Nagarjunakonda, a famous Buddhist island in Telangana (@greatindiantravel/Facebook)In Telangana, eight new Buddhist sites were identified and reported to the archaeology department on Sunday. The new sites believed to have stupas, viharas and aramas are located in Dharmapuri, Makkatropet, Nerella, Sarangapur, Buddeshpalli, Donuru, Pochampalli and Dharmaram.
Kotilingala, Pashigam, Sthambampalli, Dhoolikatta, Phanigri, Gajula Banda, Tirumagiri, Nelakondapalli and Jaggaiahpeta are the other sites in the state with a considerable Buddhist presence, that are already identified and listed with the government.
Historian Dr S Jaikishan said, “Buddha’s Suttanipata mentions that where the river Godavari splits into two and meets again creating an islet is Badankurthi, which is the present-day Adilabad. The spread of Buddhism began from here, and early Buddhist influence has been recorded in this region. From here, Buddhism moved to Bodhan in Nizamabad and spread to the Telugu regions of South India”, reports Deccan Chronicle. Buddhist literature was studied to identify these new sites, and a presentation was made to the government for the excavation to start on these sites.
Work on the other sites will begin after completion of excavation work at these sites.
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