Guntur
Encyclopedia
Guntur is a city and a municipal corporation
in the Indian state
of Andhra Pradesh
, located 40 miles (64.4 km) to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) to the south of the national capital, New Delhi
and 266 kilometres (165 mi) south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra Pradesh. The city has an estimated population of 818,330 (514,707 as per 2001 census) with an Urban Agglomeration exceeding to more than 1.2 million.
Guntur is a centre of learning and the administrative capital of Guntur district
, which is home of historically significant Amaravati, Undavalli caves
, Kondavid Fort, Nagarjunakonda and Sitanagaram
monuments. The city is also a centre for business, industry, and agriculture. The region is identified as a major transportation and textile hub in India. Additionally, the Guntur area economy has an agricultural component that is internationally known for its exports of chillies, cotton
, and tobacco
.
in Guntur district), appears to be the earliest known kingdom in south India
. The earliest recorded reference of Guntur comes from the Idern plates of Ammaraja I (922-929 CE), the Vengi Chalukyan king. Guntur also appears in two other inscriptions dated 1147 CE and 1158 CE. The original Sanskrit
(ancient Vedic culture/tradition) name for Guntur was Garthapuri (a place surrounded by water ponds ('garta'/'gunta')).
The 'Agasthyeswara Sivalayam' in the old city is an ancient temple for Lord Siva
. There are inscriptions in the temple on stones in 'Naga Lipi' (an ancient script)
dating back to about 1100 CE. It is considered one of the famous temples in the city
. It is said that Agastya
built the temple in the last Treta
yuga
around the Swayambhu
Linga and hence it has this name. The 'Nagals' were said to have ruled the region at that time. The region has been historically known for Buddhism
and the first Kalachakra
ceremony performed by Buddha
himself.
The place of Sitanagaram
and the Guthikonda Caves are referred in the ancient texts (Vedic puranas
) going back to the Treta
yuga
and Dwapara yuga
(traditional time scale). Also check Timeline of Guntur
.
. The Nizam
and Haidar Ali too ruled the town till it came under the British in 1788. It was made the headquarters of a district named after it that was abolished in 1859, only to be reconstituted in 1904. The city rapidly became a major market for agricultural produce from the hinterland due to the opening of the railway link in 1890. The expansion continued post independence as well and was concentrated in what is now called "New Guntur". The current size of the city has an inner radius of about 6 miles (9.7 km). The City-region comprises the surrounding suburban and rural areas spanning in all the directions. New townships are mushrooming in these areas and it is considered as the fourth largest city in the state.
, Guntur had a population of 11,74,591. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Guntur has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 62%. 11% of the population in the city is under 6 years of age.
The region extends over an area of 11.68 sq. miles, while its population was about 25,000 by 1866 census and 30,183 by 1902 census. By the 1961 census, Guntur had a population of 187,122. It has grown about six times in its size during these 60 years. Currently the city is estimated to have population of around 12,00,000 with Urban Agglomeration.
With the culture and traditions of ageless Sanatana Dharma/Ancient Vedic Civilization (known as Hinduism
)
and its principles (Sarvē Janā Sukhinō Bhavantu), the Guntur Region had a place for all religions, castes, sects and creeds. Guntur is known for its diverse culture. One of the purportedly lost tribes of Israel
called Bene Ephraim
, has a presence in Guntur, with even a Jewish synagogue. Religious faiths such as Islam and Christianity lead a harmonious, peaceful existence.
Telugu
is the main language of communication in the city while Urdu
is the other widely spoken language. One of the earliest/purest forms of Telugu language can be noticed in this region. The famous Mahakavi Tikkana
(Telugu: తిక్కన్న) (1205–1288) was from this region.
Almost all the Muslims in the city speak Urdu
as their mother tongue, though they are fluent in Telugu
. The culture is vibrant with many festivals (that have been celebrated over thousands of years). Those festivals observed in Guntur with great pomp and splendour are: Deepavali, Krishna-Ashtami
, Rama Navami
, Sankranti
, Sivaratri
, Ugadi
, Vijaya Dasami
, Vinayaka-Chaviti
, Ekadasi
, Karthika Purnima
. Also, noticeable are festivals introduced before a few centuries, including Christmas
, Eid ul-Fitr
, Muharram
, Ramadan
. The 30th International Kalachakra
festival was held at Amaravati near Guntur.
.
Guntur city and its region are a major commercial centre in India. Cotton, tobacco and chilli are some of the major commodities that are exported from here to different parts of the world. The city hosts the largest Asian market for red chillies
. The Tobacco Board, India, a part of the Government of India, is headquartered in Guntur. The chillies that are grown in this region are some of the hottest in the world, and are in constant competition with chillies from Mexico
for first place. One of the first of its kind, a global 'Spice Park' is currently being setup in the area. The cotton that grows in the region is used in making some of the finest sarees
in India.
as compared to major cities in the country. It has a large skilled and educated workforce. Some of the industries in the area are: textile mills
/handloom, silk
, Sangam Dairy, Cement, Chemical and Biotechnology, Andhra Fertilizers, jute
mills, granite
industries, diamond
and other ore processing (Hindustan Zinc Limited), Auto-Nagar and software/IT Companies. A Textile Hub is being developed on the southwestern side of the city, and the government is also encouraging the setting up of new industries. Another ongoing project is a 850 crore IT park in Guntur outskirts. Possible future plans include a large scale Biotechnology Park, as well as a Knowledge Park.
The Guntur region is one of the most fertile areas in India. With the River Krishna
flowing to the north of the district, the area has many farmlands and paddy fields growing wide varieties of rice, other food grains, and other various crops. The Guntur Branch Canal (GBC) and other smaller rivers serve water to the farmlands in the region.
