Nagarjuna_Sagar
Introduction And history :Nagarjuna Sagar is a tourist place that is interestingly different. It is situated in Andhra Pradesh. It is a prominent Buddhist pilgrimage site. During the reign of the kings, it was patronised as Vijayapuri or The city Of Victory! The town derives its name from a Buddhist monk, Nagarjuna The Buddhist monks here preached and thus, helped to create a Buddhist influence in the South. Apart from this, the town is world-renowned for creating the third largest man-made lake by the construction of the famous Nagarjuna Sagar dam. As the tallest and largest masonry dam in the world, it exemplifies engineering excellence in India. However, the creation of this lake left three historical sites submerged-Dhanyakataka, capital of the Satavahanas; Sriparvata, Vijayapuri, capital of the Ikshvakus (one of the first Hindu dynasties in the South) and a Buddhist civilization that thrived here in the third and fourth centuries B.C.
What To See : The tourist hotspot here, ‘Nagarjunasagar Dam’, is also the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh. It is built across the river Krishna. It is considered by many to be an architectural marvel. It is the tallest masonry dam in the world. The museum on the island of Nagarjunakonda is in the form of a Buddhist Vihara. It houses a stupendous collection of relics of Buddhist art and culture. Famous relics include a small tooth and an ear-ring believed to be of the Buddha. These relics of Buddhist civilization unveiled a great Mahachaitya, the most sacred of the stupas. An inscription in Brahmi characters states that the sacred relics of Lord Buddha lie within the Mahachaitya. A partly ruined monolithic statue of the Buddha, beautiful as it always is the main attraction at the museum. Also visit the temples of Ranganadha and Dattatreya. The best season to visit is in winter when it isn’t very hot.
Things to do: Try the upstream boat ride and another traditional boat ride called ‘theppa’. Visit the Ethipothala waterfalls and its lagoon (infested with crocodiles).Don’t miss the Srishailam Tiger reserve within the bounds of the Nagarjuna sagar wildlife sanctuary.
Accomodations : Nagarjuna sagar is not a big town. Average and middle-class hotels are available. Accommodation is very cheap.
Mode Of Transport : The closest Airport is at the capital of Hyderabad which is at a distance of around 160 Kilometers. It will take little more than 4 hours by a bus to reach Nagarjuna sagar. Macherla is the nearest station that is situated at a distance of around 24 Kilometers from here. Nagarjuna sagar can be reached from Marchela by taking a bus or a taxi. Nagarjuna sagar is well- connected to all the major cities of Andhra Pradesh. Both government and private-operated busses are available. Buses and auto rickshaws are for internal transport. The best way to travel is by hiring a taxi.
Related links:
• Tourist information: http://www.nagarjunasagar.com
• Andra Pradesh Official Tourist site : http://www.aptourism.in/
See also (Nearby places):Sagarmata Temple, Hyderabad, Puttur, Thirupathi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Warangal.
