Buddhavanam

As part of the Buddha Purnima celebrations, contestants of Miss World 2025 from 22 different countries recently visited Buddhavanam, a Buddhist-themed park.

Overview of Buddhavanam

Buddhavanam is a dedicated Buddhist theme park situated along the northern bank of the Krishna River in Telangana. This initiative was supported by the Government of India as part of an integrated Buddhist Circuit project, aimed at boosting both domestic and international tourism, especially from Southeast Asian countries.

Spanning an area of 279 acres, the park is designed to reflect the life, teachings, and legacy of Gautama Buddha. It comprises several thematic zones including:

• The Entrance Plaza
• Buddhacharitha Vanam, which illustrates significant events from Buddha’s life
• Jataka Park, which presents stories from Buddha’s previous incarnations
• Dhyana Vanam, a space meant for meditation
• Stupa Vanam, which houses the grand Maha Stupa
• A Buddhist Heritage Museum

The Maha Stupa is notable for its finely detailed carvings on both the dome and drum, and features a unique sky dome with virtual lotus petals.

Adjacent to Buddhavanam lies Nagarjuna Sagar, a reservoir formed by damming the Krishna River. Near this reservoir is Nagarjunakonda, also known as Sriparvata-Vijayapuri, which once served as the capital of the Ikshvaku dynasty during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE. The area gets its name from the renowned Buddhist philosopher Acharya Nagarjuna.

Nagarjunakonda was a significant hub for Mahayana Buddhism, with numerous monasteries, shrines, and stupas established for the spread of Buddhist teachings. Archaeological excavations conducted between 1954 and 1960 unearthed various structures including a grand Maha Stupa, votive stupas, chaityas, stone pavilions, a palace complex, and even Brahmanical temples made of brick. Many sculptural panels discovered here depict key episodes from Buddha’s life and tales from the Jataka stories.

Today, these excavated structures have been carefully reconstructed both on Nagarjunakonda Island and at Anupu, located on the river’s right bank.