A social forestry project for Guntur is on the anvil to make the region greener; Guntur, (since only about 35% of the forest in the district has survived as per available statistics, a common issue throughout India). The government is closely working with other corporates in meeting the goals. As a part of this Green Guntur project, one crore saplings have been planted in the city. The city's UDA is also developing many medium and large scale parks throughout the city.
A port city to be built near Nizampatnam
in Guntur District. This is part of a major renovation of the Nizampatnam
Harbour. The development of this harbour will enable the Guntur region to be a major port player, with direct access to exports and imports to, around the world Projects Today,Yahoo News.
Suryalanka is a tourist shore point 35 miles (56.3 km) south of Guntur City, with all desirable features of a sea shore. It is complete with balmy beaches and world-class resorts. This is one of the top tourism places in the area.
Guntur Container Terminal is a ICD (Inland Container Depot) Facilitating port operations in Guntur Region. It is a port facility, which has been brought into Guntur for the benefit of the trade.
The city is the regional headquarters of the State Road Transport System. It is connected to all the major cities of the country through various national and state highways. There are major highways such as Madras—Guntur—Kolkata
highway, Guntur—Nagarjuna Sagar—Hyderabad highway (which can take to other major routes like Mumbai
and Delhi
) and the Guntur— Vinukonda
- Kurnool
- Bellary
highway. Within the city the traffic primarily flows using the inner, outer ring-roads, few bridges, main roads. Many intersections have innovative traffic signals and video cameras to control and monitor the traffic. Common modes of road transport within the city are cars, motorcycles, buses, and auto-rickshaws; antique pedal rickshaws can still be seen. The city is also a major part of the 60,000 crore Golden Quadrilateral
system, a national transportation project that has recently been completed.
Guntur junction is one of the Divisional headquarters (Guntur division
) and a major transit point of the Indian Railways
System. All four metro cities and most state capitals can be accessed through this transit point. Proposed Greater Guntur has the following stations: the Main Station (near Arundelpet and Railpet) and the others at Nallapadu, University-Center(Namburu), New Guntur
(Reddipalem). Two other major transit points close to Guntur are: Tenali
and Vijayawada
with a future plan of running suburban trains in the suburban region. The Indian Railways is one of the most convenient and efficient systems of commute for the people throughout India.
) offers daily flights to Hyderabad, Chennai
and Bangalore
City. There is a proposal to build a more practical airport to the south-west of Guntur City.
Guntur is one of the first cities to provide higher education
and graduate programs in India. The Acharya Nagarjuna University is one of the largest universities in the country, and covers various institutions from 3 districts. There are a number of graduate schools, colleges, and high schools providing basic and higher education (agricultural, arts, bio-med, engineering, management, medical, nursing, pharmaceutical, sciences, technology) in the region. The Guntur Institute of Medical Sciences
is one of many premier institutes in the city region. The Vedic University
near Guntur specializes in the teaching of Vedic Sciences, other related philosophies, and the Vedanta
.
The climate in Guntur City is very tropical in nature, but there are dry spells especially during the winter season, Current Temperature@City. The average temperature is warm to hot throughout the year, with temperatures ranging from approximately 16C to 48C (60F to 118F). The summer season (especially during May/June) has the highest temperatures, but these are usually followed by monsoon rains in that season. The winter season (from October to February) is the most enjoyable with a pleasant climate. Summer clothing suffices throughout the year. Local Time at Guntur.
Guntur City is famous for the food items such as mirchi bajji (mirapakaya bajji), aavakaaya
pickle, gongura
pickle, with traditional Andhra style meals and common breakfast items such as Idli, dosa
and puri
. There are many top quality Hotels that offer varieties of food items (from several regions of India). The common masala stands, jilebi push-carts, sugar cane juice sellers can be noticed in every corner of the city. There are also International Fast Food and pizza
outlets. The city has many star class lodgings, inns and hotels.
There are numerous markets selling vegetables, fruits, flowers and other commodities throughout the city. Also, many Super Markets and Malls are opening due to the rapidly expanding middle and upper classes. The 'Patnam Bazar' area of the city is famous for the wholesale market of many consumer goods. The traditional method of selling vegetables, flowers and other consumer goods using push-carts is still very common and effective. There are special Rythu-Bazars in every corner of the city to sell fresh produce. Locally famous fruits and vegetables include the oval shaped - (unique honey taste) - sapota, mango
, Seethaphalam, and Dosakai. Global retail chain Walmart has started a store in the city .
Motion Pictures/Films are a common form of entertainment in the city as well as in the rest of India. Guntur has many movie theatres with updated 3D Screens that play Telugu, English, and Hindi movies with many multiplex theatres. Though not as popular, traditional drama
and theatrical events too have their presence in the city. The Guntur Nataka Rangam, Guntur Cultural Association are premier organizations in the state that promote and conduct theatrical events. During early summer season there are festival
s and fair
s that take place in the city, many types of rides, shows, novelties and food. There are numerous places of interest and parks in and around the city/district for entertainment, culture, and history. Suryalanka is the closest beach/shore-point for the city. There are also many shopping malls that have come up in the city area.
The region of Guntur is one of the medical hubs in India. It offers wide access to top medical care at reasonable prices and has a variety of charity hospitals that serve as a safety net for the destitute. It boasts major medical facilities (super specialty hospitals) and related research institutions. The General Hospital provides free health care to people across the coastal districts. The Sankar Eye Hospital, Kugler Hospital
, St. Joseph Hospital are just a few of the many premier hospitals in the region. A new medical facility VIMS http://www.viswaguru.com is established at Viswanagar to serve the people in the rural areas that are to the south and west of the city.
