Kotilingala Stupa
Satavahana-Era Mound, Fort & Buddhist Stupa on the Godavari
Kotilingala is a village in Jagtial district, Telangana, located on the southern bank of the Godavari River, about 18 km from Jagtial town. The site is an extensive archaeological mound covering over 100 acres, containing the remains of a mud fortification, a large Buddhist stupa, and early historic habitations. It is best known for the discovery of a hoard of Satavahana coins, including coins of Simuka (the founder of the Satavahana dynasty), leading many scholars to identify Kotilingala as the earliest capital of the Satavahanas (ancient name possibly Simhapura or Sriparvata?). The stupa, built of brick, dates to the 3rd–2nd century BCE (late Mauryan / early Satavahana period) and was part of a larger Buddhist complex that included viharas and a chaitya hall.
Excavations at Kotilingala (1980s–90s) yielded a large number of coins, including several silver and potin coins of the Satavahana king Simuka (also spelled Chimuka). Simuka is considered the founder of the Satavahana dynasty, traditionally dated to c. 230 BCE (though later scholars push this to c. 1st century BCE). The coin legends read “Rano Chimuka Satavahanasa”. The presence of these coins alongside early punch‑marked coins and local issues has led scholars such as Dr. V. V. Krishna Sastry to propose that Kotilingala was the first capital of the Satavahanas, possibly the ancient city of Simhapura (Lion City). The site’s strategic position on the Godavari river made it a natural centre for controlling trade routes to the east coast and the northern Deccan.
The site is encircled by a massive mud rampart (fort wall) that encloses an area of approximately 100 acres. The rampart, built of compacted earth, is about 5 metres wide at the base and survives to a height of 2–3 metres in some sections. A moat, fed by the Godavari, likely surrounded the fort on three sides. Inside the fortified area, excavations have revealed structural remains of residential quarters, storage bins, and industrial areas (iron slag and terracotta kilns). This indicates that Kotilingala was a thriving urban centre — not merely a religious site — with a stratified society and engaged in long‑distance trade.
The Mahastupa is a circular brick structure with a diameter of about 18 metres and an estimated original height of 8–10 metres. The stupa was built in three phases: the earliest core (c. 3rd–2nd century BCE) of large mud bricks; an enlargement during the early Satavahana period (c. 1st century BCE) using smaller, well‑fired bricks; and a final renovation in the late Satavahana period (c. 2nd century CE). A pradakshinapatha (circumambulatory path) paved with lime concrete surrounded the drum. Fragments of a stone railing (vedika) and one torana pillar base were found, suggesting that the stupa once had a decorative enclosure similar to those at Sanchi and Amaravati. No relic casket has been reported, so the stupa may be a Uddeshika stupa (memorial) rather than a relic stupa.
Immediately to the north of the main stupa, the foundations of a monastic vihara have been excavated. The vihara is a square courtyard (approx. 15 m × 15 m) surrounded by 12 monastic cells (each 2.2 m × 2.2 m). A large hall (likely the assembly hall) adjoins the courtyard on the east. A separate apsidal chaitya hall (prayer hall) was found about 30 metres east of the stupa. The chaitya measures 12 m in length and 6 m in width, with a small brick stupa (2 m diameter) at the apsidal end. These structures confirm that Kotilingala was a fully functioning Buddhist monastery, not merely a pilgrimage stupa.
More than 100 coins of Simuka have been found at Kotilingala, both in silver and potin (copper‑lead alloy). The obverse typically shows a stylized elephant or a bull, and the reverse has a Ujjain symbol (a cross with four circles). The legend in Brahmi reads “Rano Chimuka Satavahanasa”. These are the only known coins of Simuka from a controlled excavation, confirming his historicity and placing him as the dynasty’s founder. The presence of these coins alongside early punch‑marked coins (c. 3rd–2nd century BCE) suggests that Simuka ruled in the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE, a dating that continues to be debated.
Besides Simuka, coins of later Satavahana kings — Satakarni I, Vedisiri, Siri Satakarni, and Pulamavi — have been recovered, providing a continuous numismatic sequence. The site also yielded punch‑marked coins of the Mauryan and pre‑Mauryan type (silver bars with symbols of the sun, six‑armed symbol, and elephant), as well as a few Roman silver denarii (early 1st century CE). This numismatic wealth indicates that Kotilingala was a major minting and trading centre, possibly the site of a Satavahana royal treasury.
Hundreds of terracotta figurines have been unearthed: mother goddesses (yakshis), male warriors, animals (horses, elephants, bulls), and a few Buddhist themes (seated Buddha in meditation, a small stupa model). The style is typical of early Deccan terracotta art — hand‑made or moulded, with simple but expressive features. Two stone sculptures were found: a broken limestone panel showing a tree shrine (probably a Bodhi tree) and a small Naga (serpent deity) image, indicating the coexistence of Buddhist and popular cults.
Excavators recovered a large quantity of glass, agate, carnelian, and terracotta beads — many of them micro‑beads (less than 2 mm in diameter) produced using the lapidary technique. The pottery includes the typical Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) from the Gangetic plains (a marker of Mauryan contact), as well as locally made red‑slipped ware and coarse grey ware. A few fragments of Roman amphorae (wine jars) and terra sigillata (high‑quality Roman red‑ware) have been identified, confirming Kotilingala’s participation in the Indo‑Roman trade network, likely via the Godavari river to the port of Kalingapatnam.
Several iron objects have been found: arrowheads, nails, chisels, and a large ploughshare. Slag and a small furnace indicate local iron‑working. This suggests that Kotilingala was not only an administrative and religious centre but also a production centre for tools and weapons.
The name “Kotilingala” means “a crore (ten million) of Shiva lingas” — a later Hindu association. The site is now a popular pilgrimage centre for Shiva devotees, with a modern temple on the riverbank. However, the archaeological evidence indicates that Kotilingala’s sacred status began with Buddhism: the stupa and monastery were built directly on the river bank, making it accessible to boats and pilgrims. The river Godavari was a major trade artery, and the stupa would have served as a landmark for merchants. After Buddhism declined (c. 5th–6th century CE), the site was absorbed into Hindu traditions, and the name was re‑interpreted.
Key Archaeological Data
Stupa Diameter: approx. 18 m
Stupa Height (original): 8–10 m
Vihara: 15 m × 15 m courtyard, 12 cells
Chaitya Hall: Apsidal, 12 m × 6 m
Pottery: NBPW (North Indian), red‑slipped ware, Roman amphorae, terra sigillata.
Periods: c. 3rd c. BCE (Mauryan/early Satavahana) → 3rd c. CE (late Satavahana) → Hindu reuse (medieval).
Chronology of Kotilingala
Visitor Information & Conservation
Access: 18 km from Jagtial town; about 200 km from Hyderabad (via NH 63). Nearest railway: Jagtial (18 km). Buses and taxis available.
- Krishna Sastry, V. V. (1994). Coin‑age of the Satavahanas and the Cultural Horizon of Kotalingala. Hyderabad: Department of Archaeology & Museums.
- Department of Archaeology, Government of Andhra Pradesh (1995). Excavations at Kotilingala: A Preliminary Report.
- Sarma, I. K. (1980). “Kotalingala – A Satavahana Capital?”, Journal of the Numismatic Society of India, Vol. 42, pp. 15–22.
- Rao, K. P. (2005). “The Satavahana Coinage: A Reappraisal with Special Reference to Kotalingala”, in Indian Numismatic Studies, Delhi: Agam Kala Prakashan.
- Telangana Tourism Department. “Kotilingala – Historical Site”. www.telanganatourism.gov.in (accessed 2026).
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