Friday, November 06, 2009

Thotlakonda, Bhuddhist Complex


Our next destination was Thotlakonda, a Buddhist complex 16 km from Vizag. Also on a hill, the complex which was active between 200 BC and 200 AD offered beautiful views of the sea and surrounding hills. Although there wasn’t a whole lot left to see, I can imagine how tranquil it must have been for the Buddhist monks who meditated here and visiting monks who came from as far away as China and Burma. One could see foundations of a kitchen, tiny dormitory rooms, stone-cut troughs, stupas, a dining hall, and eleven rainwater tanks. Destroyed by Hindus, the site was rediscovered recently via an aerial survey and excavated in the late 1980’s and early 90’s.

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