|
THE
BUDDHA STUPA
The
visit will be incomplete and merit very trivial, if the visitors
miss visiting the Buddha Stupa here. It is a marvelous sculptural
piece worthy of preservation in the world museum. Beauty of
execution, perfection of form, delineation of emotion of the carved
figures are beyond description. Seeing is elevating! An experience
remains locked up in mind for ever!! Though preeminently a place of
worship, it attracts all -literates or illiterates, theists or
atheists, experts or sceptics by its superb excellences peeping at
the viewers from the lifeless stone s it is making the living gape
and gaze through out. Buddha's life depicted in stone here does more
service than pages in prose or verse. It is most visit-worthy like
Someswaraswamy. Before closing this part, mention must be made of
Raja Sri Vasireddy Venkataswamy Naidu, a great ruler. Under
extraordinary circumstances, he put to sword many Chenchus of this
area, but regretted later. Yet that ruthless act was preying on his
mind. His tortured mind regained its composure on a visit to this
temple. Realising the sanctity of place, he shifted his capital from
Chitapalli to this holy Amaravathi and devoted his, life, time,
State Revenue to building and renovating temples. He glorified this
place, and so is immortalised by the chroniclers. The Sathavahana
Kings too strove to improve the temple during their rule, and later
Vijayanagara kings, particularly Krishna Devaraya too endowed it
fittingly. Inscriptions throw ample light on their contributions to
make it a jewel among Siva temples of the land.
|
