Preface

From ancient times Andhra Pradesh always formed a significant territorial and cultural unit on the southern side of the Vindhyan range in the Indian subcontinent. The region witnessed the emergence of a number of Buddhist monastic establishments from the pre-Christian Era. Among them Amarāvatī, located on the right bank of the river Kṛṣṇā evolved as the greatest Buddhist monastic centre. It was near the ancient ruined city of Dhānyakaṭaka/ Dharaṇikoṭa. The Mahācaitya or the Great stūpa of Amarāvatī characterized by its massive size and iconoplastic grandeur stood as one of the finest Buddhist monument of ancient India. Amarāvatī developed a distinct art style which percolated to the neighbouring sites leading to the formation of the ‘Amarāvatī School of Art’.

The importance of the monument and its art is further discernible in its long survival approximately from 4^th century B.C.E to 14^th Century C.E. This is more interesting considering the early extinction of the neighbouring Buddhist sites of Andhra archaeology. In this regard a sincere effort has been made to situate the problem of the survival of the monument in the context of other Andhra archeological centres and investigate its lasting artistic impact over a long span of time and geography. Thus it can be stated that the purpose of the thesis is to highlight the physical and artistic survival of Amarāvatī in the context of Andhra archaeological sites. In fact the continued existence of Amarāvatī despite the changing political and religious scenario speaks a lot of the significance of the monument in the cultural history of Andhra. It is believed that such a study will unravel a new dimension in the history of art and culture of Amarāvatī.