Even as Buddhists across the world are gearing up for the annual Buddha poornima celebrations on April 30, the stupa dating back to 2nd Century BC in Dhulikatta village of Eligaid mandal cries for attention.
During last year’s celebrations, the district authorities made tall claims of developing the stupa as a major tourist attraction centre by providing all amenities for the visitors. Incidentally, Peddapalli MP Balka Suman, who also visited site last year, had released ₹50 lakh from his MPLADS funds for the beautification of historic site.
This Buddhist stupa, which is also mentioned as one of the 30 walled cities by Megasthenes, located on the picturesque shores of Hussainmiya rivulet, lies neglected without even proper road facilities for the visitors. Last year, the officials promised several developmental projects in 9 acres of land also acquiring additional land from the farmers to beautify the site to attract more tourists, but all went in vain.
It was proposed to construct fencing around the stupa and provide electrification, sink borewell, make drinking water arrangements and also construct rest rooms and toilets for the tourists.
It was also decided to develop a fountain and construct a museum at the spot with the collection of all rare artefacts depicting the history of the site.
Ironically, the officials have failed to even provide proper road and deploy of security personnel to protect the ancient structure from damages by hooligans and others. Barring the discovery of the Buddhist stupa in 1975, the authorities failed to take up any measures for the development and protection of the structure.
Historians say this Buddhist stupa was constructed on a mound with light-weight bricks. It is embellished with sculpted veneer slabs and beautifully carved limestone slabs. The site had attained importance as it was constructed with 47 slabs to enhance the dome with the stupa.
Preserved at Karimnagar
The Archaeology department had discovered other relics such as gateways built with light-weight bricks, mahastupa, chaitra, residential houses, wells, bangle pieces, ivory combs, gold objects, punch marked coins, beads, coins of Romans and Satavahana dynasty and their seals. All these relics were shifted and preserved at the Karimangar Gandhi Centenary Museum.
