India /Andra pradesh /Guntur /Guntur

Guntur is a city that is located in the Guntur District in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Guntur is located 64 km from the Bay of Bengal and has good access to most of the major cities in the State. Guntur is a well developed city and it is considered a center for learning. There are many monuments such as the Amaravati, Sitanagaram and Bhattiprolu that can be seen in Guntur. Guntur is known as major center for textiles and transportation. Guntur and the nearby areas have many Buddhist influences and it is said that Buddha performed the first Kalachakra in this region. The earliest known rulers of Guntur are thought to be the Pratipulapra Kings. There are many references to Guntur in some of the ancient Sanskrit texts. Guthikonda caves and Stinagaram are some of the interesting places to visit in the Guntur region. They are believed to be old and there are references to them in Vedic Puranas. Hyder Ali and the Nizam of Hyderabad ruled the city before the European colonial powers arrived in Guntur. Guntur was the French capital for a brief while. The city has a mix of urban and regional life style and there are many resorts that are located a short distance from the Guntur city. Climatic conditions in Guntur are extremely hot and the temperatures are very high during the summer season. Guntur experiences weather conditions that are similar to other parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Quick Facts-Edit

Category : Temples

Time Zone: UTC + 5:30 Hours

Pincode: 5220xx

STD Code: 863

Info Website: guntur.nic.in/

Best Time to Visit:  October – March

HistoryEdit

Guntur stands in the plains and is surrounded by a rocky hills and is covered by scrub jungle. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Siva. The deity is called Kapotheswara, after the famous story of Sibi mentioned in the Mahabharata, where, he is said to have sacrificed a part of his own body, as an offering to an eagle, which was pursuing a pigeon or a Kapotha, in order to save it from destruction. This story is a renowned one not only, in Hindu mythology, but also in the Buddhist Jataka tales, which give us the lives of Siddhartha, the Buddha, in his previous Janmas. The Sibi Jataka is as hoary and sacred to the Buddhist, as an embodiment of ‘Saranagata vatsala, ‘as Sibi Chakravarti is to the Hindu, as a supreme symbol of Raja Dharma’ which enjoins a king to protect the refugee even at the cost of his own life. This is probably the only temple in the whole of India dedicated to Lord Siva as Kapotheswara.

Places to VisitAdd

How to ReachEdit

By Air : The nearest international airport is located in Hyderabad which is around 4.5 hours away from the city. There are taxis that are available from the Hyderabad Airport to Guntur. Taxis charge around Rs 2500 for the trip. Prepaid taxis are the best option from the airport.

By Train : There are frequent train services from all the metros and Guntur is one of the main stations in the State. Guntur railway station is a transit point for many trains and there are regular train services from most of the State capitals as well. Auto rickshaws are available from the railway station and they are good way to reach the various places in the city. Prices are negotiable and they may not run on meter.

By BUS : Guntur is well connected to cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and many other places through National Highways. There are buses from Hyderabad to Guntur on a daily basis and they are a good option. Private operatoRs charge around Rs 300 for non A/C buses.

By Taxi : Guntur is well connected by a road network and national Highway. The tourist can reach to Guntur by taxi. The normal Indian taxi charges of Rupees 8 to 20 will be charged for each km.

By Other : N.A.

Top HotelsAdd

Budget  – Up to Rs. 800

• Hotel Geetha Residency ; D No:6-4-70, 4th Ln, Arundelpet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522002 ; Ph – 0863 221 9101 ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Air conditioning, Conference facilities, Laundry, Parking, Bus Parking, Banquet facilities.

Economy – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200

• Sindoori Hotel ; 4/7, Brodipet, 4th Ln, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522002 ; Ph – 0863 225 4233 ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, Air conditioning, Laundry, Parking, 24-Hour Security, Indoor Parking, Doctor on call.

Deluxe – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200

• Nagarjuna Grand Hotel ; Arundelpet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522002.; Ph – N.A. ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Air conditioning, Conference facilities, Laundry, Parking, Doctor on call.

Luxury – Rs. 2501 and above

• Hotel Vajrams Residency ; Brodipet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. ; Ph – 0863 232 7979 ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Air conditioning, Laundry, Parking, Doctor on call.

Top RestaurantsAdd

• Anwar Restaurant ;  12th Ln, Arundelpet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522601. ; M –  0863 233 3339 ; Food Serve :  N.A.

• Teenega Restaurant ;  Gardens-Vidya Nagar, Brindavan Gardens, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522006. ; M –  N.A. ; Food Serve :  N.A.

• Viceroy Biryani Point ;  4th Ln, Arundelpet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522002. ; M –  0863 223 2140 ; Food Serve :  N.A.

Must Eat FoodAdd 

Must Do ActivitiesAdd 

Must ShopAdd 

Nightlife (Pub / Disc / BAR)Add

SpaAdd

FestivalAdd

Pongal ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  January ; Details:  One of the most awaited events in Guntur and all over the state, Pongal is celebrated with great passion and vigour. The term Pongal signifies sweet dish of rice which is eaten on the Pongal festival day. Jaggery, Cardamom and cashew nuts are also included in this dish for the celebration. The local people dedicate this dish to God Surya, the Sun God. It is one of the most imperative and well known festivals held in the month of mid January every year.

Ugadi ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  April ; Details:  Ugadi is a famous festival in Andhra Pradesh. It is considered as New Year’s Day in Andhra culture and also known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Ganesh Chaturthi ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  August-September ; Details:  Ganesh Chaturthi is another famous festival of the town. This festival is held in the months of August-September and is one of the famous festivals in Guntur. It is celebrated with immense passion.

Safety / WarningEdit

• Beware of pickpockets as Guntur is a major tourist city in India.

HelplineEdit

• Ambulance : 102
• Fire Brigade : 101
• Police : 100

ItineraryEdit

N.A.

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