Bodhikonda monastery, (near) Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, IN

Raw data

"Ramatheertham is a village panchayat in Nellimarla mandal of Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh in South India. This place is about 12 kilometers from Vizianagaram city. There is a post office at Ramathirtham. The PIN code is 535 218. […] The famous ancient temple of Ramachandra Swamy can be found over here. […] Near to this temple, there is a black hill on which you can find the ruins of some Buddhist and Jain structures [rock-cut caves: Buddhist Bodhikonda caves, Jain Bodhikonda and Jain Garikonda - tmc]."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramatheertham

"Bodhikonda
At Ramateertham there are three lines of hills standing parallel east and west, and each separated from the other by a narrow valley. The southernmost is known as the Bodhikonda, and on it are the spots connected with Rama, and Jaina remains consisting of natural caves, rock art, images and a ruined Jain brick temple towards south west of the hill.
Durgakonda (Ghanikonda)
The northern hill is the Durgakonda [… with] a natural cave at its western base. In front of this cave and on the rock above it are some mounds. They contain both Buddhist and Jaina remains.
Gurabaktakonda
The central hill is known as the Gurabaktakonda (Gurubhaktulakonda) and it is high up on its northern side that the ruined Buddhist monastery stands. The hill is formed of precipitous bare solid rock, rounded on the top and about 500 feet in height. Near its south summit, under a vertical wall of rock is a perennial spring, beside which are a ruined brick mound and some Jaina images. […]
The excavation so far as it has proceeded has resulted in the unearthing of the following buildings noted consecutively from west to east. The base of a brick stupa at the western extremity 65 feet in diameter, and a tank beside it which was doubtless kept filled with water from the perennial spring on the hill top. Adjoining it on the east is a detached mass of heaped rocks on the east summit of which stands a chaitya 55 feet in length. In its apse is a stone *dagoba* in good preservation except a part of the dome. It contained the stone lid of a relic casket. On the north and south lower sides of the mass of rock are two rows of brick cells each terminated by a small stupa or dagoba. East from this again is a pillared hall 77 feet square with rows of massive stone piers all fallen or broken.
Two other large chaitya with walls still standing for a considerable height adjoin this on the east, and north of them on the outer face of the platform is a long row of cells and other buildings. The other mounds at the east extremity of the platform are as yet only partly explored. A stone statue of Buddha with the graceful flowing robes of the Amaravati sculptures is the only one of the kind as yet found. The chaityas are irregular in their orientation probably indicating different periods of construction on the hill."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramatheertham
Input by: tmciolek Apr 22 May 2015

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 18 Jun 2015

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Bodhikonda monastery, IN.

General location of the Bodhikonda monastery, IN.
Lat 18.170915 Long 83.483945
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2009.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=18.170915+83.483945+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Bodhikonda%20monastery,%20IN)&ll=18.170915,83.483945&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Bodhikonda monastery

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • India:State of Andhra Pradesh

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

  • [missing data]

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 18.170915 Long 83.483945 - based on visual identification of the Bodhikonda caves site in satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 22 May 2015.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries


6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • [missing data]

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • [missing data]

12. Date-intermediate

  • [missing data]

13. Date-late

  • [missing data]

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • [missing data]

16. Additional notes

  • [missing data] (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)….

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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