TOURISM OF AMARAVATI | AMARAVATI TEMPLE IN ANDHA PRADESH | BHUDDIST STUPA , ANCIENT ART IN AMARAVATI | INDIAN TOURISM

    
         TOURISM OF AMARAVATI

Amaravati is a town in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also referred as Amareswaram, for its famous Amareswara temple dedicated to Lord Siva, which is one of the famous Pancharamas. It was formerly known as Andhra Nagari. Krishna River passes through the east side of Amaravati.

History: 

The recorded history of Amaravati and nearby Dharanikota dates to 2nd century BCE.  It was the capital of Satavahanas who ruled from 2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE. After the decline of Satavahanas, Andhra Ikshvakus and later Pallava kings ruled Krishna river valley. Subsequently, Eastern Chalukyas and Telugu Cholas held sway over the region. Kota Kings were in control of Amaravati during the medieval times. Kota kings were subdued by Kakatiyas in 11th century CE and Amaravati became part of the unified Telugu empire. The Skanda Purana gives a picture of the place and the Siva temple located.

THE STUPA

The Buddhist stupa was built during the reign of Ashoka in 200 CE, was carved with panels that tells the story of Buddha. The discovery, misuse and destruction of the sculptures, preservation, distribution to various museums (Chennai, Calcutta, London, Masulipatnam etc.) have been poignantly described by Shimada. During the period of the decline of Buddhism, this stupa was also neglected and it was buried under rubble. There is a 14th-century inscription in Sri Lanka which mentions repairs made to the stupa and after that it was forgotten. The stupa is related to the Vajrayana teachings of Kalachakra, still practiced today in Tibetan Buddhism. Dalai Lama of Tibet conducted a Kalachakra initiation at this location in 2006.

 ANCIENT ART

                   

 


Art historians regard the Amaravati art as one of the three major styles of ancient Indian art, the other two being the Gandhara style and the Mathura style. Some of the Buddhist sculptures of Amaravati betray a Greco-Roman influence that was the direct result of the close trade and diplomatic contacts between South India and the ancient Romans. Indeed, Amaravati has itself yielded a few Roman coins.