Both bureaucrats and elected officials manage the city affairs and issues. The municipal commissioner and district collector are usually from the Indian Administrative Service
(IAS). The MP
, MLAs, Mayor
, corporators constitute the local elected officials. Initiatives such as E-Governance are being put in place to reduce red-tapism, thereby enabling transparency in administration. The Guntur Municipal Corporation is among the select cities (4) across the world where an ‘eco-budget’ is being implemented.
Guntur Range (Andhra Pradesh Police Department) is the regional headquarters of the State Police with its own Inspector General covering three nearby districts (including Guntur district
). The High Court was in Guntur briefly after the separation from the erstwhile Madras State
, which was later moved to the current state capital after the formation of AP. There is a pending plan to create a High Court bench at Guntur, covering for the coastal districts. Guntur also hosts one of the Indian Army
recruitment and training centres. Suryalanka of Guntur Region has an airbase of the Indian Air Force
.
_landing_with_nesting_material_at_nest_with_chicks_w2_img_2857.jpg)
tournaments. Cricket
is the most common and well followed sporting event, there are other sports such as kabbadi, volleyball
, basketball
, tennis
, badminton
, table tennis
hosted regularly. Following is a list of stadiums in and around the city.
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
in the Indian state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, located 40 miles (64.4 km) to the north and west of the Bay of Bengal. It is approximately 1000 miles (1,609.3 km) to the south of the national capital, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
and 266 kilometres (165 mi) south east of state capital, Hyderabad. Guntur is the fourth largest city in Andhra Pradesh. The city has an estimated population of 818,330 (514,707 as per 2001 census) with an Urban Agglomeration exceeding to more than 1.2 million.
Guntur is a centre of learning and the administrative capital of Guntur district
Guntur district
Guntur district is located in Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of Bay of Bengal. The district has a coastline of around 100 kilometers. Guntur City is the largest city in the district and administrative center of Guntur District. The district is a major center for learning.-Etymology:There are...
, which is home of historically significant Amaravati, Undavalli caves
Undavalli caves
The Undavalli Caves , an example of Indian rock-cut architecture and a finest testimonial of ancient vishwakarma sthapathis, are located in the village of Undavalli in Tadepalli Mandal in Guntur District, near the southern bank of Krishna river, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.The caves are...
, Kondavid Fort, Nagarjunakonda and Sitanagaram
Sitanagaram
Sitanagaram is a small town and an ancient site located in the District of Guntur in East-Coast part of India. It is 18 miles north of Guntur City on the bank of River Krishna near Vijayawada...
monuments. The city is also a centre for business, industry, and agriculture. The region is identified as a major transportation and textile hub in India. Additionally, the Guntur area economy has an agricultural component that is internationally known for its exports of chillies, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
.
History
The Kingdom of Pratipalapura of 500 BCE (BhattiproluBhattiprolu
Bhattiprolu is a small village in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh State in Southern India.-History:The original name of Bhattiprolu was Pratipalapura, a flourishing Buddhist town in the ancient Sala kingdom that predated Andhra Satavahanas. From available inscriptional evidence, King Kuberaka...
in Guntur district), appears to be the earliest known kingdom in south India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. The earliest recorded reference of Guntur comes from the Idern plates of Ammaraja I (922-929 CE), the Vengi Chalukyan king. Guntur also appears in two other inscriptions dated 1147 CE and 1158 CE. The original Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
(ancient Vedic culture/tradition) name for Guntur was Garthapuri (a place surrounded by water ponds ('garta'/'gunta')).
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. There are inscriptions in the temple on stones in 'Naga Lipi' (an ancient script)
dating back to about 1100 CE. It is considered one of the famous temples in the city. It is said that AgastyaAgastya
Agastya was a Tamil/Vedic Siddhar or sage. Agastya and his clan are also generally credited with uncovering many mantras of the Rig Veda, the earliest and most revered Hindu scripture, in the sense of first having the mantras revealed in his mind by the Supreme Brahman...
built the temple in the last Treta
Treta Yuga
Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of mankind, in the religion of Hinduism, and follows the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and precedes the Dvapara Yuga. The most famous events in this yuga were Lord Vishnu's fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations as Vamana, Parashurama and...
yuga
Yuga
Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is...
around the Swayambhu
Swayambhu
Swayambhu means Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.-Vaishnavism:Based on details in Bhagavata Purana and Matsya Purana, Narayana or Krishna is said to be the Self-manifested Swayambhu form of Brahman as the first cause of creation...
Linga and hence it has this name. The 'Nagals' were said to have ruled the region at that time. The region has been historically known for Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and the first Kalachakra
Kalachakra
Kalachakra is a Sanskrit term used in Tantric Buddhism that literally means "time-wheel" or "time-cycles".The spelling Kalacakra is also correct....
ceremony performed by Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
himself.
Sitanagaram
Sitanagaram is a small town and an ancient site located in the District of Guntur in East-Coast part of India. It is 18 miles north of Guntur City on the bank of River Krishna near Vijayawada...
and the Guthikonda Caves are referred in the ancient texts (Vedic puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
) going back to the Treta
Treta Yuga
Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of mankind, in the religion of Hinduism, and follows the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and precedes the Dvapara Yuga. The most famous events in this yuga were Lord Vishnu's fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations as Vamana, Parashurama and...
yuga
Yuga
Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is...
and Dwapara yuga
Yuga
Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is...
(traditional time scale). Also check Timeline of Guntur
Timeline of Guntur
This gives a timeline of major and important events that took place in the Guntur region of India.In India history has been kept for thousands of years mainly through the culture, traditions, the science of Vedas and Puranas. The traditional time scale is clearly defined in Yugas cycles. The two...
.
