Guntur district
District
Clockwise from top-left: Lakshmi Narasimha Temple in Mangalagiri, Annamayya Library, Vaikuntapuram temple in Tenali, Chuttugunta centre in Guntur, Flyover in Pedavadlapudi
Location of Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh
Coordinates (Guntur): 16°18′N 80°27′E / 16.300°N 80.450°E / 16.300; 80.450
Country	India
State	Andhra Pradesh
Region	Coastal Andhra
Headquarters	Guntur
Mandals	18
Government
• District collector	Sri M.Venu Gopal Reddy, IAS
• Lok Sabha constituencies	Guntur
• MP	Pemmasani Chandrasekhar
• Assembly constituencies	07
Area
• Total	2,443 km2 (943 sq mi)
• Urban	130.3 km2 (50.3 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	2,091,075
• Density	860/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
• Urban	1,012,331
Demographics
• Literacy	67.40%
• Sex ratio	1003
Vehicle registration	AP-07 (former) AP39 (from 30 January 2019)[1]
Major highways	NH-16
Website	guntur.ap.gov.in

Guntur district is one of the twenty six districts in the Coastal Andhra region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The administrative seat of the district is located at Guntur, the largest city of the district in terms of area and with a population of 670,073.^[2] It has a coastline of approximately 100 km (62 mi) on the right bank of Krishna River, that separates it from Krishna district and NTR district. It is bounded on the south by Bapatla district and on the west by Palnadu district.^[3] It has an area of 2,443 km² (943 sq mi), with a population of 20,91,075, as per 2011 census of India.^[4][5]

The district is often referred to as the Land of Chillies.^[6] It is also a major centre for agriculture, education and learning. It exports large quantities of chillies and tobacco.^[7]

Etymology

The district derives its name from its district headquarters, Guntur.^[8]

There are several opinions on the meaning and origin of the word Guntur. The word owes its origin to words like gundu (a rock), gunta (a pond) and kunta (1/3 of an acre). In Sanskrit Guntur is called Garthapuri (Guntlapuri).

The earliest reference to Guntur, a variant of Guntur, comes from the Idern plates of Ammaraja I (922-929 AD) of the Chalukyas of Vengi. Guntur also appears in another two inscriptions dated 1147 AD and 1158 AD.^{[citation needed]}

History

The original Sanskrit name (ancient Vedic culture) for Guntur was Garthapuri. The 'Agasthyeswara Sivalayam' in the old city of Guntur is an ancient temple for Siva.^{[citation needed]} It has inscriptions on two stones in 'Naga Lipi' (ancient script). It is said that Agastya built the temple in the last Treta Yuga around the Swayambhu Linga and hence the name. The 'Nagas' were said to have ruled the region. The place of Sitanagaram and the Guthikonda Caves can be traced (through Vedic Puranas) back to the traditional timescale Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga.^{[citation needed]} Guntur District is home to the second oldest evidence of human habitation in India, in the form of Palaeolithic (old Stone Age) implements. Ancient history can be traced from the time of Sala kings who ruled during the 5th century BCE. The earliest reference to Guntur, a variant of Guntur, comes from the Idern plates of Ammaraja I (922–929 CE), the Vengi Chalukyan King. Guntur also appears in two inscriptions dated 1147 and 1158 CE. ^{[citation needed]}

Since the beginning of Buddhist time, Guntur stood in the forefront in matters of culture, education and civilisation. Gautama Buddha preached at Dharanikota/Dhanyakatakam near Guntur and conducted Kalachakra ceremony, which takes its antiquity to 500 BCE.^[10] Taranatha, a Buddhist monk writes: "On the full moon of the month Chaitra in the year following his enlightenment, at the great stupa of Dhanyakataka, the Buddha emanated the mandala of "The Glorious Lunar Mansions" (Kalachakra).^[11] Buddhists established universities in ancient times at Dhanyakataka and Amaravathi. Scores of Buddhist stupas were excavated in the villages of Guntur district. Acharya Nagarjuna, an influential Buddhist philosopher taught at Nagarjunakonda and is said to have discovered Mica in 200 BCE. Chinese traveller and Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) visited Amaravati in 640 C.E., stayed for sometime and studied 'Abhidhammapitakam'. He observed that there were many Viharas and some of them were deserted, which points out that Hinduism was gaining ground at that time. Xuanzang wrote a glorious account of the place, Viharas and monasteries that existed.^[12]

