Description of our visit:

I am Pavan a traveller, along with my friend we visited to Amaravati recently for seeing popular historical and art attractions that are located around the Capital region. The trip went in a pleasant way by knowing rich heritage history about Amaravati, it has all started from 3rd Century BCE. from Mauryan era under King Asoka. The glory of Maha-Chaitya, how Buddhism was flourished here for a millennium and half, later how several dynasties were ruled by making Amaravati as their capital and how they declined. 

An interesting fact is modern history of this place, what exactly was happened to a massive 100 feet Artistic Marble covered Maha- Chaitya after 14th century AD. and how Buddhism declined drastically here, why a Maha Chaitya became a Deepaladinne later 14th century AD and  why Colonel Colin Mackenzie (first surveyor general of India)  couldn’t find this massive 100 ft. Maha- Chaitya during his first visit in 1797 AD. , finally How it ruined from 18th Century AD.   

Morning at 07:00 AM we have started our trip with the darshan of Sri Amaralingeshwara swamy, located on the right bank of mighty River Krishna, temple is one of Five pancharama Kshetras that are located across Andhra Pradesh, it’s legend relates to prehistoric times. 

(we can spent at least one hour here).

Later we visited the Maha- Chaitya (Amaravati stupa) which will opens at 09:00 Am onwards, Maha- Chaitya is major attraction in Amaravati we can really admire, it was founded by the Mahadeva Bikshu a Buddhist monk came with the divine relics(Ashes) of Lord Buddha, were sent by King Asoka in mid 2nd Century BCE. those Relics were found in the southern side of the Stupa that were kept in a Crystal caskets at the time excavations, now placed at museum.  Once it was a, 100 ft. largest stupa covered with lime stone and sand stone sculptured marbles of Lord Buddha life events. Initially Mahadeva Bikshu founded a basic brick stupa but later under the Satavahanas rule in 1st Century AD, they were given some additional attractions to stupa with marble structures to Drum and Dome parts of the stupa also many additions to stupa were added in the times of Ikshavaku rulers of Nagarjunakonda and Pallava rulers. Its glory continued till 14th century AD. there is an Inscribed evidence found in Sri Lanka that some repair works carried for stupa in 14th century, after that there is no exact evidence found about this place. It came to existence only after Raja vasireddy venkatadri Naidu moved his capital city from Chintapalle to present Amaravati village in the year 1798, even though Colonel Colin Mackenzie visited this place earlier, but he did not found that massive stupa because on that time it all covered with sand and soil, local people called it as Dipaladinne. But after it made as Capital by local king, they started excavating this dipaladinne for construction of capital buildings, they found stones and bricks in that hill make a considerable damage to the site, soon after this news moved to Mackenzie in the year 1818, who at once paid a brief visit to the place in 1797, he revisited the place and asked king to stop the quarrying the stupa, on that time Mackenzie correctly assumed that site, but now it damaged in a remarkable position, but Mackenzie has prepared detailed diagrams of that stupa, the original book is at Brithish museum now, and there is one print copy at Calcutta Museum. once this place was acted as a Buddhist learning center, devotees across south- east Asian countries came here for learning Mahayana Buddhism, Amaravati school of art was one among three arts on that period. It is a retrospection of those glorious times. Excavations carried at the site for a numerous times from the year 1818 started with Colonel Colin Mackenzie to the starting of 21st century, every time they found some valuable things and transferred to another parts of the world.