Bojjannakonda and Lingalakonda Buddhist Rock-Cut Caves

Oct 5, 2023

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Context (TH): Bojjannakonda (Buddina Konda) and Lingalakonda are Buddhist rock-cut caves on adjacent hillocks near Sankaram, Anakapalle of ancient Kalinga in Andhra Pradesh.

The sites are believed to date between the 4^th and 9^th Century A.D., when Buddhism was the majority religion of Sankaram (Sangharam).
The majestic figures of Buddha in a meditative pose draw visitors to Bojjannakonda.
This site showcases all three phases of Buddhism, namely Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
The site is also home to a figure of ‘Kalabhairava’, featuring the head of Lord Ganesha adorned with conch shells and a statue of a Buddhist monk, ‘Harati’.
Artifacts discovered at the site include a gold coin from the Samudra Gupta era, copper coins of Chalukya king Kubja Vishnu Vardhan, coins from the Andhra Satavahanas period, and pottery.
The caves at Bojjannakonda bear a resemblance to those in Takshasila.
The word ‘Sangrama’, common in Takshasila but not in Andhra Pradesh, suggests influences from northern Indian Buddhist practices at Bojjannakonda.
The Buddhist temple at Barabodur in Java appears to have been built following the architectural style of the structures on Lingala-metta.

Hinayana: A term used for more conservative schools of early Buddhism. It’s inappropriately used as a synonym for Theravada, the main Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
Mahayana: A group of Buddhist traditions, texts, and philosophies developed in ancient India.
Vajrayana: A Buddhist tradition of tantric practice developed in the medieval Indian subcontinent.