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Salihundam Chaitya Gruha | |
|---|---|
Protected Buddhist Monument | |
 Salihundam Buddhist Stupa | |
 Dynamic map | |
.svg)  Salihundam Chaitya Gruha Location in Andhra Pradesh, India | |
| Coordinates:18°20′00″N84°03′00″E / 18.33333°N 84.05000°E /18.33333; 84.05000 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| District | Srikakulam |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Telugu |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 532405 |
| Telephone code | 91–08942 |
| Vehicle Registration | AP30 (Former) AP39 (from 30 January 2019)[1] |
| Nearest city | Visakhapatnam |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Srikakulam |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Srikakulam |
Salihundam, is a village and panchayat in Gara Mandal of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. It is a historically important Buddhist monument of ancientKalinga and a major tourist attraction[2] It is a village lying on top of the hill on the south bank of theVamsadhara River. It is at a distance of 5 KM west to Kalingapatnam and 10 KM fromSingupuram and 18 KM fromSrikakulam town. It was known as Salipetaka (meaning rice emporium inTelugu).
There are a number of Buddhist stupas and a huge monastic complex on a hillock amidst scenic surroundings. The site was first discovered byGidugu Venkata Rama Murthy in 1919. Four stupas, relic caskets, and architectural shrines were discovered during digging performed by state authorities, as well as sculptures of Buddhist deities Mareechi andTara.[3] All of the remnants were built between the 2nd century and 12th century, reflecting the different times of Buddhism:Mahayana,Theravada andVajrayana. Buddhism spread to Sumatra and other far-eastern countries from here.[4][citation needed]
Salihundam is one of the main Buddhist excavation sites, showing evidence that Buddhism thrived in the local area during the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
