Nagarjunakonda

Coordinates: 16°31′18.82″N 79°14′34.26″E / 16.5218944°N 79.2428500°E / 16.5218944; 79.2428500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Nagarjuna Konda
Ruins of the site
Ruins of the site
LocationMacherla mandal, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Coordinates16°31′18.82″N 79°14′34.26″E / 16.5218944°N 79.2428500°E / 16.5218944; 79.2428500
Governing bodyArchaeological Survey of India
Nagarjunakonda is located in India
Nagarjunakonda
Location of Nagarjuna Konda in India
descent from Trāyastriṃśa heaven, second half 3rd century.[1]

Nagarjunakonda: Nāgārjunikoṇḍa, meaning Nagarjuna Hill) is a historical town, now an island located near

Nagarjuna Sagar in Palnadu district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.[2][3] It is one of India's richest Buddhist sites, and now lies almost entirely under the lake created by the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam
. With the construction of the dam, the archaeological relics at Nagarjunakonda were submerged, and had to be excavated and transferred to higher land, which has become an island.

The site was once the location of a large Buddhist monastic university complex, attracting students from as far as

Mahayana Buddhist and Hindu shrines.[4] It is 160 km west of another important historic site, the Amaravati Stupa. The sculptures found at Nagarjunakonda are now mostly removed to various museums in India and abroad. They represent the second most important group in the distinctive "Amaravati style", sometimes called "Later Andhra".[5] There is also a palace area, with secular reliefs, that are very rare from such an early date, and show Roman influence.[6]

The modern name is after

Mahayana Buddhism
who lived in the 2nd century, who was once believed, probably wrongly, to have been responsible for the development of the site. The original name, used when the site was most active, was "Vijayapuri".

This Nāgārjunakoṇḍa (sometimes Nāgārjunikoṇḍa) site in Andhra Pradesh is not to be confused with the Nāgārjuna (or Nāgārjuni) caves near the Barabar Caves in Bihar.

History

Coins issued by the later

Satavahana kings (including Gautamiputra Satakarni, Pulumavi, and Yajna Satakarni) have been discovered at Nagarjunakonda.[7] An inscription of Gautamiputra Vijaya Satakarni, dated to his 6th regnal year, has also been discovered at the site, and proves that Buddhism had spread in the region by this time.[8]

Relief with the Birth of Buddha, 3rd-century.

The site rose to prominence after the decline of the Satavahanas, in the first quarter of the 3rd century, when the Ikshvaku king Vashishthiputra Chamamula established his capital Vijayapuri here. The coins and inscriptions discovered at Nagarjunakonda name four kings of the Ikshavaku dynasty: Vashishthi-putra Chamtamula, Mathari-putra Vira-purusha-datta, Vashishthi-putra Ehuvala Chamtamula, and Vashishthi-putra Rudra-purusha-datta. An inscription dated to the 30th regnal year of the Abhira king Vashishthi-putra Vasusena has also been discovered at the ruined Ashtab-huja-svamin temple.[8] This has led to speculation that the Abhiras, who ruled the region around Nashik, invaded and occupied the Ikshavaku kingdom. However, this cannot be said with certainty.[9]

The Ikshavaku kings constructed several temples dedicated to the deities such as Sarva-deva, Pushpabhadra,

viharas; excavations have yielded art works and inscriptions of great significance for the scholarly study of the history of this early period.[11]

The last extant Ikshavaku inscription is dated to the 11th year (c. 309 CE) of Rudra-purusha: the subsequent fate of the dynasty is not known, but it is possible that the

Gajapatis: a 1491 CE inscription dated to the reign of the Gajapati king Purushottama indicates that the Nagarjunakonda fortress was controlled by his subordinate Sriratharaja Shingarayya Mahapatra. In 1515, the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya stormed the fortress during his invasion of the Gajapati kingdom.[13]

The region was later ruled by the

agrahara to the pontiff of the Pushpagiri Math.[8]

Archaeological research

Division of Buddha's Relics, 3rd-4th century

In 1926, a local schoolteacher, Suraparaju Venkataramaih, saw an ancient pillar at the site, and reported his discovery to the Madras Presidency government. Subsequently, Shri Sarasvati, the Telugu language Assistant to the Archaeological Superintendent for Epigraphy of Madras, visited the site, and it was recognized as a potential archaeological site.[14]

The first discoveries were made in 1926 by French archaeologist

A. H. Longhurst during 1927–1931. The team excavated the ruins of several Buddhist stupas and chaityas, as well as other monuments and sculptures.[15][14]

In 1938, T N Ramachandran led another excavation at the site, resulting in the discovery of some more monuments. In 1954, when the construction of the proposed

Early Stone Age to the 16th century. Later, around 14 large replicas of the excavated ruins and a museum were established on the Nagarjunakonda hill. Some of the sculptures excavated at Nagarjunakonda are now at other museums in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Paris and New York.[14]

An archaeological catastrophe struck in 1960, when an irrigation dam was constructed across the nearby Krishna River, submerging the original site under the waters of a reservoir. In advance of the flooding, several monuments were dug up and relocated to the top of Nagarjuna's Hill, where a museum was built in 1966 Other monuments were relocated to the mainland, east of the flooded area. Dedicated archaeologists managed to recover almost all of the relics.

