GUNTUR: It has been a long-time wish for historians and the people of Guntur to include Nagarjunakonda, the world’s second-biggest Buddhist museum in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The archaeological museum on the hilltop is house to several Buddhist artifacts, sculptures and scripts of the Buddhist era and has a rich history.
In 1920 in colonial India, Nagarjunakonda became a site of significance for archaeologists. The area, which had hitherto been cut off by the Nallamala range, was now subject to archaeological excavations and research.
Projects involving the preservation of Buddhist sculptures and monuments retrieved from Mahayana Buddhist and Hindu shrines were undertaken in this town which was named after Nagarjuna, the Buddhist scholar. However, there was a predicament regarding the relocation of the sculptures.
According to the historians, British archaeologist Leonard Woolley in his 1939 report on the working of the Archaeological Survey of India, questioned whether it would be prudent to retain the sculptures at the site since Nagarjunakonda was not well-connected to the city, thereby not easily accessible to the public. But there was opposition to this suggestion and the research continued.
Disaster struck in the 1960s when the artifacts came under threat of being submerged because of the construction of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. With the original site underwater the relics were moved to higher land on the hill. It was in 1966 that the museum was built on the island town, located in the vicinity of a medieval fort. Five galleries display carved limestone slabs, sculptures, inscriptions and other antiquities from the 3rd and the 4th century AD.
Museum-goers can view Ayaka-slabs, panels tracing the evolution of human civilisation, terracotta and stucco statues and other collection. Another gallery exhibits the architectural components of stupas and the Buddhist narratives including chronicles of Buddha’s life, and others relayed in the art that decorated them. While models of the submerged valley are amongst the other miniature renditions of historic architecture in a third gallery.
Epigraphs and inscriptions on pillars in Brahmi, Prakrit and Sanskrit are housed in the museum too. Some of the exhibits of key importance include a memorial pillar depicting King Vasishthiputra Chamtamula, a Sanskrit inscription on a pillar invoking god Pushpabhadrasvamin, inscriptions of Vijaya Satakarni and a Telugu inscription issued by king Purushottama of Orissa.
History lovers and people have been urging the officials to take action to include it in world heritage sites. All India Panchayat Parishad and Amaravathi Development Authority Secretary Jasti Veeranjaneyulu have submitted several representations to the Department of Archaeology and Museums as well as to the Archaeological Survey of India to include Nagarjuna Konda in the tentative list of UNESCO.
He said AP is house to several wonderful and historic sites that should be included in the UNESCO World Heritage list which would boost tourism in the State. In a welcoming move, Principal Secretary AP Tourism and Culture Dr G Vani Mohan have sent a proposal to ASI to include Nagarjunakonda. He also said that more facilities should be developed at the island museum, as it attracts foreign tourists also.