Modern Guntur
With the advent of the Europeans the city has attained national and international significance. The French shifted their headquarters from Kondavid Fort to here in 1752, probably because of the ample availability of water due to the two large tanks. This settlement formed the nucleus of the modern city.Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
and Haidar Ali too ruled the town till it came under the British in 1788. It was made the headquarters of a district named after it that was abolished in 1859, only to be reconstituted in 1904. The city rapidly became a major market for agricultural produce from the hinterland due to the opening of the railway link in 1890. The expansion continued post independence as well and was concentrated in what is now called "New Guntur". The current size of the city has an inner radius of about 6 miles (9.7 km). The City-region comprises the surrounding suburban and rural areas spanning in all the directions. New townships are mushrooming in these areas and it is considered as the fourth largest city in the state.
Geography
- Guntur Plains: Guntur is located at 16.20°N 80.27°E. It has an average elevation of 33 metres (108 ft) and situated on the plains. There are a few hills in the surrounding suburban areas. The city is located around 40 miles (64.4 km) to the west of the Bay of BengalBay of BengalThe Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
on the east coast of India. The KrishnaKrishna RiverThe Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
Delta lies partly in Guntur districtGuntur districtGuntur district is located in Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of Bay of Bengal. The district has a coastline of around 100 kilometers. Guntur City is the largest city in the district and administrative center of Guntur District. The district is a major center for learning.-Etymology:There are...
. There are other smaller rivers and channels in the region such as Guntur Channel, Chandravanka, Naagileru, Guntur Branch Canal etc. - As quoted in NASA's website "it is typical of the wider deltas along the southeast coast of India (known as the Coromandel CoastCoromandel CoastThe Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...
). The braided stream channels, broad floodplain, and extensive sandbars suggest that this part of the Krishna River flows through relatively flat terrain and carries a substantial amount of sediment, especially during the monsoon season." Image Website of NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
of the Guntur City and District/Region of India. With the ocean on the top portion of the image, the actual location of the city is on the bottom right side portion of the image. - Rain storms and hurricanes are common in the region during the rainy season, which starts with the monsoons in early June. The hurricanes could occur any time of the year, but commonly between May and November.
- Also check Guntur City Region on Wiki-Maps.
Demographics
As of the 2010 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Guntur had a population of 11,74,591. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Guntur has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 62%. 11% of the population in the city is under 6 years of age.
The region extends over an area of 11.68 sq. miles, while its population was about 25,000 by 1866 census and 30,183 by 1902 census. By the 1961 census, Guntur had a population of 187,122. It has grown about six times in its size during these 60 years. Currently the city is estimated to have population of around 12,00,000 with Urban Agglomeration.
Culture and diversity
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
)
and its principles (Sarvē Janā Sukhinō Bhavantu), the Guntur Region had a place for all religions, castes, sects and creeds. Guntur is known for its diverse culture. One of the purportedly lost tribes of IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
called Bene Ephraim
Bene Ephraim
The Bene Ephraim, also called Telugu Jews because they speak Telugu, are a small community of Jews living primarily in Kottareddipalem, a village outside Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India, near the delta of the River Krishna....
, has a presence in Guntur, with even a Jewish synagogue. Religious faiths such as Islam and Christianity lead a harmonious, peaceful existence.
Language and Festivals
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
is the main language of communication in the city while Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
is the other widely spoken language. One of the earliest/purest forms of Telugu language can be noticed in this region. The famous Mahakavi Tikkana
Tikkana
Tikkana was born into a family of Shaivite family during the Golden Age of the Kakatiya dynasty. He was the second poet of the "Trinity of Poets " that translated Mahabharatamu into Telugu over a period of centuries. Nannaya Bhattaraka was the first, though he translated only two and a half...
(Telugu: తిక్కన్న) (1205–1288) was from this region.
Almost all the Muslims in the city speak Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
as their mother tongue, though they are fluent in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
. The culture is vibrant with many festivals (that have been celebrated over thousands of years). Those festivals observed in Guntur with great pomp and splendour are: Deepavali, Krishna-Ashtami
Krishna Janmaashtami
Krishna Janmashtami , also known as Krishnashtami, Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree Jayanthi or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, an avatar of the god Vishnu.Krishna Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami...
, Rama Navami
Rama Navami
Ram Navami also known as Sri Ram Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Ram is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. Years later Lord Rama was married to Sita on the...
, Sankranti
Sankranti
Sankranthi means transmigration of Sun from one Rāshi to the other. Hence there are 12 such Sankrantis in all.* Makara Sankaranti: or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of...
, Sivaratri
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivarathri is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha of the month of Maagha or Phalguna...
, Ugadi
Ugadi
Yugadi or Ugadi or "Samvatsradi" , Konkani/Marathi: युगादी yugādi, , formed by sandhi of yuga "age" and ādi "beginning": the beginning of an age) is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar...
, Vijaya Dasami
Vijayadashami
Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal and Bangladesh...
, Vinayaka-Chaviti
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival...
, Ekadasi
Ekadashi
Ekadashi , also spelled as Ekadasi, is the eleventh lunar day of the shukla or krishna paksha of every lunar month in the Hindu calendar . In Hinduism and Jainism it is considered a spiritually beneficial day...
, Karthika Purnima
Kartik Poornima
Kartik Poornima is a Hindu holy day celebrated on the full moon day or the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik . It is also known as Tripuri poornima and Tripurari Poornima. It is sometimes called Deva-Diwali or Deva-Deppawali - the festival of lights of the gods...
. Also, noticeable are festivals introduced before a few centuries, including Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
, Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. The 30th International Kalachakra
Kalachakra
Kalachakra is a Sanskrit term used in Tantric Buddhism that literally means "time-wheel" or "time-cycles".The spelling Kalacakra is also correct....
festival was held at Amaravati near Guntur.
