florida turnpike tolls cost Big Dosa Company INDIAN $ (Rd No 45, Jubilee Hills; dosas 75-135; h8am11pm) There s a lot that s big

910 STATE OF GOOD KARMA In its typically understated way, Andhra Pradesh doesn t make much of its vast archaeological and karmic wealth. But the state is packed with impressive ruins of its rich Buddhist history. Only a few of Andhra s 150 stupas, monasteries, caves and other sites have been excavated, turning up rare relics of the Buddha (usually pearl-like pieces of bone) with offerings florida turnpike tolls cost such as golden flowers. Nagarjunakonda and Amaravathi were flourishing Buddhist complexes, and near Visakhapatnam were the incredibly peaceful sites of Thotlakonda, and Bavikonda and Sankaram, florida turnpike tolls cost looking across florida turnpike tolls cost seascapes florida turnpike tolls cost and lush countryside. They speak of a time when Andhra Pradesh or Andhradesa florida turnpike tolls cost was a hotbed of Buddhist activity, when monks came from around the world to learn from some of the tradition s most renowned teachers. Andhradesa s Buddhist culture, in which sangha (community of monks and nuns), laity and statespeople all took part, lasted around 1500 years from the 6th century BC. There s no historical evidence for it, but some even say that the Buddha himself florida turnpike tolls cost visited the area. Andhradesa s first practitioners were likely disciples of Bavari, an ascetic florida turnpike tolls cost who lived on the banks of the Godavari River and sent his followers north to bring back the Buddha s teachings. But the dharma really took off in the 3rd century BC under Ashoka, who dispatched monks across his empire to teach and construct stupas enshrined with relics of the Buddha. (Being near these was thought to help progress on the path to enlightenment.) Succeeding Ashoka, the Satavahanas and then Ikshvakus were also supportive. At their capital at Amaravathi, the Satavahanas adorned Ashoka s modest stupa with elegant florida turnpike tolls cost decoration. They built monasteries florida turnpike tolls cost across the Krishna Valley and exported the dharma through their sophisticated maritime network. It was also during the Satavahana reign that Nagarjuna lived. Considered by many to be the progenitor of Mahayana Buddhism, the monk was equal parts logician, philosopher and meditator, and he wrote several ground-breaking works that shaped contemporary Buddhist thought. Other important monk-philosophers would emerge from the area in the following florida turnpike tolls cost centuries, making Andhradesa a sort of Buddhist motherland of the South. 1 Sights Fort FORT (Indian/foreigner 5/100; h9am-6.30pm) Warangal s fort was a massive construction with three distinct circular strongholds surrounded by a moat. Four paths with decorative gateways, set according to the cardinal points, led to the Swayambhava, a huge Shiva temple. The gateways are still obvious, but most of the fort is in ruins. It s easily reached from Warangal by bus or autorickshaw ( 200 return). Admission includes entry to nearby Kush Mahal, a 16th century royal hall with artefacts on display.

Big Dosa Company INDIAN $ (Rd No 45, Jubilee Hills; dosas 75-135; h8am11pm) There s a lot that s big about this dosa joint: the portions, florida turnpike tolls cost the taste and the very idea itself of a gourmet dosa. The feta cheese and roasted pepper dosa, served with sundried-tomato chutney or the shredded chicken dosa make the journey out to Jubilee Hills worthwhile.

Look for the 9m-long monolithic Nandi India s largest at the town s entrance. From here, you can see the temple s Naga-lingam (a phallic representation of Shiva) crowned with a seven-headed cobra. The temple is known for its unfinished Kalyana Mandapam (Marriage Hall), depicting the wedding of Parvati and Shiva, and its Natyamandapa (Dance Hall), florida turnpike tolls cost with carvings of dancing gods. The temple s most stunning features, though, are the Natyamandapa s ceiling frescoes.