One of the rarest and oldest sites of Buddhism, Sankaram dates back to the first century AD. The place is a famous landmark of Buddhists era and exhibits a range of awe-inspiring tokens and antiquities that proves the existence of the site during the reign of several historical empires.
Apart from the mystique rock-cut images, Sankaram has a number of ancient brick structures and caves. The crucial excavation work carried out in the recent past has revealed a fascinating range of primeval items that have immense historical significance. From satavahana coins, seals and pots to tablets with ancient inscriptions, Sankaram has a veritable imprint of the famous Buddhist age. A fourth century AD gold plated coin belonging to King Samudragupta and an idol of Lord Buddha in sitting posture are the two significant attractions of the place.
Apart from its own appeals, Sankaram is popular for many nearby places of interest too. While Bojjanalonda is visited by tourists for the widespread caves that house many statues of Lord Buddha, lingalametta is famous for the enthralling monolithic stupas made by cutting the rocks.
A serene and captivating Buddhist site, Sankaram boasts of a series of 1000 year old caves that collectively formed the viharas where the Buddhist monks and pupils used to stay for learning and spreading the message of peace.
To arrive at Sankaram, visitors have to use either the nearest railhead which is a distance of three km at Anakapalle or the adjoining air terminal which is a 41 km driveway from the place.
Expressing the pristine aura of Buddhism, Sankaram efficiently stands as one of the prominent Buddhist travel corners of Andhra Pradesh.
Last Updated on 19 May 2011
