Seminar on ‘Vijayawada Through the Ages’ begins today

 Vijayawada: A two-day national seminar on ‘Vijayawada Through the Ages’, organised by Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati will commence at its Mogalrajapuram office from Friday, according to CCVA CEO Dr E Sivanagi Reddy here on Thursday.

Reddy said the seminar was sponsored by the Indian Council for Historical Research, the Department of Language and Culture, the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

He said that Vijayawada stepped into history during the Satavahana times in the first century BC and continued under their rule. A good number of Buddhist establishments and rock cut caves in around Vijayawada were raised and excavated. The Satavahnas were followed by several smaller dynasties like Ikshvakus and then by the Brihatpalayanas, Pallavas, Salankayanas and Vishnukundins in quick successions. 

Madhavavarma III (440- 460 AD) of the Vishnukundins dynasty (440-616 AD) is said to have ruled from Vijayawada. The famous Chinese traveler, Hieun Tsang is believed to have stayed in Vijayawada around 640 AD. He wrote about the Buddhist monasteries and other structures around Vijayawada and moaned about the decay of Buddhism. During the same time Ayyana Devi, wife of Kubjavishnuvardhana built a Jain Monastry here called Nedumbi Vasadi. An eighth century cave at Ambapuram near Vijayawada attests the Patronage of the Kings to Jainism.

He said the chief guest of the programme would be Deputy Speaker Dr Mandali Buddha Prasad. DGP Dr M Malakondaiah, VMC Commissioner J Nivas, Department of Language and Culture director Dr D Vizai Bhaskar, senior journalist Turlapati Kutumba Rao and Prof Amareswar Galla, Chief Curator, Amaravati Heritage Town would attend the seminar as guests of honor.

International Affairs and Professor, Department of History, University of Hyderabad director Prof Aloka Parasher Sen would deliver the keynote address. CCVA trustee Dr Tejaswini Yarlagadda would present the welcome address. AP Photography Academy would organise a photo exhibition on Vijayawada besides Tirumala Tirupathi Devastanam (TTD) Museum would be a special attraction, said Reddy.

Scholars from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Pondicherry and Andhra Pradesh would present research papers on the history of Vijayawada during the two days, he added.