Thimmamma Marrimanu, Anantapur - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 26 km Kadiri Railway Station, 120 km from Anantapur, 113 km from Kadapa, 484 km from Hyderabad, 486 km from Vijayawada and 186 km from Bangalore, Thimmamma Marrimanu is a huge banyan tree located in the village of Gutibayalu in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The tree is more than 550 years old covers over 5 acres and has about 1100 roots. It was recorded as the biggest banyan tree in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1989. The tree was first noticed by Sathyanarayana Iyer, a freelance journalist who resides in Bengaluru, Karnataka who spread the word about this tree and tried for entry.

There is a temple dedicated to Thimmamma under the tree. This lady was born to the Setti Balija couple Mangamma and Sennakka Venkatappa in the year 1394 AD. She was married to Bala Veerayya. When the husband died of illness, Thimmamma sacrificed herself on the funeral pyre.

There is a belief that the childless couples who come to pray at this temple are gifted with children the very next year. A big jatara is conducted here on the day of Shivaratri festival when thousands of people flock here to worship Thimmamma on this occasion.

Gutibayalu can be reached by public transportation from Kadiri town.