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Amaravathi
Some
30km due west of Vijayawada, near the bank of the Krishna River, stands the
ancient Buddhist centre of Amaravathi, the former capital of the Satvahans, the
successors to the Mauryas in this part of India. Here you can see the 2000 year
old stupa with its intricately carved pillars and marble-surfaced dome which
itself is equally richly carved. The carvings depict the life from everyday
life. It's not as large as that at sanchi in Madhya Pardesh but it's worth a
visit if you're interested in Buddhist relics of the Hinayana era. There's a
Museum on the site containing relics found in the area. The ancient Buddhist
centre known as Dhanyataka and the former capital city of Satavahanas is 60kms
south west of Vijayawada. During the time of Acharya Nagarjuna, the Buddhist
philosopher, Amaravathi was a renowned seat of learning where a Buddhist
university flourished. It is built of kiln-burnt bricks and faced with marble
slabs, the Maha stupa was richly adorned with carvings, depicting events from
the life of Buddha along its dome and the outer and inner sides of the railing.

Kanakadurga Temple
Built
atop a hill, the temple is synonymous with Vijayawada. It is among the important
mentioned in the sacred texts. Adi Sankara is believed to have
visited the temple and installed the 'Sri Chakra' here. On the way to the
Kanakadurga temple are the rock-cut carve dedicated to akkanna and Madanna,
Ministers in the court of Abul hasan Tanashah, the 17th century Qutub Shahi
ruler.Kanaka Durga, the goddess of power, riches and benevolence is the
presiding deity of Vijayawada.
Gandhi Hill
The
tallest structure in the Vijaywada skyline, Memorial to the Father of the Nation,
is the 15.8m stupa on Gandhi Hill for merely known as Orr Hill. The Gandhi
stupa is a monument erected in memory of Mahatma Gandhi. It was unveiled in
1968. The Gandhi Memorial Library, sound and light show, planetorium are the
another places which attract the tourists.
Mogalrajapuram
Caves
Of the three cave temples dating back
to the fifth century only one is still is good shape. It contains the idols of
Lord Nataraja and Vinayaka among others. The other famous caves are the
Undavalli Caves, situated about 8 kms. from Vijayawada. These caves were built
in 7th century A.D.
Hazratbal
Mosque
Hazratbal
Mosque is believed as a holy relic of Prophet Mohammad is a famous shrine of the
Muslims.
St. Mary’s Church
It
was Build on a hillock in the east side of Vijayawada. St. Mary’s Church
attracts people from all religion and also from whole count. A
fair is held annually in
which thousands of people participate. |