In the late 1700s, Raja Vessareddy Nayudu was searching for building materials for his new house in Andhra’s Dhanyakatakam village when he stumbled upon a mound with an extraordinary collection of limestone pillars and panels. Unaware of the historical significance of these ruins, Nayudu, a local zamindar, used the stones to build his new residence in the village he would soon rename Amaravathi. Following his lead, locals began using these ancient stones for their houses and public buildings.
The systematic destruction of the ruins continued until 1816. During this time, Colonel Colin Mackenzie, the first Surveyor General of India, revisited the site he had first seen in 1798. On his initial visit, Mackenzie could only observe a few pieces of the ruins unearthed by Nayudu. Upon his return, after Nayudu's death, Mackenzie conducted an intensive survey. Although this led to further destruction of the monument, it also paved the way for the rediscovery of the grandest Buddhist architectural feat in the region – the Amaravathi Stupa.
In 2015, when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced the development of a new capital in the Vijayawada-Guntur region, he named it Amaravati, dismissing the 'h' from the older name for numerological reasons. The new capital, about 20 km away from the ancient town, carries the legacy of one of the grandest and most significant sites of Buddhism in South Asia.
Buddhism emerged in the fifth century BCE in the ancient kingdom of Magadh, located in the eastern Ganges plain of Southern Bihar. It reached the Andhra region in the Krishna River Valley fairly early, mainly through trade.
Historian Anirudh Kanisetti notes that some monks from Andhra were present at the very first Buddhist council held in 483 BCE at Rajgir, Bihar. The real impetus to Andhra Buddhism, however, came in the 3rd century BCE when Emperor Ashoka set up an inscription in the region. Buddhism thrived in the area for almost six centuries until about the 3rd century CE. In isolated sites like Amaravathi, Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayapeta, Salihundam, and Sankaram, Buddhism lingered on until as late as the 14th century CE.
Historian Sree Padma, co-editor and author of "Buddhism in the Krishna River Valley of Andhra" (2008), notes that the presence of Buddhism in Andhra coincided with the region's first urbanization process. Trade, particularly oceanic trade, played a significant role in spreading Buddhism. Merchants were crucial patrons of the Amaravathi Stupa, with patrons coming from a broad cross-section of society, including traders, craftsmen, and wandering monks. Unlike North India, where royal patronage was prominent, in Andhra, commerce drove the spread of Buddhism.
Buddhism in Andhra absorbed local practices, such as venerating the dead in megalithic burials. These megaliths were massive stones set over burial pits and are considered predecessors of the Buddhist stupas, which housed relics of Buddhist monks. Other local forms of religious expression, like Goddess and Naga (snake) worship, were also incorporated into the Buddhist corpus.
Amaravathi holds a special place in the history of Buddhism as the birthplace of Mahayana Buddhism. Acharya Nagarjuna, who propounded the Madhyamika philosophy forming the basis of Mahayana Buddhism, lived in Amaravathi. His teachings brought about a significant shift in Buddhist practice, and from Amaravathi, Mahayana Buddhism spread across South Asia, China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
The stupa at Amaravathi gave rise to the 'Amaravathi school of art,' regarded as one of the three most important styles of ancient Indian art along with Mathura and Gandhara. Scholar Jacob Kinnard describes the Amaravathi Stupa as the "jewel in the crown of early Indian art." The art at Amaravathi is distinctive for its highly aesthetic sculptures made from Palnad marble, allowing for intricate carvings. Unlike Mathura and Gandhara, the art at Amaravathi shows no external influences, remaining uniquely Indian.
Several factors contributed to the decline of Buddhism in Andhra, including the rise of Shaivism. Chinese travellers in the seventh century CE noted that while Shiva temples thrived, Buddhist stupas were in decline. The decline of trade, which had initially supported Buddhism, also played a role. As the economy degraded, Buddhist institutions lost patronage, and other religions, such as Shaivism, gained prominence.
By the time Mackenzie surveyed Amaravathi, much of it was already lost. Colonial interest led to further destruction and dispersal of artifacts. Sculptures were removed and sent to places like Masulipatam, Calcutta, London, and Madras. The British Museum now holds one of the largest collections of Amaravathi sculptures, with others found in the Art Institute of Chicago, Musee Guimet in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Today, the legacy of Amaravathi is scattered across the globe, with many sculptures in foreign museums. The lack of consciousness among Indians about their heritage and the absence of dedicated educational programs on the Amaravathi School of Art contribute to the site's decline. Despite this, the global Buddhist community continues to show interest in Amaravathi, with many pilgrims visiting from East Asia and Southeast Asia. Efforts by international entities, such as Japan's Asahi Shimbun, have funded conservation projects, reflecting the enduring significance of Amaravathi in the Buddhist world. correct Only grammatical errors
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