Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Mandali Buddha Prasad said here on Tuesday the State government would request the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take up excavation at the Ghantasala Buddhist site to explore the history of the village.
Mr. Buddha Prasad was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the 2561st Buddha Jayanthi celebrations. The Department of Tourism, which is organising the celebrations, has invited research scholars in the field to discuss the Buddhist connection with the village.
It was learnt that the ASI was yet to respond to a proposal to undertake excavation, particularly at locations such as Ernampadu mound and Ghotakam on the outskirts of the village. There was evidence of the existence of a Buddhist monastery in the Ernampadu location.
“The Central government should hear the voice of the State government to explore the complete Buddhist history of the Ghantasala village by encouraging further excavations,” said Mr. Buddha Prasad.
British archaeologist Boswell had been credited with reporting the site at Ghantasala (1870-71) and renowned archaeologist Alexander Rae excavated the site for the first time. The Deputy Speaker said he would ask the State government to begin the exercise to get ‘Heritage Village’ tag for Ghantasala village.
Plans afoot to attract tourists
The State government had drawn up plans to set up ‘dhyana mandir’ and other facilities here to give a fillip to Buddhist tourism in and around the Capital city of Amaravati.
On the occasion, Krishna district Joint Collector Gandham Chandrudu released the Telugu version of Alexander Rea’s work ‘South Indian Buddhist Antiquities including stupas of Bhattiprolu, Gudiwada, Ghantasala and Ancient Sites in the Krishna District, Madras Presidency.’
Krishna University Vice-Chancellor S. Rama Krishna Rao released an anthology on the ‘Buddhist history of Ghantasala village.’
A sizeable number of Buddhist monks went in a procession to the Buddhist stupa here and performed special rituals.
