This is the story of how South India's grandest Buddhist monument was built: the story of a time when Buddhism dominated the Indian subcontinent, and South Indian Buddhism reached out to shape the art and religion of millions.

Episode 5 of Echoes of India moves further South to the fertile coastal lands of Andhra, where Buddhism flourished in the first two centuries CE, interacting with local and foreign art styles to create the gorgeous Amaravati school of art, resulting in the crowdfunding of an immense white stupa that would stand for nearly 1400 years. Hear the chanting of monks, the clear bells of a great monastic complex, and the awestruck words of the Chinese monk Xuanzang, who made a pilgrimage to the site in the 7th century.

If you have questions for Anirudh, follow him on Twitter @AKanisetti or on Instagram @aniruddhadevaraya

Notes, sources, credits and a transcript of the episode can be found at https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/home/episode-5