View source for Phanigiri

{{Short description|Buddhist site in Telangana, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{refimprove|date=July 2016}}
[[File:Inscribed stone in Brahmi script.jpg|thumb|A [[Brahmi]] stone inscription from Phanigiri]]
'''Phanigiri''' is a Buddhist site<ref>{{Cite news|title=Phanigiri on Buddhist tourist circuit: Report|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/TS-to-put-Phanigiri-on-Buddhist-tourist-circuit/article17383918.ece|access-date=2017-02-28|website=The Hindu|date=28 February 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Nanisetti|first=Serish|date=2019-04-30|title=Rare stucco statue put on show|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/rare-stucco-statue-put-on-show-at-museum/article26985559.ece|access-date=2021-03-07|issn=0971-751X|quote=Nearly 1,700 years after a life size stucco Bodhisattva was created by craftsmen at Phanigiri at the peak of Ikshavaku dynasty rule, [...] it is one of the rare life-size figures in stucco to be unearthed in India. “[...] We were surprised during excavation as one piece after another was flipped over around 3 p.m. on April 26 at Phanigiri,”}}</ref> in [[Suryapet district]], [[Telangana]]. It dates to the 1st Century BCE - 4th century CE period.

The site is a major discovery in the history of the early India.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/arasi_0004-3958_2008_num_63_1_1664 | doi=10.3406/arasi.2008.1664 | title=New discoveries from South India: The life of the Buddha at Phanigiri, Andhra Pradesh | year=2008 | last1=Skilling | first1=Peter | journal=Arts Asiatiques | volume=63 | pages=96–118 }}</ref> It is closely related to the stupa complexes at [[Amaravati Stupa|Amaravati]] and [[Nagarjunakonda]].

==Structure==
Phanigiri is a village in Suryapet district, Telangana. It is situated about 40&nbsp;km from Suryapet city. The place consists of a Buddhist complex which is adorned with a massive [[stupa]] along with two apsidal halls with stupas in it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Buddhist site left to ruin in Phanigiri: Report|url=https://telanganatoday.com/buddhist-site-left-ruin-phanigiri|access-date=2017-11-12|website=Telanganatoday}}</ref>

Two large footprints in the complex are believed to belong to [[Gautama Buddha]]. The place also houses three [[vihara|viharas]] which were once served as the dwelling for the Buddhist monks. Previously the name of the village is Dharmachakrapuram but later it is changed to Phanigir. The name is derived from two words which represent the shape of the hill (''phani''=snake, ''giri''=hill).


==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120310124143/http://museums.ap.nic.in/phanigiri.htm Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Andhra Pradesh]

{{coord missing|Telangana}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 1st century BC]]
[[Category:Buddhist temples in India]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures in Telangana]]