BUDDHIST HERITAGE OF TELANGANA

BUDDHIST HERITAGE OF TELANGANA
Telangana, as a geographical and political entity, is born on June 2, 2014 as the 29th and the youngest state in the Union of India. However, as an economic, social, cultural and historical entity it has a glorious history of at least two thousand three hundred years or more. Megalithic stone structures like cairns, cists, dolmens and menhirs found in several districts of Telangana show that there were human habitations in this part of the country thousands of years ago. Remnants of iron ore smelting found at many places demonstrate the hoary roots of artisanship and tool making in Telangana for at least three thousand years. The presence of Assaka (Asmaka) Janapada, part of present Telangana, as one of the 16 Janapadas in ancient India proves that there existed an advanced stage of society on par with advanced parts of the country.
ADVENT OF BUDDHISM
The advent of Buddhism into the Telugu country is traced back to the very lifetime of the Buddha himself i.e., the 5th Century B.C. According to the Buddhist work PARAYANAVAGGA of SUTTANIPATA, a Brahmin sage by name, BAVARI belonging to Kosala Mahajanapada reached Assaka (Asmaka) country during the life time of the Buddha himself, crossed the river Godavari and settled in a hermitage in an island KAVITTAVANA which is identified as BADANA KURTI by the historians. It is said that Bavari, who heard of the Buddha, sent his 16 disciples to Magadha to hear the teachings of the Buddha. At that time Buddha was preaching at Venuvana in Vaishaali. The disciples, who were impressed by the preachings of the Buddha, got converted in to Buddhism. While some of the disciples settled there itself, PINGIYA the chief disciple of Bavari came back and reported to Bavari about the importance of the teachings of the Buddha. Bavari too was convinced and was converted to Buddhism and became ARHANT. There after some disciples became followers of the Buddha and propagated the Buddha Dhamma in the Telugu country which for more than a millennium left a profound influence on the history and culture of its people.
It is now clear that Buddhism touched the Telugu soil at Badanakurti in Telangana Region during the life time of the Buddha and from here it spread to other parts of Telugu Country. As it is suggested by the Buddha himself in ‘Parayanavagga’ Buddhism spread from Badanakurti through Kotalingala, Dhulikatta, Phanigiri, Gajulabanda, Nelakondapalli and Nagarjunakonda to other southern parts of India and Southeast Asian countries. Subsequently Kotalingala in the Jagityal district became the 1st Capital of Satavahanas in 2nd Century, B.C. Kotalingala is centrally located between the Satavahana Capitals of Paithan and Dhanyakataka.