A visit to the Nagarjunakonda Museum in Nagarjunakonda promises to be an experience of a kind. The Nagarjunakonda Museum has the unique distinction of being the sole island museum in the whole world. It is located in the midst of the Nagarjuna Sagar Lake in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Nagarjunakonda was a major Buddhist center at one point of time. A large number of Buddhists lived here. The Nagarjunakonda Museum attempts to preserve the excavated remains of the Buddhist civilization at Nagarjunakonda. In fact the building of the Nagarjunakonda Museum is akin to that of a Buddhist Vihara. The museum is also named after the founder of Mahayana Buddhism, Nagarjuna.
One can get valuable insight into the Buddhist culture prevalent in this region by wandering around the museum. It is almost like taking a walk back in time. One will simply be amazed to see the astounding collection of relics of Buddhist art and culture housed in the Nagarjunakonda Museum.
The exquisite sandal stone sculptures in this historical museum are sure to impress any visitor. The chief attraction is the monolithic statue of Lord Buddha. The magnificent statue stands tall and the posture is very graceful. The expression of peace and poise is very amazing. Apart from this elegant statue, there are several exquisitely carved stone slabs in the Nagarjunakonda Museum.
The carvings in the slabs depict the life of Buddha. They adorned the Stupas at one point of time but are currently to be seen in this museum of Andhra Pradesh. In fact there is a tooth and an ear ring in the Nagarjunakonda Museum which supposedly belonged to the Buddha himself.
Other valuable exhibits of the museum include tools which belonged to the Paleolithic and Neolithic age. There are coins, jewelleries and friezes (architectural ornaments) belonging to prehistoric times and these can be counted amongst the priceless possessions of the Nagarjunakonda Museum.
The Nagarjunakonda Museum in Nagarjunakonda is open on all days except Fridays from 9.30 in the morning to 4.45 in the evening. However no cameras are allowed within the museum. Photography is strictly prohibited.