City lifestyle
The city's lifestyle has a mixture of both urban and rural with some cosmopolitan element. Like any typical Indian city, the majority of the population is from middle class and lower middle class families. With a reasonable cost of living and most basic amenities readily available, the city attracts people from other regions. Guntur is known for its fusion of traditional Indian and Western cultures. Guntur's residents wear both Indian style and Western style clothing. The common traditional clothing for women is a Saree, Salwar and for men formally, a Dhovathi or PanchaDhoti
The dhoti or pancha is the traditional men's garment in the in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A similar garment is worn in some rural areas of Punjab province in Pakistan, but the use is fast declining...
.
Cotton-Tobacco-Chilli city
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
. The Tobacco Board, India, a part of the Government of India, is headquartered in Guntur. The chillies that are grown in this region are some of the hottest in the world, and are in constant competition with chillies from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
for first place. One of the first of its kind, a global 'Spice Park' is currently being setup in the area. The cotton that grows in the region is used in making some of the finest sarees
Sari
A sari or sareeThe name of the garment in various regional languages include: , , , , , , , , , , , , , is a strip of unstitched cloth, worn by females, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,...
in India.
Industrialisation
The industrial development in the Guntur Region is of medium scale. On a positive note, the region has minimal industrial and related pollutionPollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
as compared to major cities in the country. It has a large skilled and educated workforce. Some of the industries in the area are: textile mills
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
/handloom, silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
, Sangam Dairy, Cement, Chemical and Biotechnology, Andhra Fertilizers, jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
mills, granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
industries, diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
and other ore processing (Hindustan Zinc Limited), Auto-Nagar and software/IT Companies. A Textile Hub is being developed on the southwestern side of the city, and the government is also encouraging the setting up of new industries. Another ongoing project is a 850 crore IT park in Guntur outskirts. Possible future plans include a large scale Biotechnology Park, as well as a Knowledge Park.
Farming and Vegetation
- Farm landsPaddy fieldA paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
The Guntur region is one of the most fertile areas in India. With the River Krishna
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
flowing to the north of the district, the area has many farmlands and paddy fields growing wide varieties of rice, other food grains, and other various crops. The Guntur Branch Canal (GBC) and other smaller rivers serve water to the farmlands in the region.
- Afforestation, Green Guntur
A social forestry project for Guntur is on the anvil to make the region greener; Guntur, (since only about 35% of the forest in the district has survived as per available statistics, a common issue throughout India). The government is closely working with other corporates in meeting the goals. As a part of this Green Guntur project, one crore saplings have been planted in the city. The city's UDA is also developing many medium and large scale parks throughout the city.
Ports and Shore points
Located about 40 miles (64.4 km) from the city's urban area, the region has abundant coastline for trade, transport, and tourism. Though the exports from Guntur region mainly depend on Chennai harbour, there is a push to bring back one of its shore points as a harbour, with a chemical park also under consideration.- The Port City Complex in Guntur District/Nizampatnam Harbour
A port city to be built near Nizampatnam
Nizampatnam
Nizampatnam, also known as Petapolly , is a seaport town in Andhra Pradesh state of southern India. Nizampatnam is located in Guntur District, of which it is a mandal, in the delta of the Krishna River, which empties into the Bay of Bengal...
in Guntur District. This is part of a major renovation of the Nizampatnam
Nizampatnam
Nizampatnam, also known as Petapolly , is a seaport town in Andhra Pradesh state of southern India. Nizampatnam is located in Guntur District, of which it is a mandal, in the delta of the Krishna River, which empties into the Bay of Bengal...
Harbour. The development of this harbour will enable the Guntur region to be a major port player, with direct access to exports and imports to, around the world Projects Today,Yahoo News.
- Suryalanka BeachSuryalanka BeachSuryalanka Beach is located 9 km from Bapatla in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. It is located 50 km south of Guntur City. Also known as the Bapatla Beach, it draws a large number of visitors on weekends and holidays.- About :...
near BapatlaBapatlaBapatla, formerly known as Bhavapuri, is a town and mandal of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south of Guntur City on the East Coast.-Assembly constituency:Bapatla is an assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh....
Suryalanka is a tourist shore point 35 miles (56.3 km) south of Guntur City, with all desirable features of a sea shore. It is complete with balmy beaches and world-class resorts. This is one of the top tourism places in the area.
- Guntur Container Terminal near MarripalemMarripalemMarripalem is an area and railway station in Visakhapatnam city, Andhra Pradesh, India. Ordinary trains halt at that station, but express trains do not stop. In fall of 1993, express train '489' caboose drive did not stop and caused death rates even worse than tobacco and cancer combined....
Guntur Container Terminal is a ICD (Inland Container Depot) Facilitating port operations in Guntur Region. It is a port facility, which has been brought into Guntur for the benefit of the trade.
Roadways
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
highway, Guntur—Nagarjuna Sagar—Hyderabad highway (which can take to other major routes like Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
) and the Guntur— Vinukonda
Vinukonda
Vinukonda is a town in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It had a population of 52,830 at the time of the 2001 Census. Local mythology holds a hill nearby as the place where Rama was informed of his wife Sita's abduction. The name therefore literally translates to "Hearing Hill". It is also...
- Kurnool
Kurnool
Kurnool is located at . It has an average elevation of 273 metres .Kurnool lies on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. The Handry and Neeva rivers also flow through the city. The K.C...
