Region Beyond The Coastal Lines (3): Phanigiri

Phanigiri is about 35 kms from Suryapet on Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway and about 45 km from Jangaon railway station. It is 4 kms from Tirumalagiri maṇḍal head quarter in Nalcoṇḍa District. Here on a hillock about 200 feet high is a Buddhist monastic complex. It is adjacent to the village of Phaṇigiri. As the southern portion of the hillock resembles the hood of a snake, the site is called Phaṇigiri. (Phani-snake, Giri-hillock)^[1].

In 1942-43 trial excavations were conducted at Phaṇigiri by the Director of Archaeology which exposed coins, brick structures, sculptured panels and other remains datable to the 1^st century C.E Later in 2001-2003 further excavation was carried out by the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Andhra Pradesh. This excavation led to the discovery of a Mahāstūpa, a stone pillared hall, three vihāras, two apsidal chaityagṛhas, sculptured reliefs and Brāhmī inscription belonging to the Sātavāhana and Ikṣvāku period. The site is datable to 1^st century B.C.E -3^rd century C.E.

The Mahāstūpa (18m diameter) is built on a wheel shaped plan having four āyaka platforms (4m x 1.25m) on four cardinal directions. The western āyaka platform retained five lime stone āyaka pillars^[2]. The stūpa has a drum and a dome. On the southern side of the Mahāstūpa, two apsidal caityas were unearthed. In between the two chaityagṛhas, a brick platform is found where three Buddhapadas are found. On the other side of the platform several sculptured panels, broken statues of Bodhisattva and a damaged Buddha image is found. Further excavation at the base of the brick platform unearthed a stone railing with a roundel depicting Jātaka stories. The Māndhāta (PL 12c) and Losaka Jātaka at Phaṇigiri closely resemble similar Jātaka representation in the Amarāvatī art^[3].