Amaravati, nestled along the southern banks of the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, is in a festive mood. Across the 20-kilometre stretch from Vijayawada to the state’s futuristic capital, everything — from the lush green trees and harvest-ready fields to the buildings — points to one thing: the arrival of Amaravati 2.0. It is a kind of rebirth for the 2,300-year-old city, once the cradle of divine Buddhist culture and a seat of dynasties like the Ikshvakus, Pallavas, and Cholas. The city was dubbed a “ghost town” during the regime of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).
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