Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates ‘Lower Krishna Valley (3): Jaggayyapeta’ of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha’s life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
Lower Kṛṣṇā Valley (3): Jaggayyapeṭa
[Location: Jaggayyapeṭa (Lat 16054’ N Long 8005’E Nandigama Taluk, Kṛshṇā district)]
Jaggayyapeṭa was an important centre of Buddhism in Andhra. It is situated on the bank of the Paler River, about 5 kms to the north west of Amarāvatī. In ancient times it was known as Betavolu[1]. Rājā Vasureddi Venkaṭadri Nayuḍu, the zaminder of Chintapalli renamed the site Jaggayyapeṭa after his father’s name Jaggayya. It is usually datable to 2nd century B.C.E. The Buddhist site is located on a hillock called Dhanabodhu (hill of wealth) or Velagiri. According to some the name Jaggayyapeṭa is derived from the hill Velagiri[2].
It is also considered as one of the ancient stūpa of Andhradesa. The site was explored by J. Burgess (1882). It appeared that the great stūpa (Mahācaitya) of Jaggayyapeṭa (PL 6a) was surrounded by āyaka pillars at four cardinal points like that of Nāgārjunakoṇḍa. The stūpa had an outer brick casing with an inferior packing formed of layers of earth two feet thick. The Mahācaitya was about 31.5 feet in diameter, processional path of 10.5 feet wide and 3’9” above the floor[3]. Apart from the Mahācaitya, many other small stūpas were also found at Jaggayyapeṭa.
Like Amarāvatī free standing colums round the stupa were also found during the excavation. From the remains of Jaggayyapeṭa it appears that the circumambulatory path on the top of the medhī had a parapet or balustrade.
Some carved marble slabs and pilasters are discovered from the site. Some pilasters depict figures standing on mythical animals (PL 6b). The sculptures are characterized by extremely low and flat reliefs and elongated treatment of the limbs. One of the significant reliefs is that of Cakravartin (Universal Monarch).
Footnotes and references:
[2]: