| Amaravathi | |
| Other Name: | Dhanyakataka, Andhranagari |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Etymology: | The place for immortals |
| Map Alt: | Dynamic map |
| Pushpin Map: | India#India Andhra Pradesh |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Coordinates: | 16.573°N 80.358°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Andhra Pradesh |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Palnadu |
| Subdivision Type3: | Mandal |
| Subdivision Name3: | Amaravathi mandal |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1790 |
| Founder: | Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu |
| Named For: | Amaravati Stupa, Amaralingeswara Temple |
| Parts Type: | Wards |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Panchayati raj |
| Governing Body: | Amaravathi gram panchayat |
| Leader Title: | Sarpanch |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Ha: | 1524 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Footnotes: | [3] |
| Population Total: | 13400 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Telugu |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 522020 |
| Area Code: | +91–8645 |
| Registration Plate: | AP |
Amaravathi is a village on the banks of the Krishna River, in the Palnadu district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.[4] It is the headquarters of Amaravathi mandal,[5] and forms part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region with its headquarters at new Amaravati 35km (22miles) east, whose name is also borrowed from that of the older Amaravathi.[6]
Amaravathi was founded by Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu in the 1790s as the new capital of his Zamindari estate. He moved there from his former capital Chintapalli in protest of alleged mistreatment by the British East India Company. Amaravathi is named after the ancient Amaravati Stupa, which was unearthed in the process of the town's construction.[7] It is adjacent to the ancient Satavahana capital Dhanyakataka (now called Dharanikota).[8]
Amaralingeswara temple in the village is one of the Pancharama Kshetras for Hindus. The place was also a historic Buddhist site, as shown by the presence of Amaravati Stupa built during the second century BCE and the third century CE,[9] [10] as well as the Dhyana Buddha statue, a large 21st-century Buddha statue in Dhyana posture. It is one of the sites selected for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of Government of India, to preserve the rich cultural heritage of India.[11] [12]
The word Amaravathi translates as the place for immortals.[13] It was also known as Dhanyakataka and Andhranagari.
The recorded history of Amaravathi and the nearby town of Dharanikota dates back to the fifth century BCE, when it was known as Dhanyakatakam. Numerous historical sources suggest that Gautama Buddha visited the Andhaka region (Dhanyakataka) and delivered sermons there. Buddhism was established in Amaravati before the arrival of the Maurya Empire, and the city served as the nucleus of a thriving Buddhist culture during that period.[14] Amaravathi is said to have a continuous history spanning at least 2,300 years.[15] During the period when the region was on the periphery of Mauryan Empire under Ashoka, from 225 B.C. to 229 A.D., Satavahana dynasty emerged as a dominant power. Amaravathi served as their eastern capital, while Pratisthana, known today as Paithan, was their western capital.[16] The Amaravati Stupa, is the centerpiece of the most significant Buddhist site in South India. Discovered by a local zamindar in the late eighteenth century, the stupa has been the subject of multiple excavations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.Although the exact dating of the so-called Mauryan inscriptions remains uncertain, it is clear that the history of the Amaravathi stupa includes an earlier construction phase, likely from the post-Mauryan period (circa 200–100 BCE). The fragmentary and repurposed elements of early sculptures indicate that the original stupa and its architectural components underwent substantial renovations during later construction phases.[17]
During the Satavahana rule in the Deccan, the Amaravathi region and Sannati (in Gulbarga District, Karnataka) became significant centers of a unique art tradition, commonly known as the Amaravati School of Art. This tradition is comparable to the Mathura and Gandhara schools in the Central and Northwestern regions of the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. Buddhist sculptures, such as those of Vajrasana, Muchulinda Naga, relic caskets, and bas-reliefs depicting key episodes from Buddha's life, as well as memorial stones from Sannati, share a striking similarity in theme, characteristics, style, and even the type of rock used, with those from the Amaravati region. Together, they formed a distinct cultural zone during the 1st to 3rd centuries A.D. in the Andhra-Karnataka region.[18] Bhattiprolu and Amaravathi, may have played a significant role in the continuous spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The sculptures, including those of Buddha, Bodhisattva, and other panel sculptures, were created in these regions and exported to Sri Lanka.[19] Throughout this era, Amaravati's monasteries and university attracted scholars and students from across India, as well as East and Southeast Asia. Even after the decline of the Satavahanas, the Ikshvaku dynasty, which ruled from approximately the 3rd to the 4th century CE, continued to support and sustain the Buddhist institutions at Amaravati.[20]
The Skanda Purana gives a picture of the place and the Siva temple located here.[21]
See main article: Amaravati Stupa. The most important historic monument in Amaravathi village is the Mahachaitya. It is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India which maintains a site museum beside the ruins. In 2006 the Dalai Lama visited and performed Kalachakra Mahasamalanam during the Kalachakra festival.
Walter Elliot (1803–1887) excavated the Amaravati stupa, with significant portions of it being transported to the British Museum, where they became known as the "Elliot Marbles."[22]
Amaravathi is situated at . It is spread over an area of 1524ha.
Census of India, the town had a population of 13,400 with 3,316 households. The total population constitute, 6,432 males and 6,958 females —a sex ratio of 1,082 females per 1,000 males. 1,321 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 647 are boys and 674 are girls —a ratio of 1,042 per 1,000. The average literacy rate stands at 71.34% with 8,617 literates, higher than the state average of 67.41%.[23]
Amaravathi gram panchayat is the local self-government of the village. It is divided into wards and each ward is represented by a ward member.[24] The village as a part of Amaravathi mandal, which is part of the Pedakurapadu assembly constituency.[25] The present MLA representing the constituency is Bhashyam Praveen from TDP.[26]
The town is a centre of pilgrimage for both Hindus and Buddhists. The inscriptions on the walls of the Amareswara temple depicts the reign of Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu who ruled before the advent of British rule. He was well known for his benevolence, munificence and for the construction of a large number of temples and education centres in the Krishna River delta.[27] It also hosts a 125-foot tall statue of the Buddha, known as the Dhyana Buddha.[28] The ancient structures and replicas can be found at Kalachakra museum, which was renamed the Amaravathi Heritage Centre and Museum.[29] The ancient Buddhist stupa and other ruins make up one of the centrally protected Monuments of National Importance.[30] The main Hindu festivals celebrated are Mahasivaratri and the Navaratri. The 30th Kalachakra festival, a popular Buddhist ritual, was held at Amaravathi in the first week of January 2006. It is one of the oldest tourist places for Buddhists.[31]
The only means of connectivity for the village is by road. The Vijayawada–Amaravathi Road connects the village with cities of Vijayawada, Tenali, Guntur, and with the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region areas of Undavalli, Penumaka, Rayapudi.[32] The Guntur–Amaravathi Road connects it with the district headquarters, Guntur.[33] It also has road connectivity from Sattenapalle, Mangalagiri and Krosuru. APSRTC operates buses from major bus stations like NTR bus station in Guntur, Pandit Nehru bus station in Vijayawada and the Tenali bus station.[34] [35] The village has no rail connectivity.
A waterway categorised as class–III is planned from Pulichintala to Prakasam Barrage, which connects the nearby villages of Harishchandrapuram and Vykuntapuram.[36]
As per the school information report for the academic year 2018–19, the village has a total of 17 schools. These schools include 4 MPP, one KGBV and 12 private schools.[37]