Bhattiprolu Buddhist Stupa

Bhattiprolu Buddhist Stupa is an ancient Buddhist Mahastupa located in Bhattiprolu village, Bapatla District, Andhra Pradesh. Dating to the 3rd-2nd century BCE, it is one of the earliest known stupas in South India. Excavated in 1892 by Alexander Rea, it yielded a stone relic casket, early Brahmi inscriptions in Bhattiprolu script, and remains of a large brick stupa with carved limestone slabs.

Visitors can expect an open archaeological mound site with the remains of a large brick-built Mahastupa, exposed foundations, and scattered limestone carvings and pillars. The site is in a rural village setting with flat agricultural surroundings. There is an information board explaining the history and Bhattiprolu script. Visitors can walk around the stupa remains, view the excavated area, and see display panels. The site is quiet and primarily for sightseeing and historical interest.

The Bhattiprolu Stupa dates to the 3rd-2nd century BCE, making it one of the earliest Buddhist stupas in South India, contemporary with Sanchi and Bharhut. Excavated by Alexander Rea of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1892, it revealed a large brick Mahastupa about 40 meters in diameter, a stone relic casket with inscriptions, and limestone sculptural remains. The inscriptions in Bhattiprolu script, an early southern Brahmi variant, are significant for the study of the evolution of Telugu-Brahmi script. The site flourished under Mauryan and later Satavahana patronage as a major Buddhist centre.

Bhattiprolu is an important Buddhist pilgrimage and archaeological site representing early Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh. The discovery of the Bhattiprolu script and relic casket links it to early Buddhist textual and relic worship traditions. It demonstrates the spread of Buddhism in coastal Andhra and its role as a centre of learning and art, with cultural continuity seen in later Amaravati school of art.