[citation needed] The original Sanskrit name (ancient Vedic culture) for Guntur was Garthapuri.

[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.

[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.

[11] 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).

Chinese traveller and Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) visited Amaravati in 640 C.E., stayed for sometime and studied 'Abhidhammapitakam'.

[13] 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.

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.

[14][15] 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.

[16] The Guntur region played a significant role in the struggle for independence and the formation of Andhra Pradesh.

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.

[citation needed] 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).

[citation needed] The Joint Collector, who also belongs to the IAS cadre, runs the Revenue administration under various enactments in the district.

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

The main objective of the Panchayat Raj Department is to provide civic amenities to the rural public.

[33] The major products contributing to the GVA of the district from agriculture and allied services are paddy, cotton kapas, chillies, banana, milk, meat and fisheries.

They include, 32 government, 2,839 mandal and zilla parishads, 2 residential, 1329 private, 14 model, 24 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), 296 municipal and 203 other types of schools.

[42] The higher education colleges have various fields of study like medical, nursing, degree, post graduate, polytechnic, law, teaching, pharmacy, engineering, veterinary etc.

[46][47] The district has many festivals such as Rama Navami,[48] Maha Sivaratri,[49] Vinayaka Chavithi,[50] Vijaya Dasami,[51] Deepawali,[52] Holi,[53] Ugadi,[54] Eid,[55] Krishnastami,[56] Christmas.

[58] Places of historical importance in the district include Ponnur, Undavalli Caves, Gurazala, Mangalagiri, Tadepalle, Tenali and the archaeological museum in Guntur.

Tall towers (Gaali Gopuram) of these temples in many villages and towns of Guntur district stand testimony to his devotion and munificence.

Some of the famous destinations are Nadivelamma Talli Temple in Rajavolu, and there will be annual festival on Full moon day in the month of Chaitra maas.