On a sun-drenched morning in 1976, the Indian Navy was conducting a routine aerial survey along the picturesque coastline of Visakhapatnam. As the aircraft glided over the rolling hills kissing the Bay of Bengal, something unusual caught the eye of the crew. Nestled atop a hill were patterns and structures that stood out against the natural landscape—symmetrical shapes and lines that hinted at human craftsmanship.

Curiosity piqued, they marked the location for a closer inspection. What began as a routine mission soon turned into a voyage of historical discovery. Little did they know, they had stumbled upon the remnants of an ancient civilization that would rewrite the history of Vizag and shed light on a forgotten chapter of India’s Buddhist heritage.