Home
>> Buddhist
Destinations India >>
Nagarjunkonda
Nagarjunkonda
The island takes
its name from the Buddhist monk, Nagarjuna, who lived around the turn
of the 2nd century AD. Excavations carried out in its this valley have
unearthed the Maha Chaitya, Viharas and Monasteries. Nagarjunakonda
is 150 kms. from Hyderabad, the state capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Named after acharya Nagarjuna, a Buddhist Scholar, Nagarjuna Konda is
a burning feat of both engineering and ancient Buddhist architecture.
The site is a remake of another original, to save it from submersion,
under the Nagarjuna Sagar dam. While the dam is one of the largest,
the site also presents some of the most antique items of Buddhism. More
than that it represents a lost civilization, rich and excellent, thousand
years ago, in the same place where Nagarjuna Sagar dam is now situated.
The excavations led to the findings of ruins of a university, some statues
of Buddha, relics and other pieces of Buddhist origin. The museum at
Nagarjuna konda houses all these precious findings which, are considered
priceless, in terms of Buddhist sentiments and, not to forget, for the
rest of the artistic people too.
The ancient sculptures are thought to be built mainly during the Ikshvaku
rule, which was the golden era for this region due to commercial and political
success. Now, in the midst of the dam, it's like an artificial island,
proudly representing the glorious past and the fabulous present.
Location
The site is located in Guntur District, at a distance of 150 km from Hyderabad,
the state capital. The Guntur District is located between Latitude: 16º18'North
and Longitude: 80º27'East
Attractions
Ethipothala Water falls : The waterfalls are natural and
the scenic beauty of the place is mesmerizing, the Chandravanka river
flows down straight from a height of 70 ft, with hammering sounds and
swift speed, and thrashes on to a lagoon which, serves as a crocodile
breeding centre. So, you get another attraction for the time and price
of one. The flow rushes in to a deep green forest.
Ethipothala is a popular picnic spot, not only for the reptiles, but also
for the tourist folk.
Nagarjuna Konda museum : The museum houses all the important
excavated items including relics by Buddha himself, stone images, Jataka
tales encrypted panels and many other inscriptions.
Nagarjuna sagar waterfall : The dam, which caters to irrigation 10
lakh acres of land, is one of the largest man-made dams in the world.
In the middle it contains the Nagarjuna Sagar Island which houses a museum.
Rajiv
Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary : Situated between Nagarjunasagar and
Srisailam, Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary is a home ground to many
types of playful animals, the dreadful tigers and some of the rarest
birds.
Excursions
Anupu : Mere a 4 km away from Nagarjuna Sagar, Anupu became the virtual
place to house the excavated pieces of artistic and architectural items,
as transfer of the items was necessary to save them from immersion.
Now, Anupu houses the university, the sacred Stupas, Viharas, monasteries
and an altar.
Srisailam : Located at an altitude of 1500 m, Famous
for the wildlife sanctuary, which houses the tiger reserve, there's
also famous for Mallikarjuna Swamy, Brahmaramba, Uma Maheshwara and
Saraswati temples. This temple is one of the Jyotiralingas and looks
splendid as the ambience is quite perfect and the lush greens add to
the beauty of the surroundings. The place has a "soothing the soul "
effect and could serve as a perfect break for the always on the go types.
How to reach there
Air : Nearest is the Hyderabad Airport.
Rail : Macherla is the nearest railhead, 20 km from Nagarjuna Sagar.
Road : Nagarjuna Sagar is located at 150 km from Hyderabad,
well connected by Road.
