returned to the Nizamate in 1768 but was ceded to England again in 1788. It was briefly occupied by Hyder Ali. It was part of the Madras Presidency during the British colonial period. The Great Stūpa or Mahācaitya The most important historic monument in Amaravathi village is the Mahachaitya. It is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India which maintains a site museum beside the ruins. In 2006 the Dalai Lama visited and performed Kalachakra Mahasamalanam during the Kalachakra festival. Geography Amaravathi is situated at . It is spread over an area of . Demographics Census of India, the town had a population of 13,400 with 3,316 households. The total population constitute, 6,432 males and 6,958 females —a sex ratio of 1,082 females per 1,000 males. 1,321 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 647 are boys and 674 are girls —a ratio of 1,042 per 1,000. The average literacy rate stands at 71.34% with 8,617 literates, higher than the state average of 67.41%. Government and politics Amaravathi gram panchayat is the local self-government of the village. It is divided into wards and each ward is represented by a ward member. The village as a part of Amaravathi mandal, represents the Pedakurapadu assembly constituency. The present MLA representing the constituency is Sankara Rao Namburu of YSRCP. Culture The town is a centre of pilgrimage for both Hindus and Buddhists. The inscriptions on the walls of the Amareswara temple depicts the reign of Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu who ruled before the advent of British rule. He was well known for his benevolence, munificence and for the construction of a large number of temples and education centres in the Krishna river delta. It also hosts a 125-foot tall statue of the Buddha, known as the Dhyana Buddha. The ancient structures and replicas can be found at Kalachakra museum, which was renamed the Amaravathi Heritage Centre and Museum. The ancient Buddhist stupa and other ruins make up one of the centrally protected Monuments of National Importance. The main Hindu festivals celebrated are Mahasivaratri and the Navaratri. The 30th Kalachakra festival, a popular Buddhist ritual, was held at Amaravathi in the first week of January 2006. It is one of the oldest tourist places for Buddhists. Transport The only means of connectivity for the village is by road. The Vijayawada–Amaravathi Road connects the village with cities of Vijayawada, Tenali, Guntur, and