Buddhist site in Guntur district faces monumental neglect

TNN May 26, 2013

NAGARJUNASAGAR, India -- Anupu Park located near Macherla town in Guntur is one of the important Buddhist religious sites in Andhra Pradesh. This is where Acharya Nagarjuna was believed to have taught his disciples. The Anupu ruins were surrounded by lush green gardens and beautiful parks, till recently.

But the visitors to the park who came here to attend the Buddha Jayanti celebrations organized by the state government on Saturday were shocked to find the place in complete neglect. All the greenery around the park has vanished due to the lack of maintenance. Several Tibetans, who visited Anupu and Nagarjunakonda museum, expressed their dissatisfaction over the poor maintenance.

Horticulture department foreman Sunil Kumar said the motor of the borewell in the park had tripped thrice in the last one month due to frequent fluctuations in power supply. The entire Anupu Park, it seems, has dried up due to poor maintenance.

Incidentally, the state government, during the World Tourism Conference in Hyderabad, had decided to celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at historical Buddhist sites including Anupu but did not do much to improve the conditions at the park.

Hence, the festival at Anupu only showcased the utter casual attitude of the tourism department.
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