Amaravati: the ancient capital of Andhra

Amaravati is a town in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is also referred as Amareswaram, after its famous Amareswara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, which is one of the famous Pancharamas. It was formerly known as Andhra Nagari. Krishna River passes through the east side of Amaravati.

The recorded history of Amaravati and nearby Dharanikota dates to 2nd century BC. It was the capital of the Satavahanas, who ruled from 2nd century BC to 3rd century AD. After the decline of Satavahanas, Andhra Ikshvakus and later Pallava kings ruled Krishna river valley. Subsequently, Eastern Chalukyas and Telugu Cholas held sway over the region. Kota kings were in control of Amaravati during the medieval times. Kota kings were subdued by Kakatiyas in 11th century CE and Amaravati became part of the unified Telugu empire. The Skanda Purana gives a picture of the place and the Shiva temple located here.

The land of Amaravati was once referred as the abode of the Gods, the devas, the yakshas and the kinnaras. At Dhanyakatakam or Varanasi, demons defeated the Gods after being awarded a boon by Lord Shiva. It is believed that these Gods came to this place to perform penances to Shiva to destroy the mighty demon Tarakasura. Eventually, Subramanyam, the son of Shiva, killed Tarakasura. Since then the place came to be called as Amaravati.

The region of Amaravati is also famous for the Buddha Stupa and sculptures depicting the life of Buddha in Amaravati. The main festivals of the temple are the Maha Shivaratri and Navaratri.

Amareswara Swamy temple

The Amareswara Swamy temple is located on a small hillock referred to as Krouncha Shaila in Amaravati, about 15 miles away from Guntur.

This temple constitutes one of the five Pancharama temples of Andhra Pradesh dedicated to Lord Shiva. The other four of Pancharama temples are Kumararama, Ksheerarama and Bheemarama and Draksharama.

Lord Shiva, in five linga forms namely Pranaveswara, Agasteswara, Kosaleswara, Someswara and Parthiveswara, is worshipped. He is also referred to as Lord Amareswara and is accompanied by his wife Bala Chamundika, who is considered as the fourth of the eighteen goddesses.

Legend says that the Shivalingam was shattered into five pieces and the biggest piece is the fifteen foot long column of white marble which is worshipped at Amaravati temple. It is believed that Indra, the king of the devas, Brihaspati, the guru of the devas and Sukra, the preceptor of the Asuras, installed this lingam.

Another specialty of the temple is that the Amaravati hill is situated alongside the river Krishna, which flows in north-south direction for a short distance while the main river flows from west to east. The ritual dip in this river is considered to be holy and meritorious.

Another legend says that the temple was originally Buddhist in origin and was later readapted for Hindu worship. Also the foundations of the Amareswara Swami temple are laid with the characteristic Buddhist slabs. There is a white marble lotus medallion of delicate and ornate Buddhist style, just above the Mula Virat in the Garbhagriha. Even the Mula Virat is a long vertical cylinder made of white marble, used extensively in the Buddhist monuments.

According to Skanda Purana, at the end of Dwaparayuga 5053 years ago, Maharshi Narada was asked by the Sounakadi rishis for the best means to obtain liberation. Narada told them that as Lord Krishna had created the river Krishna, so had he advised the rishis to live near the river and bathe in its holy water to attain salvation. If a devotee remains in this area for more than three days and worships Lord Amareswara with devotion after a dip in the holy river, he will attain the Shivaloka. If a devotee dies here, he will be absorbed into Lord Shiva. There are many more legends from the Kshetra Mahatmyam and the Kshetramurthy Mahatmyam.

The stupa

The region between Krishna and Godavari rivers was an important place for Buddhism from the second century BC with Amaravati being one of them. The Buddhist stupa was built during the reign of Ashoka in 200 AD. It was carved with panels that tell the story of Buddha. During the period of the decline of Buddhism, this stupa was also neglected and it was buried under rubble. There is a 14th-century inscription in Sri Lanka which mentions repairs made to the stupa and after that it was forgotten. The stupa is related to the Vajrayana teachings of Kalachakra, still practiced today in Tibetan Buddhism. Dalai Lama of Tibet conducted a Kalachakra initiation at this location in 2006.

Ancient art

Art historians regard Amaravati art as one of the three major styles or schools of ancient Indian art, the other two being the Gandhara style and the Mathura style. Some of the Buddhist sculptures of Amaravati betray a Greco-Roman influence that was the direct result of the close trade and diplomatic contacts between South India and the ancient Romans. Indeed, Amaravati has itself yielded a few Roman coins.

Chinese traveller and Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) visited Amaravati in 640 CE, stayed for some time and studied 'Abhidhammapitakam'. Xuanzang wrote a glorious account of the place, viharas and monasteries that existed.

Amaravati School

In Amaravati, situated in the eastern Deccan, a different type of art form evolved and flourished for nearly six centuries commencing from 200-100 BC. The Amaravati School of Art occupies a pre-eminent position in the history of Indian art.