Heritage - Ruins point to Buddhist belt

S.N.V. Sudhir

Visakhapatnam: Buddhist monasteries dotted the hills and vales of North Andhra centuries ago.
All schools of Buddhism flourished here, particularly the Hinayana tradition, and monks travelled from the monasteries of the region to other countries, spreading the gospel of the Enlightened One.
Excavations carried out by archaeologists in the coastal region of north Andhra have unearthed sites which give ample evidence of this. They have also given indications of the links of Buddhists with Sri Lanka and other parts of Southeast Asia.
"They have filled up gaps of knowledge on the links of the Kalinga Empire with various countries," said an archaeologist.
There are many Buddhist sites along the coastline of Vizag and Srikakulam. Monuments in Thotlakonda, Bojjannakonda, Bhavikonda and Pavuralakonda in Visakhapatnam district, Rama Thirtham in Vizianagaram district and Dantapuri and Salihundam in Srikakulam district are evidence of the prevalence of the faith in North Andhra between 300 BC and 700 AD.
Historians argue that Visakhapatnam itself derives its name from a Buddhist monk, Vaisakhi, who is said to have propagated Buddhism in the area.
The Chinese traveller Huien Tsang has mentioned the Visakha kingdom in his travelogue and the prevalence of Hinayana Buddhism in that kingdom.
Interestingly, majority of the sites discovered in north Andhra belong to the Hinayana tradition of Buddhism which developed after the death of Lord Buddha. Chaityas, viharas, stupas, gold, silver and copper coins and earthenware were found in all these sites. But each site had its own unique facet.
The Thatlakonda complex, located 16 km from Vizag, for instance, has a number of viharas, stupas and rectangular halls.
A refectory belonging to the Hinayana school was discovered here as well as pottery, beads, bangle pieces, tiles, stuccos and iron objects. Its existence was first noticed during during an aerial survey undertaken by the Indian Navy.
The State government has declared it as a protected monument. In fact, Thatlakonda, which is located on top of a picturesque hill, is the first Buddhist site of the State to have been explored and excavated completely. It is also important in the sense that it is located within the ambit of the ancient Kalinga kingdom. Bojjannakonda, located 3 km from Anakapalle town and 40 km from Vizag, was excavated under the aegis of Alexander Rim in 1906.
A gold coin belonging to the Samudra Gupta period, copper coins of the Chalukya king Kubja Vishnu Vardhan, coins of Andhra Satavahanas and pottery were discovered at the site. The unique feature of the Bojjannakonda site is that it shows features of all the three major sects of Buddhism — Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana.
A figure of Kalabhairava, with the head of Lord Ganesha wearing conch shells and the image of a Buddhist monk `Harati’ have also been found at the site. Another Buddhist site was discovered at Bavikonda, 15 km northeast of Vizag city.
Hinayana Buddhism flourished here between 300 BC and 300 AD. It has the remains of an entire Buddhist complex, comprising 26 structures and belonging to three phases.
A piece of bone stored in an urn recovered here is believed to belong to the Lord Buddha. Archaeologists excavating Pavuralakonda or Pavurallabodu in Bhimli found 16 rock-cut troughs or cisterns for collecting rainwater. Near the entrance of the tank were found Brahmini label inscriptions. Foundations of viharas with cells and common verandah, circular chaityagruhas, votive stupas and halls were also excavated. It is believed that the Gosthani river which flows nearby served as a navigation canal for inland trade in the early centuries of the Christian era. The Buddhist site Ramatirtham on Gurubhaktakonda hill in Vizianagaram contained images of the Buddha, a Satavahana lead coin, clay seals and the remains of a monastery.
It was Rao Saheb Gidugu Venkata Rama Murthy Pantulu who discovered the Salihundam site in 1919 and it was later excavated by archaeologists A.H. Longhurst, T.N. Ramachandran and R. Subrahmanyan. Its monuments and images belong to the later Buddhist period. In olden days it was called Salivatika, meaning rice emporium. Another important Buddhist site in the north coastal Andhra region is Dantapuram in Srikakulam district on the banks of the Vamsadhara River.
A stupa was constructed here to consecrate a tooth of the Buddha and the relic was then shipped to Sri Lanka several centuries. It was the capital of ancient Kalinga and the earliest Buddhist settlement in the entire South India.