Mapping
Source: TH
Context: Bojjannakonda, a centuries-old Buddhist heritage site in (at Sankaram, near Visakhapatnam) Andhra Pradesh, is set to become a major tourist attraction thanks to investments from both the Central and State governments.
About Bojjannakonda:
Bojjannakonda and Lingalametta are ancient Buddhist monasteries from the 3rd century BC. The main stupa at Bojjannakonda is a rock-carved structure covered with bricks and adorned with Buddha sculptures. Lingalametta boasts rows of rock-cut monolithic stupas.
These sites show elements of all the three Buddhist phases:
- Theravada (Lord Buddha was considered a teacher)
- Mahayana (Buddhism was more devotional)
- Vajrayana (Buddhist tradition was more practised as Tantra and in esoteric form)
The site is famous for many votive stupas, rock-cut caves, brick-built edifices, early historic pottery, and Satavahana coins that date back to the 1st century AD. Visakhapatnam is renowned for other Buddhist sites like Thotlakonda, Appikonda, and Bavikonda
