The Great Stupa of Amaravati: A testament to Andhra’s glorious Buddhist heritage

On the banks of the river Krishna, north of the modern-day Andhra capital, lies the remains of the Great Stupa of Amaravati. Quite possibly the grandest stupa to have been built in South Asia, little remains of it today. What is this place? What makes it significant? How did it reduce to a rubble of brick? Read on to find out.

Stupa and its history:

While the exact age isn’t known, the earliest inscriptions and stupa-remains indicate the stupa existed since early centuries of BCE. This was a period when Buddhism was a dominant force in the Coastal Andhra region. Relics from the era still dot the region from Salihundam, Srikakulam to Chandavaram, Prakasam. The crown jewel amongst them is the stupa at Amaravati.

The Chinese traveler and Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) visited Amaravati in 640 CE, stayed for some time and studied the Abhidhammapitakam. He wrote about the place and the viharas and monasteries present there.

Structure and its significance:

A model of what the stupa could have looked like, Amaravati Museum.

The stupa, referred to as Mahachaitya, has a circular base over which the dome rises. Around the stupa, a railing has been laid, creating a path in between for people to walk. This is where things get interesting. The entire brick-and-earth stupa was covered with intricately carved limestone slabs. The railings were made from limestone as well. Found in the Palnadu region, this limestone is soft and white in colour.

These carvings are extremely rich in detail and skill, constituting what has been termed the Amaravati School of Art. This art form is one of the three predominant Buddhist art forms, the other two being Mathura and Gandhara.

Read: 5 Buddhist heritage sites to visit in Andhra Pradesh for an enlightening trip

Ornate railing pillar and crossbar. British Museum (left) and Egmore Museum, Chennai (right).

A monument built by common folks:

While almost all grand monuments of our past have been commissioned by kings and queens, the Amaravati Stupa is one monument that stands apart. Built over centuries with contributions from many, many commoners, this stupa is a monument built by common folk – farmers, traders, artisans and others. However, this is not to say that there wasn’t institutional support from royalty.

The ruin:

As Buddhism started to fade in importance, so did the stupa. It turned into a mound covered in earth and plants. Around 1797, British Major Colen Mackenzie stumbled across this huge Buddhist structure built with bricks and covered in limestone. However, by the time he returned again in 1816, tragedy had struck.

A local zamindar, Vasireddi Venkatadri Nayudu, demolished huge parts of the stupa for materials required for his new palace under construction. The damage was done. In 1816, Mackenzie studied and drew plans of whatever little was left.

A photo from Elliot’s collection

In 1845, Sir Walter Elliot, a British Civil Servant, started site excavations to uncover and document what had been left. Huge slabs, pillars, and decorative elements, all ornately carved, were recovered. These “marbles”, as they have been henceforth called, were, however, transported to Madras (some to Kolkata) for safekeeping. In 1859, the most exquisite pieces were sent to London, where they had a journey of their own, eventually landing in the British museum.

Read: Buddhist sites in Vizag: 4 places in the city you must visit at least once

Current Status:

Amaravati Stupa, as seen today.

Amaravati Gallery, British Museum. An entrance pillar, guardian lion and railing can be seen.

Today, the largest collection of these marbles is in Egmore Museum, Chennai, followed by the site museum at Amaravati and the British Museum, London. Smaller collections exist in collections across the world in New York, Paris, Singapore, Boston and more. The stupa itself has been almost entirely pulled down with the base reconstructed with brick and some limestone marbles placed around it.

While we can rue about the stupa’s fate, what is even more unfortunate is how the artefacts remain spread across the world instead of being where they belong, Amaravati. It would do great to have the pieces placed where they were. Such an initiative would allow people to experience and understand the glory of the Great Stupa of Amaravati, the grandest to have been built in South Asia.

Read: Vande Bharat: Things to do on a day trip from Vizag to Vijayawada

Stay tuned to Yo! Vizag website and Instagram for more related articles.