Guntupalli caves
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Guntupalli is a Buddhist site in coastal Andhra Pradesh, in the area that was earlier West Godavari district and is now Eluru district. It has rock-cut caves, many monks' cells and a number of stupas, which are mounds that held relics. The site was used for several centuries from c. 2nd century BCE. It matters because it shows that Buddhist rock-cut building reached the eastern Deccan early, not only the western Ghats.
Example
The best-known monument is a circular chaitya cave of c. 2nd century BCE. A small rock-cut stupa stands inside it, and its entrance is carved to look like a wooden arched doorway. Monks walked around the stupa in a circle as worship.
Don't confuse with
- Undavalli caves near Vijayawada are later Hindu cave temples, known for a large reclining Vishnu. Guntupalli is an early Buddhist site.
Related concepts
- Rock-cut architecture
- Barabar caves
- Lomas Rishi cave
- Nagarjuni caves
- Rock-cut monasteries
- Chaitya and vihara
- Bhaja caves
- Karla caves
- Kanheri caves
- Nasik caves