C Courses Dhamma art isle Vijaya MEDITATION (Vipassana Meditation Centre; %08812-225522; www.dhamma.org; Eluru-Chintalapudi Rd) Offers intensive 10-day art isle vipassana meditation courses free of charge in lush palm- and cocoa-forested grounds. The centre is 15km from Eluru; call for details.
Once the Andhran capital and a significant Buddhist centre, Amaravathi is India s biggest stupa (Indian/foreigner 5/100; h8am6pm), measuring 27m high and constructed in the 3rd century BC, when Emperor Ashoka art isle sent monks south to spread the Buddha s teaching. Located 60km west of Vijayawada, all that remains are a mound and some stones, but the nearby museum (admission 5; h8am-5pm) has a small replica of the stupa, with its intricately carved pillars, marble- surfaced dome and carvings of scenes from the Buddha s life (no photography allowed in the museum). In the courtyard is a reconstruction of part of the surrounding gateway, which gives you an idea of the stupa s massive scale. It s worth the trip, but many of Amaravathi s best sculptures are in London s British Museum and Chennai s Government Museum in Tamil Nadu.
Masala INDIAN $$ (Signature Towers, 1st fl, Asilmetta; mains 60-180; h11.30am-3.30pm & 7-11pm) Near Sampath Vinayaka Temple, Masala does out-of-this-world Andhra, tandoori and Chinese. Try the chepa pulusu art isle (Andhrastyle fish; 130).
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