Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kolkata
(?395/1093/1690, 20 hours)
Tirupathi
(?178/490/730, seven hours, 11 daily)
Warangal
(?144/359/640, three hours, 20 daily)
The train station has a prepaid autorickshaw stand.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Vijayawada
Eluru
Dhamma Vijaya
(Vipassana Meditation Centre; 9441449044, 08812225522;
www.dhamma.org
; Eluru-Chintalapudi Rd, Vijayarai)
Intensive 10-day
vipassana
meditation courses are offered free of charge (donations are
accepted) in lush palm- and cocoa-forested grounds; apply in advance. Buses depart Vi-
jayawada for Eluru (?50, 1½ hours, half-hourly, 64km), and Eluru for Vijayarai (?15, 20
minutes, half-hourly). Call for details.
MEDITATION
Amaravathi
Amaravathi was once the Andhran capital and a significant Buddhist centre. India's
biggest
stupa
(Indian/foreigner ?5/100; 8am-6pm)
, measuring 30m high and 51m across, was
constructed here in the 3rd century BC, when Emperor Ashoka sent monks south to
spread Buddha's teaching. All that remains are a mound and some of the stones, but the
nearby
museum
(admission ?5; 10am-5pm, closed Fri)
has a small replica of the stupa, with its in-
tricately carved pillars, marble-surfaced dome and carvings of scenes from Buddha's life.
In the courtyard is a reconstruction of part of the surrounding gateway, which gives you
an idea of the stupa's massive scale. It's worth the trip, but many of Amaravathi's best
sculptures are in London's British Museum and Chennai's Government Museum.
About 1km down the road is the
Dhyana Buddha
, a 20m-high Buddha on the site where
the Dalai Lama spoke in 2006.
Buses run from Vijayawada to Amaravathi half-hourly (ordinary/express ?26/36, two
hours), passing some lovely scenery.
