Bhattiprolu

Bhattiprolu
భట్టిప్రోలు
prathipala puram
Village
Bhattiprolu

Location in Andhra Pradesh, India

Coordinates: 16°06′N 80°47′E / 16.10°N 80.78°ECoordinates: 16°06′N 80°47′E / 16.10°N 80.78°E
Country India
State Andhra Pradesh
District Guntur
Elevation[1] 8 m (26 ft)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 11,092
Languages
 • Official Telugu
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Bhattiprolu is one of the Holy relic sites of Andhra Pradesh

Bhattiprolu is a small village in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh State in Southern India.

History

The original name of Bhattiprolu was Pratipalapura, a flourishing Buddhist town in the ancient Sala kingdom that predated Andhra Satavahanas. From available inscriptional evidence, King Kuberaka was ruling over Bhattiprolu around 230 BC. Bhattiprolu is well known for its Buddha stupa (Vikramarka kota dibba) built about 3rd-2nd century BC.

Geography

It is located at 16°6′N 80°46′E / 16.100°N 80.767°E.[3]

The Stupa and the script

Main article: Bhattiprolu alphabet

Three mounds were discovered in Bhattiprolu in 1870. In 1892 when excavations were undertaken by Alexander Rea, three inscribed stone relic caskets containing crystal caskets, relics of Buddha and jewels were found. The stupa was found to be 40 meters in diameter with an additional basement of 2.4 meters wide running all around. The most significant discovery is the crystal relic casket of sarira dhatu of the Buddha from the central mass of the stupas. The Mahachaitya (great stupa) remains of a large pillared hall, a large group of ruined votive stupas with several images of Buddha, a stone receptacle containing copper vessel, which in turn, contained two more, a silver casket and within it, a gold casket enclosing beads of bone and crystal were found.

One of the earliest evidence of Brahmi script in South India comes from Bhattiprolu.[4] The script was written on an urn containing Buddha's relics. The script has been named the bhattiprolu alphabet. Historians surmise that this script gave rise to the Telugu Script and kannada script..[5]

literature

Dr.Nakka vijaya ramaraju a doctor and writer a native of Ilavaram has written a series of short stories named Bhattiprolu kathalu and maavoori kathalu featuring bhattiprolu and its neighbouring villages which went on to become very famous.

Transport

The village has connectivity with National Highway 214A which passes through the village. APSRTC operates buses from on Tenali and Repalle to the village. Bhattiprolu railway station is located on Tenali–Repalle branch line of Guntur-Repalle section. It is administered under Guntur railway division of South Central Railways.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Elevation for Bhattiprolu". Velor outes. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "Census 2011". The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  3. ↑ fallinrain info about Bhattiprolu
  4. ↑ Ananda Buddha Vihara
  5. ↑ The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Epigraphist extraordinaire
  6. ↑ "Map of Vemuru". Indiarailinfo. Retrieved 12 December 2014.