Panoramic view of the Buddha statue and other monuments

Excavated ruins

Buddhist ruins

Relief of Dionysus, Nagarjunakonda Palace site. He has a light beard, is semi-nude and carries a drinking horn. There is a barrel of wine next to him.[16][17]

Archaeological inscriptions at the site show that the

Gautama Buddha.

The great stupa at Nagarjunakonda belongs to the class of uncased stupas, its brickwork being plastered over and the stupa decorated by a large garland-ornament.[2] The original stupa was renovated by the Ikshvaku princess Chamtisiri in the 3rd century, when ayaka-pillars of stone were erected. The outer railing, if any, was of wood, its uprights erected over a brick plinth. The stupa, 32.3 m in diameter, rose to a height of 18 m with a 4 m wide circumambulatory. The medhi stood 1.5 m and the ayaka-platforms were rectangular offsets measuring 6.7 by 1.5 m.[18]

The style of the reliefs recovered is "all but indistinguishable" from those of the final phase of the Amaravati Stupa not very far away, from the second quarter of the third century, slightly earlier than Nagarjunakonda. Though "lively and interesting", they show "a great decline since the mature phase at Amaravarti", with less complex groupings, various mannerisms in the figures, and a flatness to the surfaces.[19]

Hindu ruins

Most of the Hindu ruins at Nagarjunakonda can be identified as Shaivite, wherever an identification is possible. One of the temples has an inscription naming the god as "Mahadeva Pushpabhadraswami" (Shiva). Stone images of Kartikeya (Murugan) were found at two other shrines. An inscription found at another excavated shrine refers to yet another Shiva shrine. At least one temple, attested by a 278 CE inscription, can be identified as Vaishnavite, based on the image of an eight-armed god. A large sculpture of Devi has also been discovered at the site.[4]

Greco-Roman artifacts

aurei
found in Nagarjunakonda

Various remains suggesting Greco-Roman influence can be found at Nagajurnakonda.

Aurei, one of Tiberius (16-37 CE), and the other of Faustina the Elder (141 CE), as well as a coin of Antoninus Pius.[20][16] These finds seem to attest to trade relations with the Roman world.[21] A relief representing Dionysus was also found in the Nagarjunakonda Palace site. He has a light beard, is semi-nude and carries a drinking horn, and there is a barrel of wine next to him.[16]

Scythian influence
Scythian warriors
Scythian" soldiers, Nagarjunakonda Palace site, 2nd century CE.[22][23][24]

Indo-Scythians also appear, with reliefs of Scythian soldiers wearing caps and coats.[22][23] According to an inscription in Nagarjunakonda, a garrison of Scythian guards employed by the Iksvakus Kings may also have been stationed there.[25]

Inscriptions

Holy relic sites map of Andhra Pradesh

The Nagarjunakonda inscriptions are a series of epigraphical inscriptions found in the area of Nagarjunakonda. The inscriptions are associated with the blossoming of Buddhist structures and the rule of the Ikshvaku, in the period covering approximately 210-325 CE.[26]

Nagarjunakonda Ayaka pillar inscription of the time of Ikshvaku ruler Vira-Purushadatta (250-275 CE)

The Nagarjunakonda inscriptions tends to stress the cosmopolitan nature of Buddhist activities there, explained that a variety of Buddhist monks came from various lands.

Vanavasa[27] and Tambapamnidipa".[26] The inscriptions suggest the involvement of these various people with Buddhism.[28]

The inscriptions are either in Prakrit, in Sanskrit, or a mix of both, and are all in the Brahmi script.[26] The Nagarjunakonda inscriptions are the earliest substantial South Indian Sanskrit inscriptions, probably from the late 3rd-century to early 4th-century CE. These inscriptions are related to Buddhism and to the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism, and parts of them reflect both standard Sanskrit and hybridized Sanskrit.[29]

The spread of the usage of Sanskrit inscriptions to the south can probably be attributed to the influence of the

Western Kshatrapa king Rudrasena II.[33][34][35]

Etymology

The modern name of the site originates from its presumptive association with the Buddhist scholar

Ikshavaku inscriptions invariably associate their capital Vijayapuri with the Sriparvata hill, mentioning it as Siriparvate Vijayapure.[36]

