Exploring Amaravati, an important Buddhist centre in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, is a treasure trove of cultural and religious experiences. The city of Amaravati is located on the banks of Krishna river in Guntur district.

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The ancient city was an important centre of Mahayana Buddhism. This made the city a crucial pilgrimage site, and people from nearby regions and all over India used to throng to the place.



The main reason why Amaravati, despite being such an important pilgrimage site, didn’t make it to the list of famous pilgrimage sites in India, is because over time (especially during the British rule), many sculptures were either destroyed or taken away. The site remained in ruins for a very long time until recently, the state government decided to give it a facelift.


The Amaravati Stupa is one such site that went through a lot of destruction over the years. The site is now under the Archaeological Survey of India. Whatever structures survived, they were taken to several museums in India and abroad.



Several efforts were made to put Amaravati on the Buddhist Circuit in India once again. As a result, the 125 ft Dhyana Buddha statue was constructed in Amaravati.


As per the most recent report, a number of tourist facilities were inaugurated at the Dhyana Buddha Vanam site. These include a tourist facilitation centre, meditation hall, open air theatre, restaurant, interpretation centre and a landscaped garden.


This project’s main aim is to bring back the lost grandeur of the erstwhile Buddhist centre. Time to make another entry to your travel wishlist.