Historical Places in India - Amravati Stupa

Amravati Stupa, also known as Mahachaitya, is one of the main attractions of Amravati. It was initially built during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, a great follower of Lord Buddha, who embraced Buddhism in later years. The construction of the stupa was completed in the year 200 BC, and the carvings on the stupa depict the story of the life of Buddha and his teachings. When Amaravati became the capital of the Satavahana rulers, the stupas were decorated with limestone and were carved with free standing statues of Buddha. However, with the decline of Buddhism, the stupas were also neglected and Colonel Colin McKenzie, who visited the site in 1796 AD, found these things suppressed. When the excavation work started, many other sculptures along with the stupa were also discovered and taken out. Today, in the whole of South India, the only stupa is an example of the Ashoka Pillar.