Fa-Hien, in his travelogue A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms, mentions a five storey monastery on top of the hill, dedicated to Kassapa Buddha. He describes each storey as being in the shape of a different animal, with the uppermost being in the shape of a pigeon.[37] Fa-Hien refers to the monastery as Po-lo-yue; which has been interpreted to mean Pārāvata, meaning "pigeon" (hence the name "Pigeon Monastery"), or Parvata, meaning "hill" in Sanskrit (although the latter is considered to be the correct name).[38]

When

Gandhamardan hills) in Odisha.[43]

Nagarjunasagar Dam

Megalith Age Burial Area 2nd century

The Nagarjunasagar Dam is the tallest masonry dam in the world, constructed between 1955 and 1967. The excavated remains of the Buddhist civilisation were reconstructed and preserved at a museum on the island situated in the midst of the man-made Nagarjunasagar Lake The site has a 14th-century fort, medieval temples and a museum constructed like a Buddhist

Gautama Buddha. The main stupa of Nagarjunakonda named Mahachaitya is believed to contain the sacred relics of the Buddha. A partly ruined monolithic statue of the Buddha is the main attraction at the museum. It also houses historic finds in the form of tools from Paleolithic and Neolithic times, as well as friezes, coins and jewellery.[44][45]

Tourism

Located in the Guntur district, Nagarjunakonda Island is not directly accessible on the State Highway. The nearest train station is at Macherla, 29 km away. The island is mainly connected by a ferry to the mainland. The area is also known for panoramic views of the valley from a viewing area near the dam, and is also the site of the Ethipothala Falls, a natural waterfall that cascades down 22 m into a blue lagoon that is also a breeding centre for crocodiles. The nearby Srisailam wildlife sanctuary and the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve are refuge for diverse reptiles, birds and animals. Srisailam, which sits on the shore of Krishna in the Nallamala Hills is a site of immense historical and religious significance, including a Shiva temple that is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas.

References

  1. ^ [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/38238 MET museum page
  2. ^ a b Longhurst, A. H. (October 1932). "The Great Stupa at Nagarjunakonda in Southern India". The Indian Antiquary. ntu.edu.tw. pp. 186–192. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  3. ^ Syamsundar, V. L. (13 February 2017). "Palnadu aspires for separate district status". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. ^ .
  5. ^ Rowland, pp. 209-214
  6. ^ Rowland, 212
  7. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, pp. 2–3.
  8. ^ a b c K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 3.
  9. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 4.
  10. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 10.
  11. ^ "Ancient India". www.art-and-archaeology.com. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  12. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, pp. 8–9.
  13. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 9.
  14. ^ a b c K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 2.
  15. ^ a b The Buddhist Antiquities of Nagarjunakonda, Madras Presidency by A. H. Longhurst. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 72, Issue 2–3 June 1940 , pp. 226–227 [1]
  16. ^ .
  17. .
  18. ^ Visit Lord Budha – Nagarjunakonda Archived 4 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ Harle, 38
  20. .
  21. .
  22. ^ a b "In Nagarjunakonda Scythian influence is noticed and the cap and coat of a soldier on a pillar may be cited as an example.", in Sivaramamurti, C. (1961). Indian Sculpture. Allied Publishers. p. 51.
  23. ^ a b "A Scythian dvarapala standing wearing his typical draperies, boots and head dress. Distinct ethnic and sartorial characteristics are noteworthy.", in Ray, Amita (1982). Life and Art of Early Andhradesa. Agam. p. 249.
  24. ^ "National Portal and Digital Repository: Record Details". museumsofindia.gov.in.
  25. ^ "The Iksvakus Kings employed Scythian soldiers as their palace guards, and also an inscription hints that a colony of Scythians existed at Nagarjunakonda.", in The Journal of the Institution of Surveyors (India). Institution of Surveyors. 1967. p. 374.
  26. ^ .
  27. ^ Longhurst, A. H. (1932). The Great Stupa at Nagarjunakonda in Southern India. The Indian Antiquary. p. 186.
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  29. ^ Salomon 1998, pp. 90–91.
  30. ^ Salomon 1998, pp. 93–94.
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  32. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 5.
  33. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 6.
  34. .
  35. ^ (India), Madhya Pradesh (1982). Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers: Ujjain. Government Central Press. p. 26.
  36. ^ K. Krishna Murthy 1977, p. 1.
  37. ^ Legge, James (1971). Travels of Fa-Hien.
  38. ^ Barua, Dipak Kumar (1969). Viharas In Ancient India.
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  40. ^ Subrahmaniam, K.R. (1937). Journal Of The Andhra Historical Research Society,vol.10,pt.1 To 4. pp. 100–101.
  41. ^ Samuel Beal (1911). Life Of Hiuen Tsiang By The Shaman Hwui Li.
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  44. ^ "city information of hyderabad, nagarjunasagar, nagarjunakonda, warangal, medak". 14 May 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  45. ^ "Tourism of India - Buddha - Excursion". 21 December 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2019.

Bibliography

External links