Ancient Buddhist city Anupu to host mega cultural event

BENGALURU: Eight kilometres from the Nagarjuna Sagar dam in Guntur is Anupu that 1,700 years ago saw construction of one of India's first amphi theatres. Inspired by those in Greece and Rome, the theatre has been the pride of the small city besides the Vihara (Buddhist University) and the Harathi temple.
Unearthed and reconstructed by the Archaeological Survey of India after it drowned in the Krishna River, the city brings alive the period when Mahayana Buddhism was introduced to South India by Acharya Na garjuna Mahayana.
A year after its chairperson Sudha Murty's visit to the site, Infosys Foundation has joined hands with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan to host a mega cultural event---350 artistes and 20 events---at Anupu from December 9 to 11. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the event. “This is a place that needs to be shown to everyone because beauty lies in its history,“ said Murty .
HN Suresh, director of the bhawan, said: “We want to reconnect the cultural heritage of India with the urban and rural folk alike."