The Historic Mountain, Island and Town: Nagarjunakonda

Anshika Rana

The Historic Mountain, Island and Town: Nagarjunakonda

Nagarjunakonda is an island located in Nagarjuna Sagar, a reservoir created by the Nagarjuna dam project. The island houses the relocated ruins of the Ishvaku capital, Vijayapuri, and preserves the historical and cultural heritage of the region. It features several structures and relics of the flourishing Buddhist civilization of Vijaypuri, which was threatened by the construction of the ambitious dam across the Krishna River.

Medieval well; Source: Shunya

In 1955, India's most ambitious development project took form as Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the Nagarjuna Sagar dam, spanning across the mighty Krishna River. Straddled between Nalgonda district in Telangana and Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh, Nagarjuna Sagar aimed to generate a whopping 816 MW of electricity and irrigate a total of 2.125 million acres of land in a year, thereby ushering unprecedented economic transformation into the region.

However, behind the gleaming facade of progress lay a dark reality. In its making, the colossal project submerged fifty-two villages, thus disjointing several lives, traditions, and communities. One such victim of the blow of development was the historic capital of Ishvakus, Vijayapuri.

The capital of Ishvakus, lying abandoned in an isolated valley surrounded by soaring hills and the Krishna River, was first discovered in 1926. Excavations of the ruined capital revealed a remarkable Buddhist civilization that flourished in the 3rd and 4th century AD. Later in 1954, a team of archaeologists undertook a gruelling six-year mission to relocate the ruins of its material culture, which were under the threat of submergence by the ambitious development project, to Nagarjunakonda Hill nearby.

The original lords of the city, Ishvakus, rose from the ashes of the Satavahana empire and commanded a sweeping swath of modern Andhra Pradesh and Telangana territory. Their capital, Vijayapuri, located on the banks of the Krishna River, was a bustling centre of commerce and cultural activity, holding trade relations with the Roman Empire. Today, Vijaynagara is being preserved at Nagarjunakonda, which stands marooned as an island amidst the sparkling waters of Nagarjuna Sagar, a reservoir formed by damming the Krishna River.

A ferry ride cutting softly across the waters of Nagarjuna Sagar leads the way to Nagarjunakonda, the reincarnation of Vijayapuri. Approaching the island, the scent of soil fills the lungs of visitors before they step on the steady land of Nagarjunakonda, named after "Nagarjuna"- the great Buddhist scholar who founded a Buddhist university here that attracted students from China, Sri Lanka, and Gandhara. The term "Konda" means hill. The ground is padded with soft grass, and a neatly laid trail leads to the archaeological site that hosts the excavated ruins of Vijayapuri. Upon reaching the relocated ruins, one can notice the rich repository of history - a medieval stepwell, a 14th-century fort, medieval temples of the Hindu Ishvaku Dynasty, and a modern museum.

Nagarjunkonda is a unique place that showcases a perfect blend of Buddhist stupas built by Ishvaku queens and Hindu temples sponsored by Ishvaku kings and princes. The main stupa, Maha Chaitya, is made of stone and enclosed by a brick and plaster boundary wall. It houses the relics of Buddha and is surrounded by several other stupas. The renovation of the original stupa is credited to Chamtisiri, an Ishvaku princess, who also erected the stone Ayaka-pillars. The relics mention several non-royal names, indicating that people beyond the noble class also supported the construction.

A tall brown statue of Buddha stands next to the stupa with the left arm folded towards the chest and another arm broken. The statue features visible wrinkles and closed eyes in meditation.

Nagarjunkonda is located near a 22-meter-high natural waterfall that cascades into a blue lagoon. The lagoon is home to crocodiles and offers breathtaking views of the valley. The region is also home to the Srisailam wildlife sanctuary and Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, where flora and fauna thrive undisturbed by human activities. The area as a whole is a remarkable repository of natural and cultural treasures.

The museum, resembling a vihara in design, houses several Buddhist artefacts like scriptures of Lord Buddha and of Mucalinda, the Naga, spears, hammers, carvings narrating the story of Buddha from his birth to his Mahaparinirvana, and other antiquities. The most precious relics are earrings and a tooth supposedly belonging to Buddha. As an indicator of Roman relations, there were Roman coins from trade and a statue of Dionysus. The history of Vijayapuri goes further back in time with evidence of Paleolithic and Neolithic tools, also housed in the museum, suggesting a stone age settlement in the region.

The ruins of Nagarjunkonda include an ancient cyst burial site encircled by boulders, a sacrificial complex where Ashwamedha Yajna was performed, remains of viharas, and a Hindu temple. A fascinating pond called Kurma Chiti in the shape of a tortoise lies in a state of disrepair, and it is believed to be the spot where the horse was sacrificed for Ashwamedha.

The university complex of Nagarjuna, built with bricks, is also situated here. The central courtyard is adorned with beautifully carved stone pillars that stand erect.