Guntur was successively ruled by famous dynasties such as the Satavahanas, Andhra Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Ananda Gotrikas, Vishnukundina, Kota Vamsa, Chalukyas, Cholas, Kakatiyas, Musunuris, Reddys, Vijayanagara and Qutb Shahis during ancient and medieval times. The famous battle of Palnadu which is enshrined in legend and literature as Palnati Yuddham was fought in Guntur district in 1180 CE.^{[citation needed]}

Qutb Shahis, Nizams and later

During the 16th century Guntur became part of the Mughal empire. In 1579 Khasa Rayarao, a Deshastha Brahmin who was the Commander-in-Chief of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah captured Kondaveedu Fort. After that, Khasa Rayarao was made the Governor of the Kondaveedu Sima (present Guntur district) by changing its name to Murtazanagar Sircar and kept the financial administration of this region in his hands. Khasa Rayarao appointed many Deshastha Brahmins, Kammas and some Golconda Vyaparis as Deshmukhs and Chowdarys.^[13][14] In 1687 CE when the emperor Aurangzeb conquered the Qutb Shahi sultanate of Golconda, of which Guntur was then a part. In 1724 CE, Asaf Jah, viceroy of the empire's southern provinces, declared his independence as the Nizam of Hyderabad. The coastal districts of Hyderabad, known as the Northern Circars, were occupied by the French in 1750. During this time, the Manur Rao family of Deshastha Brahmin community, the Vasireddi family of Kamma community and the Manik Rao family of Velama community were prominent Zamindar families in the present day Guntur district. The Manur Rao family were rulers of Chilakaluripet Zamindari and Sattenapalle Zamindari, The Vasireddi family were rulers of Amaravathi Zamindari and The Manik Rao family were the rulers of Repalle Zamindari.^[15]

Post Independence

The Guntur region played a significant role in the struggle for independence and the formation of Andhra Pradesh. The northern, Telugu- speaking districts of Madras State, including Guntur, advocated to become a separate state after independence. The new state of Andhra region named Andhra State, was created in 1953 from the eleven northern districts of Madras State. In 1970, part of Guntur district was split off to become part of the Prakasam district.^[16]

The district suffers from Naxalite insurgency and is a part of the Red corridor.^[17]

Geography

Guntur district occupies an area of approximately 2,443 square kilometres (943 sq mi),^{[18] [19]} The Krishna River forms the northeastern and eastern boundary of the district, separating it from Krishna district. The district is bounded on the southeast by the Bay of Bengal, on the south by Bapatla district, on the west by Palnadu district and on the northwest by NTR district and north east Krishna district.^{[citation needed]}

Guntur Coast is located on the south east coast of India (also known as the Coromandel Coast) (quotes from NASA site). Krishna river merges into Bay of Bengal at the coastal area of Guntur district. The braided stream channels, broad floodplain, and extensive sandbars suggest that this part of the Krishna river flows through relatively flat terrain and carries substantial amounts of sediment, especially during the monsoon season. Suryalanka Beach near Bapatla, Bobbarrlanka in Repalle, Nizampatnam Beach in Nizampatnam are tourist beaches in Guntur coastline.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics

As of 2011^[update] census of India, the district had a population of 4,887,813 with a density of 193 inhabitants per square kilometre (500/sq mi). The total population constitute, 2,440,521 males and 2,447,292 females – a sex ratio of 1003 females per 1000 males. The total urban population is 16,52,738 (33.81%).^[5]: 19 There are 29,60,441 literates with a literacy rate of 67.40%.

