Nagarjunakonda Buddhist Island is in the Nalgonda District of Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is 150 kilometers away from the capital city, Hyderabad.

Nagarjunakonda  Island was initially known as Nagarjuna Konda Hills. The island was formed when the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was constructed. The Nagarjuna Konda hills got submerged, and Nagarjunakonda island was formed.

Nagarjunakonda is named after the Buddhist scholar  Acharya Nagarjuna. He lived in the 2nd century. Nagarjunakonda means the hill of Nagarjuna. Konda, in the local language of Telugu, means hill or heap.

Known as Sri Parvata, this Island is one of the wealthiest Buddhist sites in India. Many archaeological relics were dug up from the island and transferred elsewhere in India and abroad. The excavations show that the area was the center of Buddhist Learning in ancient India.

This island was once a large International Buddhist university.

Amaravati Buddhist Stupa Site is 160 kilometers west of Nagarjunakonda island.

Nagarjunakonda Museum

The island still contains a Buddhist Museum where some submerged archaeological site remains were dug up and kept. The museum is amidst the remains or ruins of a medieval fortification that looks like a Buddhist Vihara. There are many priceless artifacts of different cultural periods at the Nagarjuna Konda Museum.

There are five galleries in the museum. Sculptures, inscriptions, and stone slabs are some items on display here. The growth of human civilization from the Stone Age to the Megalithic age is depicted through excavated relics and explanations.

This museum is open from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm and is closed on Fridays. The entry fee per adult is just Rs 5 as of November 2023.

Some other relics excated from this island were transferred to the nearby mainland. Ruins of Hindu temples were also excited from this island. Many relics excavated from the island are fine examples of Ikshvaku art and architecture.

How Do I Go to Nagarjunakonda Buddhist Island?

The Buddhist island is in the Palnadu district. This district was formed in 2022.

Macherla is the nearest railway station, around 30 kilometers away. There are ferry services to the island from Vijayapuri Jetty on the mainland. Vijayapuri is on the south side of the Nagarjunasagar dam.

Vijayapuri is connected to Hyderabad by the state highway.

Hyderabad International Airport, 150 kilometers away, is the nearest airport to the Buddhist island in Andhra Pradesh.