Reconstructed Nagarjunakonda Remains at Anupu, Andhra Pradesh

high-definition creative commons photographs from the Reconstructed Nagarjunakonda Remains at Anupu, Andhra Pradesh together with further information.

 

When the decision was made to go ahead with the Nagarjuna Sagar hydro-electric dam by the Government of India in 1956 the main problem was preserving as much as possible of the historical archeological site of Nagarjunakonda (Nāgārjunakoṇḍā, Nāgārjuna’s Hill), which was going to be submerged by the waters.The site was known as Vijayapurī (City of Victory, or, City of Success) when it was built as their capital city by the Ikṣvāku kings.

From that time onwards archeologists from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) strove to preserve as much as they could by removing the remains from their original site to two different places: The Nāgārjunakoṇḍā Museum houses most of the reliefs and important statues; on the island itself several important structures, like the Simha Vihāra, the Bodhiśrī Chaitya, and a stūpa and cyst.

At the Anupu site, which is on the mainland, opposite the island, a university complex, including stūpas, assembly hall, vihāras and Chaitya; and an amphitheatre and the Hāriti temple were relocated. It is this latter site that is photographed here.

Below is a satellite view showing the placement of the main buildings.

Satellite View of the Main Buildings at Anupu

use j/k or left/right arrow
to navigate through the photos below

The University Complex

Most of the ancient universities of ancient India were in fact monastic universities, providing accommodation for students and teachers in Vihāras; and buildings for assembly, teaching and study, as well as religious monuments like stūpas and Chaityas.

001 The Entrance Path

01 The Entrance Path

002 Stūpa Remains on Approach

02 Stūpa Remains on Approach

003 Stūpa from the Side

03 Stūpa from the Side

004 Stūpa and Other Buildings

04 Stūpa and Other Buildings

005 Stūpa and Other Buildings

05 Stūpa and Other Buildings

006 Building with Moonstone

06 Building with Moonstone

007 Chaitya Gṛha

07 Chaitya Gṛha

008 Maṇḍapa Building

08 Maṇḍapa Building

009 Pillar on Site

09 Pillar on Site

010 Stūpa and Lotus Decoration

10 Stūpa and Lotus Decoration

011 Vihāras

11 Vihāras

012 Vihāras in Context

12 Vihāras in Context

013 Large Building

13 Large Building

014 View Over Compound

14 View Over Compound

015 Building Remains

15 Building Remains

016 Vihāras and Assembly Hall

16 Vihāras and Assembly Hall

017 View Over Site

17 View Over Site

018 Assembly Hall

18 Assembly Hall

019 Vihāras

19 Vihāras

020 Assembly Hall with Remaining Stone Pillars

20 Assembly Hall with Remaining Stone Pillars

021 Small Temples

21 Small Temples

022 Small Stūpa

22 Small Stūpa

023 Maṇḍapa Building

23 Maṇḍapa Building

024 Assembly Hall from the Side

24 Assembly Hall from the Side

025 Brick and Stone Remains

25 Brick and Stone Remains

026 Apsidal Temple

26 Apsidal Temple

The Amphitheatre

The Amphitheatre was typical of Greek and Roman architecture, and was known, for instance, in Gandhāra, but it was atypical in the heartland of India. The Amphitheatre at Anupu is one of the rare examples of this form. Unlike the Greek and Roman Amphitheatres, this one is square in desigen, and would seat around 1,000 people. Above it are some vihāras, whether situated here in the original complex, or not, I am unsure.

027 Approach to Amphitheatre

27 Approach to Amphitheatre

028 Amphitheatre Entrance Door

28 Amphitheatre Entrance Door

029 Entrance to Amphitheatre

29 Entrance to Amphitheatre

030 Stairway

30 Stairway

031 View from Halfway Up

31 View from Halfway Up

032 View over Amphitheatre

32 View over Amphitheatre

033 Vihāras Near the Top

33 Vihāras Near the Top

034 Top Enclosure

34 Top Enclosure

035 View from the Top Floor

35 View from the Top Floor

036 Apsidal Temple

36 Apsidal Temple

The Hāriti Temple

As now, the Hāriti Temple was situated on a small hill above the main site. It is now just a few remaining pillars, and some foundational brickwork. It originally had a statue of Hāritī in it, which was how it was identified.

037 Hāritī Temple

37 Hāritī Temple

038 Remains of Hāritī Temple

38 Remains of Hāritī Temple

039 Hāritī Temple from Side

39 Hāritī Temple from Side

040 Hāritī Temple Remains

40 Hāritī Temple Remains

 

Photographs by Anandajoti Bhikkhu

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