Amaravati

Prime Minister Inaugurated Projects Worth ₹58,000 Crore in the Capital City Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• He also laid the foundation stone for the Navdurga Testing Range at Nagayalanka (for missile testing) and several other key infrastructure projects, marking a significant push for regional economic development.

About Amaravati (Capital of Andhra Pradesh)

• The Amaravati Greenfield capital city project was launched in 2014, after Bifurcation of Earswhile Andhra Pradesh into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• Amaravati means “the place for immortals”.
• Location: In Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh on the banks of the Krishna River.
• Historical Background: Served as the capital of the Satavahana dynasty from the mid-1st to early 3rd century CE.

Buddhist Legacy of Amaravati

• Amaravati Stupa (2nd Century BCE): One of the oldest Buddhist monuments in India; known in inscriptions as the Maha Chaitya (The Great Stupa).
• Spread of Buddha’s Teachings: Believed to be the place where Gautam Buddha first spread his teachings of “Kalachakra” (Wheel of time).
• Believed to be the Residence of the Amaravati Region, Acharya Nagarjuna propounded the Madhyamika philosophy. 
• It is the basis for Mahayana Buddhism.
• Chinese Pilgrims: Xuanzang (c. 602–664), visited Amaravati in the first millennium to collect sacred texts.
• Other Legacy: Sri Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple, a medieval temple dedicated to Shiva.