- Bellary
Bellary
Bellary is a historic city in Bellary District in Karnataka state, India.-Origins of the city's name:There are several legends about how Bellary got its name....
highway. Within the city the traffic primarily flows using the inner, outer ring-roads, few bridges, main roads. Many intersections have innovative traffic signals and video cameras to control and monitor the traffic. Common modes of road transport within the city are cars, motorcycles, buses, and auto-rickshaws; antique pedal rickshaws can still be seen. The city is also a major part of the 60,000 crore Golden Quadrilateral
Golden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral is a highway network connecting India's four largest metropolises: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, thus forming a quadrilateral of sorts. Four other top ten metropolises: Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Surat, are also served by the network...
system, a national transportation project that has recently been completed.
Railways
Guntur division
Guntur Railway Division is one of the six divisions of South Central Railway , a zone of the Indian Railways. SCR has its head quarters at Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh and serves almost the whole of the state of Andhra Pradesh, a large part of Maharashtra along with small portions of Madhya...
) and a major transit point of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
System. All four metro cities and most state capitals can be accessed through this transit point. Proposed Greater Guntur has the following stations: the Main Station (near Arundelpet and Railpet) and the others at Nallapadu, University-Center(Namburu), New Guntur
New Guntur
New Guntur is the newer Region of Guntur, a City located in the East Coast region of India. As the City developed to its North, East it has formed into three different regions: Old Guntur, Guntur and New Guntur. New Guntur has its own Train transit point, part of Indian Railways .....
(Reddipalem). Two other major transit points close to Guntur are: Tenali
Tenali
Tenali , is a town and a mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It has a population of 149,839 . It is located 16 miles east of Guntur City. Three canals of the Krishna River flow through Tenali making it a part of the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. One of the canals is...
and Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
with a future plan of running suburban trains in the suburban region. The Indian Railways is one of the most convenient and efficient systems of commute for the people throughout India.
Air travel
The closest major airport is located at Hyderabad (4.5 hours travel). A local airport at Vijayawada-Guntur (GannavaramGannavaram
Gannavaram is a town and a mandal headquarter located in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is situated at a distance of 20 kilometers from the city of Vijayawada on National Highway 5 connecting Chennai to Kolkata. Gannavaram is known for its airport and weather reporting...
) offers daily flights to Hyderabad, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
City. There is a proposal to build a more practical airport to the south-west of Guntur City.
Academics/education and research
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
and graduate programs in India. The Acharya Nagarjuna University is one of the largest universities in the country, and covers various institutions from 3 districts. There are a number of graduate schools, colleges, and high schools providing basic and higher education (agricultural, arts, bio-med, engineering, management, medical, nursing, pharmaceutical, sciences, technology) in the region. The Guntur Institute of Medical Sciences
Guntur Institute of Medical Sciences
Guntur Institute of Medical Sciences/Guntur Medical College is a premier Medical Institute in India. It is one of the Medical Colleges in Guntur, offering both graduate and under-graduate courses in Medical Sciences. It is located in the heart of the city of Guntur, India.The college is currently...
is one of many premier institutes in the city region. The Vedic University
Vedic university
There are many institutions called Vedic University:* The Vedic University of Guntur District* TTD Vedic University...
near Guntur specializes in the teaching of Vedic Sciences, other related philosophies, and the Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
.
- Acharya Nagarjuna UniversityAcharya Nagarjuna UniversityAcharya Nagarjuna University is one of the Universities located in the region of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the major universities in the country covering many colleges and institutes of different districts in the region...
ANU, Vignan UniversityVignan UniversityVignan University is a private university in the Guntur district Andhra Pradesh, India. It is in the rural area of Vadlamudi, on the southeastern part of Guntur City, a major centre with several colleges preparing students towards prominent entrance exams.... - Vedic UniversityVedic universityThere are many institutions called Vedic University:* The Vedic University of Guntur District* TTD Vedic University...
at Sitanagaram Jeeyar Educational Trust - Medical Colleges: Guntur Medical College/GIMS, NRI Academy of Medical SciencesNRI Academy of Medical SciencesNRI Academy of Medical Sciences is the first medical academy in Andhra Pradesh, India started by NRIs. It is one of the medical colleges in Guntur District, offering graduate and undergraduate courses in medical sciences. It is located in Chinna Kakani; nearby cities are Guntur and Vijayawada...
, KMCKaturi Medical CollegeKaturi Medical College is one of the medical colleges in Guntur, India, offering graduate and undergraduate courses in Medical Sciences. It is located in the suburban area of Guntur City on the south-west.-Departments:...
. - Engineering Colleges: RVR&JC, GECGuntur Engineering CollegeGuntur Engineering College is one of the engineering colleges in Guntur, offering Bachelor courses in Engineering, Technology and Masters in Business Administration. It is located in the west suburban region of Guntur City, India...
,LITAM, NIET, NEC, KLCKoneru Lakshmaiah College of EngineeringK L University, officially Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, formerly Koneru Lakshmaiah College of Engineering is a Deemed university located in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India...
, BEC,SCREC, TECTenali Engineering CollegeTenali Engineering College is located near Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, India, offering Bachelor's of Engineering courses affiliated to world renowned and recognized and approved by All India Council for Technical Education AICTE...
,CIET http://chalapathiengg.ac.in/. - Legacy: Andhra-Christian CollegeAndhra-Christian CollegeAndhra-Christian College, popularly known as AC College, is one of the oldest colleges in India. AC College is part of the educational enterprise of the Protestant churches...
, Hindu-College. - Hundreds of high schools/colleges (providing basic & higher education) e.g.:AMAndhra Muslim CollegeAndhra Muslim College, founded in 19??, is located in Guntur City, India. It is offers Graduate and Under-Graduate Courses. It is recognized by the Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur....
