Visakhapatnam, formerly known as Vizagapatam is the proposed executive capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is also the most populated and largest city of Andhra Pradesh. It lies between the Eastern Ghats and the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is the second largest city in the east coast of India after Chennai and also the fourth largest city in South India. It is one of the four smart cities of Andhra Pradesh selected under Smart Cities Mission. It also serves as the headquarters of Visakhapatnam district. With an estimated output of $43.5 billion, the city is the ninth largest contributor to India's overall Gross domestic product as of 2016. In 2020, Visakhapatnam emerged as the finalist in the World Smart City Awards under Living and Inclusion category.
Srikakulam is a city and the headquarters of Srikakulam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. As of 2011 census, it has a population of 146,988. There are many other places of Buddhist Tourism such as Salihundam, Calinga Patnam, Dabbaka Vaani Peta, Nagari Peta, Jagati Metta, Singupuram etc. in Srikakulam District. The Buddhist heritage site of Salihundam has some unique features. It has a beautiful star atop a stupa, rock cut massive stupaas inside chaitya grihas, brick stupas with wheel pattern plan, votive stupas, inscriptions on the steps leading to the stupas and museum housing over two dozen sculpted statue and figurines of Buddha, Jain Teerthankars and other deities
Ghantasala is a village in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is 21 km west of Machilipatnam and 11 km east of Krishna River. The largest city of this district, Vijaywada, is around 60 km away. It is a rare and reputed center for Buddhist sculptures.
Ramateertham is a village panchayat in Nellimarla mandal of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh in India. It is about 12 km from Vizianagaram city. It is a famous Pilgrimage and also Ancient Historical Site since 3rd Century BCE. There is a post office at Ramateertham. The PIN code is 535218.
Anakapalle is a suburb of Visakhapatnam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The municipality was merged with Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. It has the second largest jaggery market of the country.
Bhattiprolu is a village in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Bhattiprolu mandal in Tenali revenue division. The Buddhist stupa in the village is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance. One of the earliest evidence of Brahmi script in South India comes from Bhattiprolu. The script was written on an urn containing Buddha's relics. The script has been named Bhattiprolu script
Bheemunipatnam, is a suburb in the city of Visakhapatnam, India. The town was named after Bhima a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It used to be administered under Bheemunipatnam municipality but in 2017 it was merged into GVMC. It is under the administration of Visakhapatnam revenue division and the headquarters is located at Bheemunipatnam.
Salihundam, is a village and panchayat in Gara Mandal pf Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. It is a historically important Buddhist monument and a major tourist attraction is a village lying on top of the hill on the south bank of the Vamsadhara River. It is at a distance of 5 KM west to Kalingapatnam and 10 KM from Singupuram and 18 KM from Srikakulam town. It was known as Salivatika. But many called it “Salyapetika”.
In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex is situated on a hill near Bheemunipatnam about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India. The hill is about 128 metres (420 ft) above sea level and overlooks the sea. The Telugu name Toṭlakoṇḍa derived from the presence of a number of rock-cut cisterns hewn into the bedrock of the hillock.
The Bhattiprolu script is a variant of the Brahmi script which has been found in old inscriptions at Bhattiprolu, a small village in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, South India. It is located in the fertile Krishna river delta and the estuary region where the river meets the Bay of Bengal.
Nelakondapally, also referred to as Nelakondapalli or Nela Kondapalli, is a town and headquarters of a mandal in Khammam district, Telangana, India. It is also an archaeological site important to early Buddhism and Hinduism, where excavations have discovered a major stupa site near an ancient manmade lake, another site where Buddhist and Hindu artwork were carved in pre-3rd century India, both sites also yielding hundreds of ancient rare coins with Shaiva and Vaishnava inscriptions from the Hindu dynasties of Ikshavakus and Vishnukundins. Nelakondapally is also the birthplace of Bhakta Ramadas.
Lalitagiri is a major Buddhist complex in the Indian state of Odisha comprising major stupas, 'esoteric' Buddha images, and monasteries (viharas), one of the oldest sites in the region, Significant finds at this complex include Buddha's relics. Tantric Buddhism was practiced at this site.
Veluri Venkata Krishna Sastry was an archaeologist and historian in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda are two Buddhist rock-cut caves on adjacent hillocks, situated near a village called Sankaram, which is a few kilometres away from Anakapalle, Vishakhapatnam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The sites are believed to date between 4th and 9th Century A.D, when Buddhism is the majority religion of Sankaram. The original name of Bojjannakonda is Buddina Konda.
Kotturu Dhanadibbalu & Pandavula Guha is an ancient Buddhist site near Kotturu village of Rambilli mandal Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh. A post office is located at Kotturu Village with Pincode 531061
Pavurallakonda or Pavurallabodu is the local name of a hill, popularly known as Narasimhaswamy Konda, near Bheemunipatnam about 25 km towards north of Visakhapatnam, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located at a height of about 150 meters above mean sea level.
Gudiwada Dibba is a small hillock at Gudiwada village in Bhogapuram mandal, Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh. It located on the banks of River Gosthani.
The Guntupalle or Guntupalli Group of Buddhist Monuments is located near Kamavarapukota, West Godavari district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is around 40 km away from Eluru. The rock-cut part of the site has two Buddhist caves, a chaitya hall and a large group of stupas. The chaitya hall has a rare carved stone entrance replicating wooden architecture, a simpler version of that at the Lomas Rishi Cave.
The Andhra Pradesh State Department of Archaeology and Museums is a department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh which oversees archaeological exploration and maintenance of heritage sites and museums in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was established in the year 1914 under the stewardship of Dr. Gulam Yazdani. As a result of formation of A. P. State in 1956, the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Hyderabad was expanded and it became known as Andhra Pradesh Department of Archaeology and Museums in the year 1960. When the state of Telangana was formed in 2014, the department was separated into two; leading to disputes between the two newly-formed departments over historical artifacts.
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