Environmentalists in India are calling for the restoration of Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex, a third-century-BCE site located on a hilltop some 15 kilometers from the city of Visakhapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
The activists are urging that the surrounding area, which encompasses roughly 1,200 hectares, be conserved and have called on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to investigate the potential presence of further Buddhist ruins in the area.
“The entire area should be protected and investigated, as there is a possibility of ancient ruins being spread across several parts of Thotlakonda hill, apart from where the first excavation took place,” stated Sohan Hattangadi, a well-known environmentalist from Visakhapatnam. (Hindustan Times)
Hattangadi underscored the archaeological significance of the Thotlakonda site, believed to be one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in India.
Excavations at Thotlakonda have revealed votive stupas, stone pathways, circular chaitya-grihas, viharas, a dining hall, and a kitchen. Artifacts included Satavahana silver coins (first century BCE–second century CE).
Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex was first identified during an aerial survey by the Indian Navy, which was conducted for the establishment of a base camp. It is now recognized as a protected monument under the Andhra Pradesh Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1960.
“[The site] was accidentally discovered in 1970s, during an aerial survey for finding a suitable location for the establishment of INS Kalinga by the Indian Navy,” Hattangadi explained. “Further studies by archaeologists revealed that Buddhism had flourished in Visakhapatnam region, some 2,000 years ago.” (Hindustan Times)
According to prominent environmentalist and retired IAS officer EAS Sarma: “On 2 May 1978, the then state government notified a total extent of 3,143 acres [1,272 hectares] of land at Thotlakonda as the Buddhist archaeological site and kept it under the protection of the state archaeology department. Since the department had meager budgetary resources at that time, the authorities could only excavate a limited portion of the site on the top of the Thotlakonda hill, leaving around 3,000 acres [1,214 hectares] of the remaining notified area for future exploration.” (Hindustan Times)
In July 2021, the state government de-notified the Thotlakonda area, keeping only 49 hectares on top of the hill, likely due to real estate pressures.
Sarma warned that this could result in the loss of archaeological evidence, while former State Archaeology director P. Chenna Reddy confirmed that staffing shortages had hindered protection efforts amid significant nearby real estate activity.
“The department was facing a shortage of staff and there was no way we could protect the area with limited strength,” said Reddy. (Hindustan Times)
Sarma has suggested transferring the site to the ASI for non-invasive research, utilizing satellite imagery and geophysical methods to uncover archaeological evidence of the flourishing Buddhist civilization that existed there around 2,000 years ago.
He highlighted that similar techniques were successfully applied in Bodh Gaya, where the historical Buddha attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, and indicated that India’s professional bodies, such as the National Institute of Advanced Studies, could assist the ASI in this endeavor.
Sarma further pointed out that from 2000–03, research scholar Lars Fogelin from the University of Michigan had conducted a thorough surface survey of Thotlakonda under the guidance of the State Department of Archaeology.
See more
Thotlakonda (Atlas Obscura)
Environmentalists demand restoration of ancient Buddhist site in Thotlakonda (Hindustan Times)
Vizag security guard’s narration brings Thotlakonda Buddhist site to life (The New Indian Express)
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