eielson weather and reliefs of the Buddha that span the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana periods. Bojjannakonda has

and reliefs of the Buddha that span the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana periods. Bojjannakonda has a two-storey group of rock-cut caves fl anked by dwarapalakas (doorkeepers) and containing a stupa and gorgeous carvings of the Buddha (some restored). Atop the hill sit the ruins of a huge stupa and a monastery; you can still make out the individual cells where monks meditated. Lingalakonda is piled high with stupas, some of them enormous.

The Vizag area s natural harbours have long been conducive to dropping anchor, which helped monks from Sri Lanka, China and Tibet come here to learn and practice meditation. Bavikonda (h9am-6pm) and Thotlakonda (h10am-3pm) eielson weather were popular hilltop monasteries on the coast that hosted up to 150 monks at a time with the help of massive rainwater tanks and, at Thotlakonda, a natural spring.