German scholars to visit major Buddhist sites

HYDERABAD: A group of scholars from Wurzburg varsity, Germany are keen to do some project work on  development of Buddhist sites and monuments in the state. The group headed by Ingo Strauch, chair of Indology,  and comprising Casen Dreyer, Britta Schneider and Anke Sanger, visited the office of the director of archaeology and museums and helddiscussions with director P Chenna Reddy on the matter. Chenna Reddy said the scholars, who had been teaching Buddhism at the German university for several years, were interested in visiting the Buddhist sites at Thotlakonda, Bavikonda, Pavuralakonda, Salihundam, Sankaram in north  Andhra, and Phanigiri in Nelakondapalli in Telangana. They will also visit Chandavaram in Prakasam district and Nagarjunakonda in Guntur district to study the distribution of Buddhist settlements across the state and their development from Theravada School of Philosophy to Vajrayana School of Philosophy up to the medieval times as noticed at Salihundam in north Andhra and Dhanyakataka (Amaravati) in Guntur district.  Chenna Reddy explained the steps taken by the state government to develop Buddhist sites and monuments as major tourist destinations.