Andhra Pradesh Government plans to tap tourism potential in Motupalli

Parchuru(Prakasam district): The Motupalli Heritage Society is envisaging plans for integrated tourism development at Motupalli, the ancient port town in Chinaganjam mandal in Prakasam district.

Motupalli is one of the ancient port towns in India and witness to the great history and heritage of the Telugu rulers. Due to the development of other transport technologies and wrath of nature, the Motupalli port lost its sheen, importance and infrastructure to the time. Though the port village was once home to the Buddhist monks, centre for major reformations and part of the great kingdoms, it remained as just any ordinary coastal village. The historians and locals are demanding the government and archaeology department to involve immediately and protect the historical monuments and inscriptions in and around the village.

Noted archaeologist in the Telugu States and CEO of the Cultural Centre of Vijayawada and Amaravati said that the Motupalli village is mentioned in the historical manuscripts and inscriptions dating back to Buddha times.

He said that the noted European historians and sailors Hippalus, Ptolemy, Pliny, Fergusson, Marco polo, Yule and others who travelled India between 100 AD and 250 AD, also believed to be mentioned Krishna river as Mysolus and Motupalli port town as Maisolia while Godavari river as Goaris. He said that the inscriptions of Kakatiya Ganapathi Deva, Anapotha Reddy of the Kondaveedu dynasty and Devaraya II of the Vijayanagara dynasty located in the local Veerabhadra Swamy temple attests that the Motupalli port thrived as an international port, giving incentives to the Seaborne traders. The writings by Ptolemy and Periplus and others show that Motupalli is not only old but also popular port town nearly two thousand years ago, he added.

The Motupalli port handled exports and imports of Maslin clothes weaved and dyed by the local weavers, spices, oils, millets, cotton, diamonds, camphor, sandal, pearls, pepper, elephant trunks, copper, silk etc and is home for trade guilds and merchant corporations with regular members from China, Japan, Burma, Cambodia, Java, Bosnia, Sumatra and other countries. The excavations conducted by the State department of archaeology and museums in 1972, led to the recovery of 12th-century bronze idols of Nataraja, Parvati, Ganesha and Alwars, along with the coins and pottery of the ninth century Chinese Ming dynasty.

On the initiative taken by the secretary of Motupalli Heritage Society Ronda Dasaradharami Reddy and other members, the officials from the State tourism department visited Motupalli and surveyed in and around the port town. They collected data pertaining to the potential resources for the development of tourism. Dr Siva Nagireddy briefed the officials on the historical significance of the Motupalli port, Veerabadhra, Kodandarama temples, sculptures and inscriptions. Dr Jyothi Chandramouli, a historian present on the occasion has given literary references to the port during the Reddy period. The local community is eagerly waiting for their long-cherished dream coming true at Motupalli.