Pavurallakonda or Pavurallabodu is the local name of a hill, popularly known as Narasimhaswamy Konda, near

Bheemunipatnam Bheemunipatnam (also known as Bheemili), is a suburb of Visakhapatnam, India. The town was named after Bhima, a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It formerly administered under the Bheemunipatnam municipality, but merged into GVMC in 2017. ...

about 25 km towards north of

Visakhapatnam , image_alt = , image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura (S20), INS ...

, in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

. It is located at a height of about 150 meters above mean sea level. Pavurallakonda consists of a ruined hill-top Buddhist monastic complex probably witnessed human habitation from 3rd century BCE to 2nd century CE. It is one of the largest Buddhist monasteries of North Coastal Andhra Region.

Hinayana Hīnayāna (, ) is a Sanskrit term literally meaning the "small/deficient vehicle". Classical Chinese and Tibetan teachers translate it as "smaller vehicle". The term is applied collectively to the ''Śrāvakayāna'' and ''Pratyekabuddhayāna'' pa ...

Buddhism may have flourished at this hill-top site. Initial Excavation of this site yielded many relics. Two Brahmi label inscriptions, foundations of Viharas, circular chaityas, votive

stupas 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 ...

, halls etc. are located among the ruins. Coins, polished ware, beads etc. were recovered from the site by the state archaeology Department of Andhra Pradesh. Nearly Sixteen rock-cut cisterns are carved on the hill for the storage of rain water. Excavations and Restoration Program are under progress at Pavurallakonda. The

Gosthani River The Gosthani rises in the Ananthagiri Hills of the Eastern Ghats and flows through the Borra Caves which lie near its source. It is the largest river flowing through Visakhapatnam city. It flows for 120 km before joining the Bay of Bengal ...

flows close by this site. This site is contemporary with the nearby Buddhist sites in

district like

Bavikonda Bavikonda Buddhist Complex lies about 16 km from Visakhapatnam, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on a hill about 130 metres above mean sea level. The term Bavikonda in Telugu means a hill of wells. As per its name, Bavikonda is a hil ...

and

Thotlakonda Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex is situated on a hill near Bheemunipatnam about from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India. The hill is about above sea level and overlooks the sea. The Telugu name ''Toṭlakoṇḍa'' derived from the presence ...

. The Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (

INTACH The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with Unite ...

) has already appealed to the authorities to ensure better protection of Buddhist sites by taking up the declaration of

, Pavurallakonda and

Bojjannakonda Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda are two Buddhism rock-cut caves on adjacent hillocks, situated near a village called Sankaram, Anakapalle of ancient Kalinga. in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The sites are believed to date between 4th and 9 ...

as heritage sites by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

. This will not only pave the way for steady flow of funds but also generate employment opportunities for the locals.

Origin of the name

Pavurallakonda in general gives the meaning as 'The Hill of the Pigeons' (pavuralu in Telugu means pigeons and konda means hill).But as per some studies conducted at this site it may be known as Pavurallakonda due to the availability of white stone on the hillock (pavurallu means white stones locally). The origin of the name of this site needs clarification yet.

Gallery

File:Remnants of a Buddhist Stupa at Pavurallakonda near Bhimili.jpg, Remnants of a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

Stupa at Pavurallakonda File:Buddhist Rockcut Cistern at pavurallakonda Bheemunipatnam.jpg, Buddhist Rockcut Cistern at pavurallakonda File:Rockcut steps Pavurallakonda Buddhist ruins Bheemunipatnam.jpg, Rockcut steps Pavurallakonda Buddhist ruins File:Ruins of a Votive Stupa at Pavurallakonda near Bheemunipatnam.jpg, Ruins of a Votive Stupa at Pavurallakonda near

File:One of the 16 rockcut cisterns at Pavurallakonda Bheemili.jpg, One of the 16 rockcut cisterns at Pavurallakonda Bheemili File:Buddhist relief Pavurallakonda Site Bheemunipatnam.jpg, Buddhist relief Pavurallakonda Site

File:Rockcut steps to a large cistern pavurallakonda Bheemunipatnam.jpg, Rockcut steps to a large cistern pavurallakonda File:Medium sized rock cut cistern at pavuralla konda at bheemunipatnam.jpg, Medium-sized rock cut cistern at pavurallakonda File:Five Headed Serpent Relief at Pavurallakonda.jpg, Five Headed Serpent Relief at Pavurallakonda File:Moonstone and steps at Pavurallakonda Buddhist Ruins.jpg, Moonstone and steps at Pavurallakonda Buddhist Ruins

References

{{Portal, India Buildings and structures in Visakhapatnam Archaeological sites in Andhra Pradesh Stupas in India Buddhist sites in Andhra Pradesh Buddhist caves in India Buddhist monasteries in India Tourist attractions in Visakhapatnam Indian rock-cut architecture Former populated places in India Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India Caves containing pictograms in India Caves of Andhra Pradesh Geography of Visakhapatnam