Major facelift on the anvil for Bojjannakonda Premium

Centuries-old Bojjannakonda likely to draw tourists from across the world. Central govt. sanctioned ₹7.30 crore for landscaping & tourist amenities. State govt. allotted 2.5-acre site for meditation centre & landscaping. Plans include arch, light & sound show, parking, illumination, restaurant & AV room. 5-8k tourists visit/month. ASI provided metal railings & lighting. Gold coins, copper coins, pottery found. Features of Hinayana, Mahayana & Vajrayana. Figures of Kalabhairava & Harati. Kanumu day celebrated as 'Theertham'.

The centuries-old Bojjannakonda is likely to draw tourists not only from across the country but also from nations like Bhutan, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Myanmar, where Buddhism is practised even to this day, if the grandiose plans of the Central and State governments are any indication.

The Central government has sanctioned ₹7.30 crore recently for taking up landscaping and development of tourist amenities at Bojjannakonda, which is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The State government, on its part, has allotted a two-and-a-half acre site adjacent to the Buddhist heritage site to develop a meditation centre and landscaping.

The foundation stone for the construction of a Buddhist interpretation (meditation) centre and landscaping of the adjacent site was laid by Minister for Industries and IT Gudivada Amarnath, YSRCP Regional Coordinator Y.V. Subba Reddy, and Anakapalle MP B.V. Satyavathi recently. The other plans include the construction of an arch on the road from the National Highway leading to the Buddhist heritage site, the improvement of Yeleru canal bund, which passes close by the site, and launching of a ‘light and sound show’ that would reflect the historical importance of the site.

“The tourist amenities to be developed at the adjacent site include the parking area, illumination, restaurant, an AV room to screen documentaries on Buddhism and development of a light and sound show,” Korada Ashok, District Tourism Officer, Anakapalli, told The Hindu.

“On average, between 5,000 and 8,000 tourists visit Bojjannakonda every month. During festivals like Sivarathri, people of nearby villages visit the site in large numbers. Foreign tourists including those from Sri Lanka, employed in Brandix at Atchutapuram, visit the site,” he says.

The ASI had provided metal railings and lighting, along the stone stairway leading up to the cave and the hilltop, for the benefit of senior citizens climbing up the hill in the past. “This year, the ASI has proposed public amenities like improvement of the toilet block and development of pathways between two hillocks at the monument site apart from conservation of stupas, at an estimated cost of ₹32 lakh,” according to sources.

Located about 3 km from Anakapalle town and 40 km from Visakhapatnam city, the site was excavated under the aegis of Alexander Rim in 1906. A gold coin belonging to the Samudra Gupta period, copper coins of the Chalukya king Kubja Vishnu Vardhan, coins of Andhra Satavahanas and pottery were discovered at the site.