,AS,CP,TJ,JKC etc. - Agricultural Research Center, Lam of ANGRAU http://www.angrau.net/
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Lam
- Regional Station of Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) http://www.ctri.org.in/
- Indian Tobacco Board http://www.indiantobacco.com
City Affairs
Local Cuisine
Aavakaaya
Aavakaaya is a variety of Indian pickle popular in South India with its origin in Andhra Pradesh. The main ingredients are mangoes and aavalu and a combination of other spices used for pickling.-Preparation:...
pickle, gongura
Gongura
Gongura , a relative of the Roselle, is an edible plant grown in India.-Culinary Information:Gongura pacchadi is quintessentially Telugu cuisine along with pacchadi . While it has many culinary uses, the most popular is the pickled version...
pickle, with traditional Andhra style meals and common breakfast items such as Idli, dosa
Dosa
Dosa or Dhosai is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is indigenous to and is a staple dish in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as being popular in Sri Lanka...
and puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
. There are many top quality Hotels that offer varieties of food items (from several regions of India). The common masala stands, jilebi push-carts, sugar cane juice sellers can be noticed in every corner of the city. There are also International Fast Food and pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
outlets. The city has many star class lodgings, inns and hotels.
Market
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
, Seethaphalam, and Dosakai. Global retail chain Walmart has started a store in the city .
Entertainment and events
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
and theatrical events too have their presence in the city. The Guntur Nataka Rangam, Guntur Cultural Association are premier organizations in the state that promote and conduct theatrical events. During early summer season there are festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s and fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
s that take place in the city, many types of rides, shows, novelties and food. There are numerous places of interest and parks in and around the city/district for entertainment, culture, and history. Suryalanka is the closest beach/shore-point for the city. There are also many shopping malls that have come up in the city area.
Infrastructure and media
Guntur's infrastructure includes state-of-the-art technologies such as broadband Internet and multimedia for applications such as news, education and other forms of information. News sources, in Telugu, such as Eenadu,Vaartha and those in English, such as The Hindu (newspaper), Indian Express, Deccan Chronicle are widely used. Many newspaper headquarters are located within the city. Cable TV news has become another common mode for news information.Health care
Kugler Hospital
Both the leases of this great Christian Mission Hospital in Guntur have been challenged in Guntur District Courts. The hospital has not been functioning because of the two leases since...
, St. Joseph Hospital are just a few of the many premier hospitals in the region. A new medical facility VIMS http://www.viswaguru.com is established at Viswanagar to serve the people in the rural areas that are to the south and west of the city.
Local governance, The GMC
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
(IAS). The MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, MLAs, Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, corporators constitute the local elected officials. Initiatives such as E-Governance are being put in place to reduce red-tapism, thereby enabling transparency in administration. The Guntur Municipal Corporation is among the select cities (4) across the world where an ‘eco-budget’ is being implemented.
Law and order
Guntur district
Guntur district is located in Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of Bay of Bengal. The district has a coastline of around 100 kilometers. Guntur City is the largest city in the district and administrative center of Guntur District. The district is a major center for learning.-Etymology:There are...
). The High Court was in Guntur briefly after the separation from the erstwhile Madras State
Madras State
Madras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
, which was later moved to the current state capital after the formation of AP. There is a pending plan to create a High Court bench at Guntur, covering for the coastal districts. Guntur also hosts one of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
recruitment and training centres. Suryalanka of Guntur Region has an airbase of the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
.
Tourism & places of interest
- Uppalapadu Nature ConservationUppalapaduUppalapadu is a village near Guntur City, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is also a reputed bird sanctuary..- Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary :...
(Guntur city Rural, 4 miles S) Endangered bird species.
- Amaravathi, BhattiproluBhattiproluBhattiprolu is a small village in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh State in Southern India.-History:The original name of Bhattiprolu was Pratipalapura, a flourishing Buddhist town in the ancient Sala kingdom that predated Andhra Satavahanas. From available inscriptional evidence, King Kuberaka...
, ChebroluChebroluChebrolu, or Chebrole , is a town and a Mandal in Guntur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India, located at . It is a major panchayat comprising three villages, Chebrolu, Pathareddypalem and Kothareddypalem and is the mandal headquarters. It was a regional fort for the Pallava, Chalukyas...
(Guntur Rural/District, 15 miles) Ancient Relics.
- Downtown, City: (Guntur city, District): Parks, city-centers, Theme Parks.
- Kondaveedu Fort: (Guntur city/Rural, 8 miles W) Ancient fort and temple structures.
- KotappakondaKotappakondaKotappakonda is a holy town, situated in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The town is close to Narasaraopet and Chilakaluripet. It is famous for temple dedicated to Lord Siva which was constructed on a hill of about 1000 steps. The hill appears with 3 peaks in any direction so also called...
: (Guntur District. 25 miles S-W) Ancient temple and mountainous region.
- MangalagiriMangalagiriMangalagiri is a town, and a mandal of Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. Mangalagiri is a part of Vijayawada urban agglomeration. It is situated on the Guntur-Vijayawada road, to the south-east of Vijayawada and to the north-east of Guntur City.-History:Mangalagiri means 'The holy hill'...
: (Guntur District, 12 miles N-E) Ancient temple.
- Nagarjuna Sagar DamNagarjuna Sagar DamNagarjuna Sagar Dam is the world's largest masonry dam built across Krishna River in Nagarjuna Sagar, Nalgonda District of Andhra Pradesh, India, between 1955 and 1967. The dam contains the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir with a capacity of up to 11,472 million cubic metres. The dam is . tall and...
, Ethipothala FallsEthipothala FallsEthipothala Falls is a high river cascade, situated on the Chandravanka river, a tributary of River Krishna. The waterfall is a combination of three streams namely Chandravanka Vagu, Nakkala Vagu and Tummala Vagu. It is situated about from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. The river the joins the main river...
