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| Pilgrims in India - Buddhist |
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Buddhist pilgrim places in India |
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Pilgrims - Nagarjuna Konda - Andhra Pradesh | |
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About 1700 years ago, Nagarjunakonda used to be a prosperous Buddhist town in Andhra Pradesh. Nagarjunakonda, meaning the hill of Nagarjuna, was named after the Buddhist scholar and savant Acharya Nagarjuna who lived around the turn of the 2nd century AD..The museum is situated on an island in the Nagarjunasagar dam. |
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| A.R. Saraswathi, in 1926, discovered this glourious place who was a researcher in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Further excavations carried out by ASI in the valley uncovered ruins of a university, viharas (monasteries), sacrificial altars, royal baths, marble carvings and sculptures. |
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| Nagarjuna Konda is a burning feat of both engineering and ancient Buddhist architecture.
It was a great religious center promoting Brahmanical and Buddhist faiths, molding the early phases of art and architecture affiliated with them. It was an extensive Buddhist establishment nourishing several sects of Buddhism that culminated into the full-fledged Mahayana pantheon. At present it is a unique island in India housing an archaeological museum and transplanted and reconstructed monuments of Nagarjunakonda valley datable to prehistoric to late medieval times endangered with the submergence under the Nagarjunasagar project. |
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| The prime attraction on the island is the museum that was designed as a Buddhist monastery in 1966. It is located amidst the remains of a medieval fortification, in the northern part of the island spanning about 2.5 km east-west and 1 km north-south. This museum houses all the collected works, which have been meticulously found. And preserve, exhibit the antiquities retrieved from the excavations, is housed in a spacious structure simulating a Buddhist Vihara on plan. It embraces an omnibus of relics, friezes, jewellery, coins, statues and tools, from Paleolithic and Neolithic times, 3rd-4th century AD constitute a majority of the exhibits. |
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| The key gallery is known for the master pieces of Ikshvaku art and architecture in the form of all pervading serene Buddha, well sculptured ayaka-slabs, the cross beams of ayaka-platforms capturing in all finesse the episodes of the life of the enlightened one punctuated with joyous mithunas and elegant tree nymphs, etc. |
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| A separate section with show-cases all along the wall highlights the development of human civilization in the region from Stone Age to the Megalithic period through excavated artifacts and adequate illustrations |
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| Two galleries located in a large hall, exhibit the decorated drum slabs, dome slabs, cornice beams and other architectural units of a stupa, a few Brahmanical sculptures besides a variety of earthen ware of the Ikshavaku and subsequent periods. The carved architectural units which once decorated the various stupas, capture the life of the Master from his birth to Mahaparinirvana passing through the events of great departure, meditation, enlightenment and preaching. The popular miracles he performed during his life time and the stories of the previous births known as Jatakas like Sasa-jataka, Champeya-jataka, Sibi-jataka, Mandhathu-jataka, etc. also form subjects of carvings. |
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| Attractive Brahmanical sculptures displayed here include Kartikeya and his consort Devasena, a Sivalinga, a unique representation of Sati and a few figures of Vidyadharas. Exquisitely carved mandapa pillars capturing joyous moods of children at play, war scenes and other secular themes, medallions showing elephants in majestic postures and an example of a drawing (hastalekha) on a slab are also exhibited. The ceramic repertoire from excavations form another aspect of display. Fashioned out of fine riverine clay and kaolin, these utilitarian household articles are wheel thrown, polished, designed, inscribed and speak of the technical and artistic excellence of the potters. |
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| Third gallery houses models of the submerged valley along with models of secular and religious edifices. On the floor of the hall is the model of the valley with its topographical environs locating over 120 excavated sites. In the wall show-cases all around, are models of important excavated sites and remains. These include Neolithic and Megalithic burials; stupas showing a variety of plan including the Mahastupa; viharas such as the Mahisasaka, Bahusrutiya and Kumaranandi-vihara; Brahmanical temples dedicated to Sarvadeva, Kartikeya, Pushpabhadrasvamin, Ashtabhujasvamin etc. and secular edifices like the amphitheatre (stadium), bathing ghat, etc |
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One of the galleries displays select specimens of the epigraphs, decorated architectural members and medieval sculptures. The inscriptions are written on pillars forming part of the structural complexes, sculptures, pedestals, memorial pillars and detached slabs. Mostly, the script is ornate Brahmi of 3rd-4th century AD. Majority of them are in Prakrit language and some are composed in Sanskrit. Among the exhibits the inscriptions of Vijaya Satakarni, the memorial pillar depicting king Vasishthiputra Chamtamula, ayaka pillar of Chamta Sri, the Buddhapada inscription and a Sanskrit inscription on a pillar invoking god Pushpabhadrasvamin are noteworthy. A Telugu inscription issued by king Purushottama of Orissa is also on display. The medieval sculptures on display include ornate Yoga-Narasimha, Mahishmardini, Durga, Siva and a Jaina Tirthankara seated in Yoga-posture, ranging in date from 14th-17th century AD. |
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| Some of the unearthed Buddhist settlements have also been excavated here which reveals that various Buddhist students came here from Kashmir, Gandhara, China, Sri Lanka and Assam. The academic and medical services were on par with other major Buddhist universities like Nalanda, Valabhi and Vikramshilla. Brahmanical Hinduism and Buddhism flourished in harmony which is evident from the several Hindu temples and Buddhist temples at Nagarjunakonda.
At the time of dam's construction too, many artifacts were revealed. To save this site from submersion beneath the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, all relics were collected brick by brick to contour the similar town. The remnants were relocated to the island and 'Anupa', a place on the banks of the lake.This place definitely warrants a visit. |
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| Location : The site is located in Guntur District, at a distance of 150 km from Hyderabad, the state capital.
To reach the Island there is a jetty point at Vijayapuri, south of the Nagarjunasagar dam. |
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| Opening Hours : 9.00 am to 4.00 pm
Closed on – Friday
Entrance Fee :
Rs. 2/- per head
(Children up to 15 years free) |
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