New A.P. capital city to be called Amaravathi?

Dhyana Buddha sculpted at Dharanikota (Dhanyakataka) in Amaravathi – the name being considered by Andhra Pradesh Government for its new Capital City. With the State Government considering naming the new capital as Amaravathi, the spotlight turned on the temple town located on the banks of River Krishna at a distance of 35 k.m. away from Guntur and 40 k.m. from Vijayawada.

Named after Amareswara Swamy Temple, one of the Pancharamas, in the southern region, this small village and the neighbouring Dharanikota, were once the seat of power during the rule of Satavahana, who ruled during 2nd century BCE and 3rd century BCE.

Since then, it continued as the capital of many Andhra dynasties until the Mogul conquest and the subsequent British rule.

Government seemed to have weighed some factors in zeroing in on this naming proposal. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been invoking the Telugu pride during his public speeches and it could be that prompted Government consider Amaravathi, as it was once the capital of Satavahanas.

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