Anantapur
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Anantapur

Anantapur

Rayalaseema district capital on the Deccan plateau, in one of India's driest districts.

Anantapur is the administrative capital of Anantapur district in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, one of the driest districts in India. It sits on the Deccan plateau at around 350m elevation, about 200km north of Bangalore and 500km from Hyderabad.

The district is known for groundnut cultivation and is a major producer in India. For travellers, the area's main points of interest are the Gooty Fort — an ancient hill fort 52km from town — and the Puttaparthi ashram of Sathya Sai Baba (70km), which draws large numbers of devotees. Lepakshi, about 15km east of Hindupur, has some of the finest Vijayanagara-period temple sculpture in Andhra Pradesh.

Anantapur is connected by road and rail to Hyderabad and Bangalore. The nearest airports are Puttaparthi (70km) and Bangalore (200km).

Guide

Day Trips

The Anantapur district is larger than it looks on a map, and the most significant sights require travel by road. The standout excursion is Lepakshi (120km, about 2.5 hours), with its extraordinary Vijayanagara-era Veerabhadra Temple — one of the finest in South India. The Gooty Fort (52km) is easier to reach and makes a good half-day trip. Puttaparthi (70km) is the pilgrimage town of Sathya Sai Baba, with its large ashram campus and, for devotees, considerable spiritual significance.

For a longer outing, the Belum Caves — the largest natural cave system in South India, stretching over 3.5km — are about 200km northeast in Kurnool district and can be combined with a visit to the Yaganti temple complex. This is a full day by road.

Guide

Getting There

Anantapur is on the main rail corridor between Hyderabad and Bangalore, and several express trains stop here daily. The journey from Bangalore (Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna station) takes about three hours; from Hyderabad (Secunderabad) about five hours. Anantapur railway station is a short auto-rickshaw ride from the town centre.

By road, Anantapur is on National Highway 44 (the old NH7), the main highway running the length of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Regular buses connect it to Hyderabad (around 5 hours), Bangalore (3.5 hours), and regional centres including Kurnool, Kadapa, and Tirupati. The nearest airports are Puttaparthi (Sri Sathya Sai Airport, 70km) with limited flights, and Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore (200km) with full international connections.

Guide

Things to Do

The most significant sight in the district is Gooty Fort, 52km from Anantapur — an ancient hill fort with a commanding position 300m above the plains and a history stretching back to the 7th century.