 Pilgrimage or Tirthatan
is the oldest form of travel in India, as millions of Hindus leave
their home in search of Salvation. There are thousands of significant
Pilgrimage centers scattered in all the regions of the state. Amravati
situated in Andhra Pradesh on the right bank of river Krishna is
a prominent spot for Pilgrims. It is approximately 65 kms from Vijayawada
and once the erstwhile capital of Satavahana dynasty. A 2000-year-old
Buddhist settlement, along with the great Buddhist Stupa is one
of the foremost attractions of Amravati. The temple dedicated to
Lord Amaresvara is also accountable in making the place a world-class
travel destination.
Prime Pilgrimage Attractions of Amravati:
Amareswara: The temple Amareswara is dedicated
to Lord Shiva located in the Sattenapalli Taluk of Guntur District,
a prominent spot for devotees. Amareswara is considered as a revered
spot specifically for its three features, the Krishna River, 'Sthalamahatyam'
and Sri Mahalinga Murthy. Maha Shivaratri, ‘Magha Bahula Dasami'
and the Navaratri and the 'Kalyana Utsavas' are the festivals celebrated
with enthusiasm and excitement. This ancient temple of Lord Shiva
enshrines a 15ft high white marble Shiva Lingam, and is enclosed
on all the sides by towering gopuras of the standard Dravidian type
of Architecture. The 'Vimana' of the temple also shows the same
style of architecture. Amareswara is a significant holy place for
both Buddhist and Hindus
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 It
is believed that in this temple, Lord Siva is worshiped in the
form of five lingams named as Pranaveswara, Agasteswara, Kosaleswara,
Someswara and Parthiveswara. However the chief deities of the
temple are Lord Amareswara and his companion, Bala Chamundika,
the fourth of the 18 goddesses. There is no specific information
is available regarding the origin of the temple. There also exist
other deities inside the temple. Any account of Amaravati will
not end without mentioning the world famed Buddha stupa.
The Great Stupa of Amravati: This great Stupa
of Amravati is a 2000 years old construction holds taller than the
stupa at Sanchi. It is better known as the Mahastupa and Deepaladinne
(the Mound of Lamps) founded by great emperor Ashoka. It is decorated
with 95 ft high podium, projecting in four cardinal directions.
The stupa is built of brick with a round vedika and depicts Lord
Buddha in human form, taming an elephant. The grand carvings representing
pictures of everyday life of Lord Buddha of the Satvahna period,
chaityas, viharas, murals and panels are the existing leftovers
of the Buddhist influence. This well-known Buddhist sculptures made
Amravati a worth place to tour.
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