Raw data
Chandavaram is large, remarkable site located on the right bank of the Gundlakamma River six miles north-west of the Donakonda railway station on the Guntakal-Vijayawada rail line. Stylistically it matches the first phase of Amaravati (Theravada) and an inscription is ascribed to the second century CE. An excavation in 1972 uncovered many stupas, limestone sculpture and three monastic complexes, in separate locations. This is an early Theravada site with no representations of the Buddha. There are many broken pieces of pillar strewn around the site, suggestive of a pillared mandapa.
P.R. Ramchandra Rao, Andhra Sculpture (Hyderabad, Akshari, 1981) 87
Input by: Stewart Gordon 15 Apr 2015
"Chandavaram Excavation site, located at a distance of 75 km from Ongole, is a popular ancient Buddhist site. Situated in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, this excavation site is located on a hillock named Singarakonda on the banks of the River Gundla Kamma. […] it is the first of its kind in Andhra Pradesh. Excavators in 1965 found a huge double terraced stupa which was built on an elevated platform. Believed to belong to anywhere between 2 BC-2 AD, this stupa shows all characteristics of the Hinayana form of Buddhism. The dome which is 120 ft in circumference and 30 ft in height has carved panels portraying the Dharmachakra, the sacred bodhi tree and other Buddhist symbols.
Apart from the main stupa, excavations also unearthed many other Buddhist viharas, stupas, Satavahana coins, Brahmi label inscriptions and other items which are now housed at a museum under the Archeology Survey of India. […]
After visiting Chandavaram Excavation site tourists can also visit Nagarjunakonda, another ancient Buddhist site, located nearby."
http://www.holidayiq.com/Chandavaram-Excavation-Site-Ongole-Sightseeing-857-18953.html
"Chandavaram, located on the right bank of the river Gundla Kamma, is a part of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, India. […]
The place is well known for being a major Buddhist site. Excavations carried out here revealed a double terraced maha stupa on the hilltop. The local people call this hill Singarakonda. The absence of Ayaka pillars at Chandavarman indicate that Hinayana form of Buddhism was in prevalence in this area in the bygone era. There is another stupa quiet closeby.
Also, closeby lie the ruin of a monastic complex which includes a Maha Chaitya with a dome 1.6 meters high & a drum 60 cms wide, a threewinged vihara like the Aparasailia monastery at Nagarjunakonda. Remnants of two other monasteries can also be seen."
http://www.buddhist-tourism.com/countries/india/buddhist-sites/chandavaram-andhra-pradesh.html
"Chandavaram budda stupa-2
Published on Jan 20, 2015
Wbich has been excavated on a hillock know locally as Singarakonda,rising beside the Gundlakamma revulet. Located 75km from Ongole/10km from Donakonda/5Km from Tripurantakam."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSYmkaRn2cE
Input: tmciolek 19 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 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Chandavaram monastic cluster, IN.
Lat 15.933185 Long 79.427783
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2014.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Chandavaram monastic cluster
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- India: Andhra Pradesh
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- [missing data]
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx. Lat 15.933185 Long 79.427783 - based on visual identification of one of the stupas in satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 19 May 2015.
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
- [missing data]
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Approx. Lat 15.8341 Long 79.4819 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/02/Donakonda.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Theravada - Ramchandra Rao (1981:87)
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
- [missing data]
11. Date-early
- An inscription ascribed to the second century CE - P.R. Ramchandra Rao 1981:87
- Stupa believed to belong to anywhere between 2 BC-2 AD - http://www.holidayiq.com/Chandavaram-Excavation-Site-Ongole-Sightseeing-857-18953.html
- MBM chrono-tag <=0200 - tmciolek 18 Jun 2015
<=0200 dated-e
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]
18. Known monks and nuns associated with this monastery
19. Available Printed Literature
- [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 1]
- [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 2]
- [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 3]
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