Nagarjunakonda, located in the Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh is an ancient Buddhist town. It is 150 km south east of Hyderabad. It was located on a hill and hence called Nagarjunakonda, which means Nagarjuna Hill in Telugu language. The hill has now submerged in the waters of the Nagarjunasagar dam forming an island. Acharya Nagarjuna was a master of Mahayana Buddhism in the 2nd century AD. The town is named after him. It was earlier a centre for Buddhism having Buddhist universities and monasteries. Today you can find religious Buddhist sites here. The excavated ruins have been reconstructed.
Best For:
Buddhist sites like Stupas and viharas.
The huge Nagarjunasagar dam.
Nagarjunakonda has a hot and humid climate. Summers are from March to June. The summer temperature may peak up to 41°C in the month of May. The winters which are from October to February are pleasant with the temperature ranging from 15°C to 32°C. The best time to visit Nagarjunakonda is from October to February.
Few good hotels in Nagarjunakonda accept international credit cards. There are few ATMs in the city. It is best to carry cash to this place. There may not be any moneychangers here so carry Indian currency only.
No permits are required to travel to Nagarjunakonda. Just a visa to India is all what is needed.
The nearest airport to Nagarjunakonda is the Hyderabad international airport which is 150 km away. It connects Hyderabad to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.
By Road: A bus or a private vehicle from Hyderabad can take you to Nagarjunakonda. There are regular buses from Guntur and Vijaywada.
By Rail: Macherla is the nearest rail head which is 29 km from Nagarjunakonda.
· Nagarjunasagar dam on the river Krishna is the tallest masonry dam in the world. It is a major power station and a nice tourist spot.
· Island museum in the Nagarjunasagar Lake which has the relics of Buddhist art and culture.
· Mahastupa, Bodhisri Chaitya, Simhala Vihara, Mahsik Vihara are other places having Buddhist structures.
Where To Eat:.
Nagarjunakonda is very close to Hyderabad. So you can have Hyderabadi food here. It is famous for Hyderabadi biryani, charcoal baked rotis and a mutton dish called ‘Haleem’. Deserts like kheer and sheer kurma are must try. These dishes are available at roadside restaurants.
Where To Stay:
There are no luxury hotels here. The good hotels include Andhra Pradesh Tourism’s Sagar Vihar Guest House and Nagarjunasagar Project House. Motel Nagarjuna at Nagarjunasagar is another option. Vijay Vihar Punnami Hotel is another hotel at Nagarjunasagar.
Nearby excursion from Nagarjunakonda include :
· Anupu, which is at 8 km from the Nagarjunasagar dam. It has Buddhist excavations which are reconstructed.
· Ethipothala Waterfalls located at 11 km from Nagarjunasagar dam is a scenic spot. The water cascades into a blue lagoon below.
· Rajiv Gandhi wildlife sanctuary is the forest between Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam. It has various birds and animals in the thick cover of the forest.
· Srisailam has one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India and is a religious town.
