The present book dealing with the holy relics and reliquaries discovered at a host of Buddhist stupas in various parts of South India is the first of its kind. Incidentally it examines the various caskets, the different kinds of materials used for preparing them, their shapes and sizes and finally the method of consecration followed for enshrining these holy relics. Alongside it also provides an uptodate account of Buddhism in South India, its rise, growth and spread since its inception. Further, the author, taking into consideration the archaeological and literary data, tries to set at rest the conflicting opinions held by scholars regarding the identification of Dantapura, the capital city of ancient Kalinga. Equipped with the unique discovery of a large quantity of corporeal remains in a relic casket at Bavikonda, near Visakhapatnam, A.P., the author makes bold to identify it with the one, where the celestial Drona, who distributed the holy relics, raised a Stupa enshrining his own share of the Master’s relics. Apart from providing original literary and archaeological data, the book contains interesting illustrations i.e., drawings, photographs, sketches, etc., which lie scattered in various reports. Thus the book contains some bold and original interpretations of the author which stir the scholars to delve deep into the matter. The acceptability or otherwise of the ideas put forward by the author, is left with humility to the host of scholars and authorities on the subject.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR B. Subrahmanyam
Born on 27.08.1950 at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Dr. B. Subrahmanyam had pursued his post-graduation in ancient Indian History and Archaeology in the P.G. Centre at Guntur and took his M.A. degree in 1974 from Andhra University, Waltair. He joined in State Archaeological department as Technical Assistant in 1975. Since then, he actively participated in explorations, major excavations and transplantation of temples. He took his Ph.D. degree from Mysore University, Mysore in 1986. He also obtained P.G. Diploma in Public Relations from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad in 1993. at present he is working as Research & Training Officer in the State department of Archaeology & Museums, Hyderabad. He contributed a good number of research papers to various reputed journals and also to Indian History Congress, A.P. History Congress etc. He discovered a good number of new Buddhist settlements in North-Coastal Andhra Pradesh and conducted excavations at famous Buddhist sites, namely, Dantapura, Thotlakonda, Bavikonda, Dharapalem, Gopalapatma,. Amalapuram, Pavurallakonda, Majeru etc., and brought to light fresh information hitherto unknown. Apart from his participation in numerous seminars, he has to his credit published works, namely, Thotlakonda: A Buddhist Site in A.P. (1992), directory of Monuments: Antiquarian remains in Ananthapur district; A.P. Vol. I (1993), Pre, Proto and Early Historic Cultures of Krishna-Tungabhadra valley (1997), Andhra desamulo Buddha dhatu peteekalu (Telugu, 1997) etc. For his outstanding discovery of Buddhist relic caskets from Mahachaitya at Bavikonda (a Buddhist site in Visakhapatnam, A.P.) he has been awarded incentives in 1994 besides, personal appreciations by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
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