Pallava Architecture, Part I (MASI 17) c2.90

c2.90

(11) Bezwada.—The Krishnā, or Kistna district, as it is now officially called, on the north side of the sacred Krishnā river and the neighbouring Guntur district on the south have always been favourite resorts of ardent devotees of religion from the earliest times. On the south side of the river the remains of Buddhist monuments, including the famous Amarāvati stūpa, are met with, but all of them, unfortunately, in ruins. In this district Buddhism appears to have come to an end about the beginning of the 7th century, when the Western Chālukyas obtained possession of the country from the Pallavas and drove the latter south. Hiuen Tsiang, the celebrated Chinese pilgrim and traveller, visited this district soon after this event and resided at Bezwada in a Buddhist monastery for several months in 639 A. D. From the account of the district which he has left us, it appears that Buddhism was already on the decline at the time of his visit. No doubt the conquest of the country by the Western Chālukyas helped in this, but Hiuen Tsiang does not expressly say so. There are no Buddhist remains at Bezwada now except a few sculptures which were collected in the neighbourhood and placed in the Bezwada Library some years ago. Most of these apparently came from Amarāvati. The oldest and most interesting ancient monuments to be seen at Bezwada to-day are the small rock-cut Hindu temples excavated in the eastern face of the Indrakila hill and those in the neighbouring modern hamlet of Mogalrājapuram. There are also similar remains at Undavalli on the south side of the river, the large rock-cut temple at Undavalli being of particular value and interest.