The Guntupalle or Guntupalli Group of Buddhist Monuments is located near
Kamavarapukota
Kamavarapukota is a village in Eluru district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The nearest railway station is at Sitampet.
Geography
Kamavarapukota lies on the Eluru–Jangareddygudem road in hilly terrain. The Kamavaraukota community in ...
,
Eluru district, in the state of
Andhra Pradesh in
India. It is around 40 km away from
Eluru.
The rock-cut part of the site has two
Buddhist caves, a
chaitya hall and a large group of
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
s.
The chaitya hall has a rare carved stone entrance replicating wooden architecture, a simpler version of that at the
Lomas Rishi Cave.
There are remains of structural buildings in brick and stone, including remains of two
vihara made of brick, as well as excavated caves at two levels, including an unusual structural
chaitya hall (that is, one built above ground). The core of this consists of the stone stupa with an enclosed path around it allowing ritual
parikrama (circumambulation). They mostly date to 200-0 BCE, with some sculptures added later. The main building above ground is in brick, around a stone
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
, with over 30 smaller stupas on a terrace in front of it. There are ruins of two other buildings.
[ASI; Michell, 368]
During excavation, three
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
caskets were found.
The caskets had many precious elements like gold, silver, crystal beads. The bronze image of
Padmapani was found along with one of the caskets. The inscription on the casket was in the
Devanagari script which indicates the year as from the 9th to 10th century CE.
Notes
References
*"ASI"
Group of Buddhist Monuments, Guntupalli. ASI*Michell, George, ''The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, Volume 1: Buddhist, Jain, Hindu'', 1989, Penguin Books,
{{Portal, India
Buildings and structures in Eluru district
Archaeological sites in Andhra Pradesh
Stupas in India
Buddhist sites in Andhra Pradesh
Buddhist caves in India
Buddhist monasteries in India
Indian rock-cut architecture
Former populated places in India
Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
Caves of Andhra Pradesh