Bhattiprolu Buddhist Maha Stupa, Andhra Pradesh

Address

Bhattiprolu Buddhist Maha Stupa Bhattiprolu, Andhra Pradesh 522256

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

Bhattiprolu is a village in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Bhattiprolu mandal in Tenali revenue division. The Buddhist stupa in the village is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance. One of the earliest evidence of Brahmi script in South India comes from Bhattiprolu. The script was written on an urn containing Buddha’s relics. The script has been named Bhattiprolu script The original name of Bhattiprolu was Pratipalapura, a flourishing Buddhist town in the ancient Sala kingdom that predated Andhra Satavahanas. From available inscriptional evidence, King Kuberaka was ruling over Bhattiprolu around 230 BCE. Bhattiprolu is well known for its Buddha stupa (Vikramarka kota dibba) built about 3rd-2nd century BCE. Three mounds were discovered in Bhattiprolu in 1870. It’s now completely State of disappear. In 1892 when excavations were undertaken by Alexander Rea, three inscribed stone relic caskets containing crystal caskets, relics of Buddha and jewels were found The stupa was found to be 40 meters in diameter with an additional basement of 2.4 meters wide running all around. The most significant discovery is the crystal relic casket of Sarira Dhatu of the Buddha from the central mass of the stupas. The Mahachaitya (great stupa) remains of a large pillared hall, a large group of ruined votive stupas with several images of Buddha A Manual of the Krishna District in the Presidency of Madras” (1883) mentions Public Works Department at that time having demolished beautiful marble pillars, central casket and used the remains in the sluice flowing 2 miles east of Bhattiprolu. Bhattiprolu Union Panchayat was established in 1892 under Madras local boards act.