: (Guntur District) Largest dam and water falls.
- PonnurPonnurPonnur is an urban town and a municipality located 28 k.m. south of Guntur City in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India.-Demographics: India census, Ponnuru had a population of 57,640. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Ponnur has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher...
: (Guntur District, 25 miles S) Ancient temples with monolithic statues.
- Prakasam Barrage: (Guntur District, 18 miles E) Bridge and Barrage across river Krishna.
- SitanagaramSitanagaramSitanagaram is a small town and an ancient site located in the District of Guntur in East-Coast part of India. It is 18 miles north of Guntur City on the bank of River Krishna near Vijayawada...
: (Guntur District, 16 miles N-E) Very ancient site related to Ramayanam.
- Sringeri Mutt: (Guntur city/Sampath Nagar) Spiritual Center, encompasses within its complex many temples.
- Undavalli cavesUndavalli cavesThe Undavalli Caves , an example of Indian rock-cut architecture and a finest testimonial of ancient vishwakarma sthapathis, are located in the village of Undavalli in Tadepalli Mandal in Guntur District, near the southern bank of Krishna river, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.The caves are...
: (Guntur District, 15 miles E) Ancient Caves. - Viswa Nagar: (Guntur City/Rural, 8 miles S-W) Spiritual center.
Sports and stadia
The city has hosted several national and international level sporting events for various sports. It is one of the places in India to host the International Grandmaster ChessChess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
tournaments. Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
is the most common and well followed sporting event, there are other sports such as kabbadi, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
hosted regularly. Following is a list of stadiums in and around the city.
- Brahmananda Reddy Stadium
- Tennis clubs
- Gunta Ground
- NTR Stadium, Brindavan Gardens
- Police Parade Ground
- Prakasam Stadium
- Public Works Department Ground
- Zilla Parishad
- Krishna Cricket Academy
- International Cricket Stadium (Upcoming near Mangalagiri)
Trivia
- MicaMicaThe mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
(Abhrakam in Telugu/Sanskrit) was first discovered around 2200 years ago in the Guntur region, believed to be by the Great Philosopher Acharya NagarjunaNagarjunaNāgārjuna was an important Buddhist teacher and philosopher. Along with his disciple Āryadeva, he is credited with founding the Mādhyamaka school of Mahāyāna Buddhism...
. - Pierre Jules Cesar JanssenPierre Jules César JanssenPierre Jules César Janssen , usually known in French as Jules Janssen, was a French astronomer who, along with the English scientist Joseph Norman Lockyer, is credited with discovering the gas helium....
(1824–1907) discovered the existence of HeliumHeliumHelium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
in the Sun, while watching a complete solar eclipse in Guntur, in 1868. The unusual length of the eclipse, about ten minutes, had attracted many scientists from all over the world. - The only Indian family on the Titanic was from Guntur.
- Jinnah tower, a commemorative tower for Pakistan's founder Muhammed Ali Jinnah is unique to Guntur in the whole of South Asia.
- The 30th KalachakraKalachakraKalachakra is a Sanskrit term used in Tantric Buddhism that literally means "time-wheel" or "time-cycles".The spelling Kalacakra is also correct....
International Festival took place at Amaravathi of Guntur in the presence of the Dalai Lama during January 2006. - Guntur is one of the major textile hubs and a major business district in India.
- The name of a dormant volcano near Guntur City is MangalagiriMangalagiriMangalagiri is a town, and a mandal of Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. Mangalagiri is a part of Vijayawada urban agglomeration. It is situated on the Guntur-Vijayawada road, to the south-east of Vijayawada and to the north-east of Guntur City.-History:Mangalagiri means 'The holy hill'...
, which is believed to be kept under control through traditional means. People pour a sweet liquid known as Panakam (Jaggery Water) and it said to please the gods. - Guntur is home to World's Famous diamonds such Hope DiamondHope DiamondThe Hope Diamond, also known as "Le bleu de France" or "Le Bijou du Roi", is a large, , deep-blue diamond, now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. It is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but exhibits red...
(Now in National Museum of Natural HistoryNational Museum of Natural HistoryThe National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....
, Washington, D.C., USA) and Kohinoor diamond.
See also
- Timeline of GunturTimeline of GunturThis gives a timeline of major and important events that took place in the Guntur region of India.In India history has been kept for thousands of years mainly through the culture, traditions, the science of Vedas and Puranas. The traditional time scale is clearly defined in Yugas cycles. The two...
- Vedic Civilization/List of Hinduism-related topics, List of Buddhist topics.
- Education in GunturEducation in GunturGuntur is one of the early cities to provide higher education and graduate programs in India. The Acharya Nagarjuna University is one of the largest universities in the country, covers various institutes from 3 districts...
, Guntur CoastGuntur CoastGuntur Coast is the coastal region of Guntur District. It is on the east coast region of India. The length of the Guntur coast line is around 100KM.- Introduction :...
, Guntur TourismGuntur TourismThis Article gives the Tourism and Destination in Guntur City and its region/district. Also Check the Guntur Tourism Category at the end of this section below.-Ancient & Archaeological:* Amaravathi, Bhattiprolu...
, Transportation in GunturTransportation in GunturThere are various modes of transportation available in Guntur City and its region. Its 1.1 million population uses transportation vehicles ranging from Auto Rickshaws, Bi-Cycles to mass transit systems such as Buses and Trains. -Roads and Bridges:...
, People from GunturPeople from GunturThis gives a rough list of People of importance from the Guntur City and its Region/District in the last 2200 years. Some of these have international, national recognition and many other with local importance.- Medieval :...
.