 1788. French astronomer, Pierre Janssen observed the solar eclipse of 18 August 1868 and discovered helium, from Guntur. Guntur is known for spicey culinary, and Guntur Kodi Dosa and Mirapakay Baji are the most famous dishes and most sought-after streetfood in the city. The Rayalseema dialect of the Telugu language is spoken here.
The city is known for its hot and humid weather and as such winters are the best time to visit the city. The city residents are referred to as Gunturians, who actively take part in local traditional drama and theatrical events organized in the city. The city observes all major festivals including Rama Navami, Maha Sivaratri, Vinayaka Chavithi Vijaya Dasami, Deepawali, Holi, Ugadi Eid, Krishnastami and Christmas.
Well connected by rail and road and air link provided by Vijaywada, Guntur is home to numerous well-known educational institutes that attract students from across India. there are numerous places to visit in and around the city and Guntur can be used as a staging point to visit numerous tourist spots like Amaravathi stupa and museum that traces its Buddhist, Bhattiprolu, Kondaveedu fort, Gopinatha temple and Kathulabave, Kotappakonda, Guthikonda Caves, Sitanagaram picnic spot, Someswara Swamy temple, Undavalli-caves, Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy.
Temple of Mangalagiri, Garikapadu, Krishna or Prakasam Barrage. Tourism in Guntur is not just limited to nearby places but also nature. Tourists can visit Nagarjuna Sagar Dam & Ethipothala Falls, and Uppalapadu Nature Conservation. The city is home to numerous temples, churches and mosques. There are numerous hotels, lodges and guesthouses in the city that provide tourists at mid-range and budget accommodation. The restaurants Guntur are known to serve extremely spicey veg and non-veg dishes at affordable prices.
