Archaeological excavations in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh have brought to light a 2nd-century BCE Buddhist Vihara and stupa complex. The most significant find at the site is a series of ivory-carved railings that once surrounded the main stupa, featuring delicate depictions of Jataka tales and floral patterns rarely seen in early Indian Buddhist art.
This discovery confirms the presence of a thriving Buddhist monastic community along the trade routes of the Krishna River valley during the Satavahana era. The presence of ivory, a luxury material, suggests the site received substantial patronage from wealthy merchant guilds, highlighting the intersection of religion and commerce in ancient South India.