Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates ‘Lower Krishna Valley (20): Peddaganjam’ 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 (20): Peḍḍaganjam
[Location: Peḍḍaganjam (Lat 15039’N, Long 80014’E Chirala Taluk of Prakāsam)]
Peḍḍaganjam is located in the Chirala taluk of Prakāsam district. The mound locally called Faranguladinne (mound of foreigners) has bequeathed to us a number of Buddhist stūpas, sculptures and inscriptions. One inscription of the Ikṣvāku king Virapurusadatta in the region records the gift of a merchant of Dhānyakaṭaka and the female members of his family. It indicates that the merchant patronized Buddhism and gave donations for raising and maintenance of the Buddhist establishment.
Several Buddhist stūpas were found from the area. The largest stūpa exhibit a plan close to the Ghaṇṭaśālā Mahāstūpa. Like Ghaṇṭaśālā, all the stūpas at Peḍḍaganjam have a number of cross walls forming blocks packed with mud[1].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Das D. Jithendra, Op.cit, p 40.