5th C Buddhist remains unearthed in Guntur village

Vijayawada: Two beautifully carved Palnadu limestone pillars of a 4th-5th centuries AD of a Buddhist monastery were found at Velpuru village in Krosur mandal of Guntur district. The two Buddhist pillars were depicted on all four sides with Buddhist symbols such as full and half lotus medallions, creepers, leaves, creative designs and sculptures of bull and elephant.

Dr E Sivanagi Reddy, a Buddhist archaeologist and CEO, Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA), visited Velpuru village on Monday as part of the concluding session of the World Heritage Week celebrations and Preserve Heritage for Posterity scheme launched by CCVA.

The local villagers have informed Dr Reddy and team members about the archaeological remains they have noticed in the village about 50 years ago. The local villagers and ASI officials have preserved the two pillars in Ramalingeswara temple built on a hillock.

Sivanagi Reddy went to the hillock and conducted a thorough survey of archaeological remains in and around and examined the Buddhist pillars and noticed the two pillars belong to 4th and 5th century. He is an expert in readings of the inscriptions dated back to even second century. The villagers do not know that the pillars were carved in the 4th and 5th century till Monday.

Dr Reddy in a press release said the pillars were originally recovered from the Buddhist site on the same village 50 years ago and shifted to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple on hillock.

Referring to the two pillars, Dr Reddy said it was very interesting to note that there is a Brahmi label inscription reading ‘Bhadragunasiri’ in 4th-5th centuries AD characters.

Giving details of other monuments, he said there are three more limestone Buddhist pillars engraved with later day Telugu and Sanskrit inscriptions, apart from a re-fashioned Sivalinga out of another Buddhist pillar during the succeeding periods after the Vishunukundin phase.

He also said that there are more than 25 inscriptions and 10 sculptures of historical significance at the same temple in Velpur village. Dr Reddy complimented the officials of the Amaravati Circle Archaeological Survey of India, Vijayawada, for the upkeep and preservation of the Buddhist remains as per archaeological norms in Velpur village.

He has appealed the officials of AP Tourism to include Velpuru on the Amaravati Buddhist Circuit and facilitate the Buddhist tourists for a comfortable visit to the spot in near future. Golla Narayana Rao, Secretary, Andhra Arts Academy and Subhakar Medasani, Secretary, Amaravati Buddha Vihara, participated in the study tour to Velpur.