After bifurcation the district had a population of 20,91,075, of which 1,072,544 (51.29%) lived in urban areas. Guntur district had a sex ratio of 1007 females to 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 4,21,861 (20.17%) and 69,017 (3.30%) of the population respectively.^{[21]: 77–82}

At the time of the 2011 census, 86.14% of the population spoke Telugu and 12.32% Urdu as their first language.^[22]

Administrative setup

Collectorate

The Collectorate play a pivotal role in the district administration. Collector in the cadre of IAS heads the district. He acts as the District Magistrate for maintaining Law and order in his jurisdiction. He deals mainly with planning and development. Law and Order, scheduled areas/ agency areas, general elections, arms licensing etc.^{[citation needed]}

The Joint Collector, who also belongs to the IAS cadre, runs the Revenue administration under various enactments in the district. He is also designated as Additional District Magistrate. He mainly deals with civil supplies,land matters, mines and minerals,village officers etc.^{[citation needed]}

The District Revenue Officer (DRO), in the cadre of Special Grade Deputy Collectors, assists the Collector and Joint Collector in discharging their duties. The District Revenue Officer looks after all the branches of the Collectorate. He deals mainly with general administration and is vested with supervision of day-to-day functions of the collectorate.^{[citation needed]}

The administrative officer in the rank of a Tahsildar is the general assistant to the collector. He directly supervises all the sections in the collectorate and most of the files are routed through him.^{[citation needed]}

The collectorate is divided into 8 sections as per the administrative reforms taken up by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.^{[citation needed]}

• Section A:: Deals with Establishment and Office Procedures
• Section B:: Deals with Accounts and audit
• Section C:: Deals with Magisterial (Court/Legal) matters.
• Section D:: Deals with land Revenue and relief
• Section E:: Deals with Land Administration
• Section F:: Deals with Land Reforms
• Section G:: Deals with Land Acquisition
• Section H:: Deals with Protocol, elections and Residual work.

Administrative divisions

The district is divided into Two Revenue divisions, namely, Guntur, Tenali. These are sub-divided into 18 mandals,^[23] which are in turn divided as 57 Panchayat Samiti (Block)s, 712 villages and 16 towns. These 16 towns includes, 2 municipal corporation, 2 municipalities^[24] and 1 census town. Gurazala revenue division was newly formed in the year 2013.^[25][26] Guntur city is the one municipal corporation and district headquarter Mangalagiri Tadepalli Municipal Corporation is the second municipal corporation in Guntur district. Vaddeswaram is categorised as a census town.^[27] The 2 municipalities in the district are Tenali, Ponnur.^[28][24]

Politics

Parliament segment

Guntur Lok Sabha constituency

Assembly segments

Guntur constituency presently comprises the following legislative assembly segments:^[29]

Mandals

The below table categorises the 18 mandals into their respective revenue divisions in the district:^[30]

Cities and towns

Largest cities or towns in Guntur District As per the 2011 Census
	Rank		Division	Pop.
Guntur Mangalagiri	1	Guntur	Guntur Division	10,566,677	Tadepalle Tenali
	2	Mangalagiri	Tenali Division	207,197
	3	Tadepalle	Tenali Division	174,937
	4	Tenali	Tenali Division	164,937
	5	Ponnur	Tenali Division	59,913
	6	Pedakakani	Guntur Division	23,201
	7	Namburu	Guntur Division	19,676
	8	Tadikonda	Guntur Division	18,505
	9	Pedavadlapudi	Tenali Division	13,076
	10	Kaza	Tenali Division	11,098

Note -

• Dachepalli Nagar Panchayat includes Dachepalli and Nadikudi.
• Gurazala Nagar Panchayat includes Gurazala and Jangamaheswaram.

Village Panchayats

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Guntur district has 1022 Gram Panchayats covering 58 mandals including seized mandals. Panchayat secretaries have been working for the cluster Headquarter Gram Panchayats. The main objective of the Panchayat Raj Department is to provide civic amenities to the rural public.

Erstwhile Talukas

• Before Formation of mandals, Administration was done through Taluka system.
• Guntur District had 8 Talukas in 1971, later in 1978 they were increased to 21 Talukas.
• In 1985, Mandal system was created and 57 mandals were formed in the district.
• In 2018, Guntur mandal is split into Guntur East and Guntur West mandals making a total of 58 mandals.^[31]
• In 2022, with 18 mandals new district was formed.