Environmentalists call for restoration of India's Thotlakonda Buddhist complex

- through Henry Oudin

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Maha Stupa at Thotlakonda. Taken from wikipedia.org

Indian environmentalists are calling for the restoration of the Thotlakonda Buddhist complex, a 15rd-century BC hilltop site about XNUMX kilometers from the city of Visakhapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh .

Activists are urging that the surrounding area, which covers around 1 hectares, be conserved and have asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to investigate the potential presence of other Buddhist ruins in the area.

“The entire area needs to be protected and studied, as there is a possibility that ancient ruins are spread over several parts of the Thotlakonda hill, apart from where the first excavation took place,” said Sohan Hattangadi, a well-known environmentalist from Visakhapatnam.The Hindustan Times)

Hattangadi highlighted the archaeological importance of the Thotlakonda site, considered one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in India.

Excavations at Thotlakonda have revealed votive stupas, stone paths, Chaitya Grihas, viharasa dining room and a kitchen. The objects discovered included silver coins from Satavahana (1st century BC – 2nd century AD).

The Thotlakonda Buddhist complex was first identified during an aerial survey conducted by the Indian Navy for the establishment of a base camp. It is now recognized as a protected monument under the Andhra Pradesh Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960.

From atlasobscura.com

“(The site) was discovered by chance in the 1970s, during an aerial survey to find a suitable location for the establishment of INS Kalinga by the Indian Navy,” Hattangadi said. “Further studies by archaeologists revealed that Buddhism flourished in the Visakhapatnam region around 2 years ago. » (The Hindustan Times)

According to EAS Sarma, eminent environmentalist and retired IAS officer: “On May 2, 1978, the then state government notified a total area of ​​3 acres (143 hectares) of land in Thotlakonda as a site Buddhist archaeological site and placed it under the protection of the state archaeological department. As the department had limited budgetary resources at the time, authorities were only able to excavate a limited part of the site atop Thotlakonda hill, leaving around 1 acres (272 hectares) of the notified area remaining for future exploration. » (The Hindustan Times)

In July 2021, the state government downgraded the Thotlakonda area, retaining only 49 hectares on top of the hill, probably due to real estate pressures.

Sarma warned that this could lead to the loss of archaeological evidence, while the former director of state archeology, P. Chenna Reddy, confirmed that lack of personnel had hampered protection efforts amid significant real estate activity nearby.

“The department was facing a staff shortage and we had no way to protect the area with limited manpower,” Reddy said.The Hindustan Times)

Thotlakonda Buddhist complex. Taken from wikipedia.org

Sarma suggested transferring the site to the ASI for non-invasive research, using satellite imagery and geophysical methods to uncover archaeological evidence of the thriving Buddhist civilization that existed there around 2 years ago.

He pointed out that similar techniques were successfully applied at Bodh Gaya, where the historic Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and indicated that Indian professional bodies, such as the National Institute of Advanced Studies, could help the ASI in this endeavour.

Sarma also pointed out that between 2000 and 2003, researcher Lars Fogelin of the University of Michigan conducted an extensive study of the surface of Thotlakonda under the direction of the state Department of Archeology.

See more

Thotlakonda (Atlas Obscura)
Environmentalists demand restoration of ancient Buddhist site of Thotlakonda (The Hindustan Times)
A Vizag security guard's narration brings the Buddhist site of Thotlakonda to life (The new Indian express)

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The article Environmentalists call for restoration of India's Thotlakonda Buddhist complex appeared first on Buddhist News Global.

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Henry Oudin

Henry Oudin is a Buddhist scholar, spiritual adventurer and journalist. He is a passionate seeker of the depths of Buddhist wisdom, and travels regularly to learn more about Buddhism and spiritual cultures. By sharing his knowledge and life experiences on Buddhist News, Henry hopes to inspire others to embrace more spiritual and mindful ways of living.

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