•   Kanchi emerged as a Buddhist center right from the 2^nd Century BCE.

•   Buddhist presence in Kanchi finds mention in many Tamil Sangam texts like Manimekalai, Silappatikaram, and Maduraikkanchi.

•   According to the Tamil epic Manimekalai, the Buddhist master Aravana Adigal guided Manimekalai, in the path of Buddhism.

•   Manimekalai, according to the epic, was a Bodhisattva Bhikshuni who finally attained nirvana at Kanchi.

•   Huien-Tsang, the Chinese monk-traveler (7th century CE) visited Kanchi at the height of its glory.

•   He recorded about hundreds of Mahayana viharas and 10,000 monks there.

•   Huien-Tsang also mentions about a 100 ft high Stupa built by Ashoka in Kanchi.

•   Other reliable records indicate that Buddhist Mahayana monasteries remained active in Kanchi even up to the 14th Century CE.

•   Several Buddhist sculptures, engravings, and art are found from monuments of Kanchi.

Buddhism related sculptures from Kanchi

•   It was the capital of the historic Vijayanagara Empire.

•   Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.

•   A part of Vijayanagara ruins known as Hampi has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site.

•   Along with Hinduism, Vijayanagara accepted communities of other faiths such as Jainism and Islam, leading to multi-religious monuments and mutual influences.

•   It is located on the banks of the river Krishna in Guntur district.

•   Dharanikota, the ancient city site nearby, was founded more than 2,200 years ago, serving as an ancient capital.

•   The Amaravati Stupa was an important Buddhist site of pilgrimage and holy learning.