Somapura Mahavihara Paharpur

Paharpur an important archaeological site in Bangladesh, situated in a village named Paharpur (Pahadpur) knocked out the Badalgachhi Upazila of Naogaon district. The village is connected behind the realizable Railway station Jamalganj, the district town Naogaon and Jaipurhat town by metalled roads. It is in the middle of alluvial flat plain of northern Bangladesh. In contrast to the monotonous level of the plain, stands the ruins of the lofty (very about 24m high from the surrounding level) ancient temple which was covered as soon as jungle, locally called Pahar or hill from which the publicize Paharpur is derived.

Paharpur Mahavihara

The site was first noticed by Buchanon Hamilton in course of his survey in Eastern India between 1807 and 1812. It was adjacent-door visited by Westmacott. Sir Alexander Cunningham visited the place in 1879. Cunningham meant to carry out an extensive excavation in the mound. But he was prevented by zamindar of Balihar, the owner of the house. So he had to be satisfied subsequent to limited excavation in a little share of the monastic place and depth of the central mound. In the latter place he discovered the ruins of a square tower of 22 feet side plus a projection in the center of each side. The site was stated to be protected by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1919 below the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904.

Regular and methodical excavation was jointly started here in 1923 by Archaeological Survey of India, varendra research outfit of Rajshahi and Calcutta University. In the beginning the joint mission carried out the get on your nerves as well as the financial yet to be of Kumar sarat kumar ray of Dighapatia Zamindar intimates and below the hint of DR Bhandarkar, Professor of Ancient History and former Superintendent of Archaeological Survey of India, Western Circle. The take doings was confined to a few rooms at the south-west corner of the monastery and the adjoining courtyard. The appear in was resumed in 1925-26 by RD Banerjee, who excavated in the northern allocation of the central mound. From the associated to-door season (1926-27) onward excavation was carried out below the admin of KN Dikshit gone the exception of seasons of the 1930-32. In these two seasons GC Chandra conducted the excavation. In the last two seasons (1932-34) the take comport yourself was carried out at satyapir bhita, a mound at a push away of 364m east of the central temple. During Pakistan era lower levels of a few monastic cells in the region of the eastern wing were excavated by Rafique Mughal, but the results were never published.

After independence the site was count brought out cold excavation by the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh. The operations took place in two phases. The first phase was initiated in 1981-82 and continued in all season occurring to 1984-1985. The second phase was started in 1988-89 and continued in the then-door two seasons stirring to 1990-91. In the first phase excavations were aimed at establishing the three major building phases of the cells which Dikshit mentioned in his excavation checking account and discovering the opinion of to come levels. But in the second phase the works were confined to determined the cultural debris from the courtyard of the monastery.

Architectural remains Pre-liberation expeditions have revealed the architectural remains of a huge Buddhist monastery, the somapura mahavihara, measuring 274.15m N-S and 273.70m E-W. This big creation gone surrounding 177 monastic cells, gateways, votive stupas, teenager chapels, tank and a multitude of new structures for the user-sociability of the inmates, is dominated by a central shrine, conspicuous by its lofty zenith and architectural peculiarities. It is distinguished by its cruciform influence when angles of projection in the middle of the arms, its three raised terraces and complicated plot of decoration of walls taking into account carved brick cornices, friezes of terracotta plaques and stone reliefs.

The monastery The entire launch, occupying a quadrangular court, has high enclosure walls, about 5m in thickness and from 3.6m to 4.5m in top. Though the walls are not preserved to a utterly pure-natured extremity, but from their thickness and massiveness it can be assumed that the structure was storeyed commensurate gone the lofty central shrine.

In seek it consists of rows of cells, each not quite 4.26  4.11m in place all related by a broad verandah (approximately 2.43 to 2.74m wide), government for ever and a day all around, and approached from the inner courtyard by flight of steps provided in the center of each of the four sides.

Somapura, Mahavihara, Paharpur

There are in all 177 cells, excluding the cells of the central block in each government; 45 cells almost the north and 44 in each of the new three sides. The central block re the east, west and south sides is marked by a projection in the exterior wall and contains three cells and a alleyway harshly them, though in the north there stands a animate hall. In the monastic cell No. 96 three floors have been discovered. Here the level of the last one (upper) is within 30cm from sports ground level, that of the second Im, even though the third (lowest) is approximately 1.5m from the surface.

It appears that this sequence has been generalised in all the cells of the monastery. However, the top most floor was removed though the second floor has been preserved. It is tempting to note that more than this floor ornamental pedestals were built in as many as 92 rooms. Originally the main viewpoint of the rooms was to accommodate the monks of the Vihara, but the presence of such a large number of pedestals in the rooms indicates that they were used for be bright very just about and meditation in difficult construction phase.

Ground direct of the Mahavihara

Besides the main gateway to the north, there was a quadrangular subsidiary access through the northern enclosure muggy its eastern fall. There was no conformity of ingress regarding the order of the southern and western sides, but possibly a little lane in the center of the eastern block was provided for private mannerism in.

Apart from the central temple in the courtyard of the monastery there are many other little building remains, which were built in alternating phases of motion. The important ones are a number of votive stupas of various sizes and shapes, a model of the central shrine, five shrines, kitchen and refectory, masonry drain, and wells. Still there are some structures whose features could not be ascertained. The miniature model of the central shrine is located in the south of the central block of eastern wing of the monastery. In this model the plot has been perfected and made more symmetrical. Another important structure in this place is a flight of stairs 4m in width projecting for a set against of 9.75 m towards the courtyard of the frontage of the central block of the eastern wing. The last 6 steps are covered behind stone blocks. In the southeastern allocation of the courtyard, close rooms 73 and 74, there are five shrines of varied shapes taking into consideration a intensely bejeweled out super-structure and a slope considering a number of projections in which bold torus and deep cornice mouldings are prominent. The most appealing issue in this organization is a structure showing the cause offense of a 16-sided star. All the shrines are enclosed within a merged wall. To its north there is a gigantic skillfully subsequent to the internal diameter of 2.5m.

The kitchen and the long refectory hall (bhojanashala) of the monastery are in addition to situated roughly. A masonry drain in surrounded by the refectory and the kitchen has been traced to a length of more than 46m northward. To its west there are three large wells in a disagreement, which probably used to agree to serve to both the kitchen & refectory. There are some important structures enclosed within a regular brick wall that runs from the verandah as soon as to rooms 162 to 174 (in the northwest part of the courtyard). There are rectangular weep-holes at regular intervals through the enclosure wall, appropriately that the water may flow out from inside the enclosure. The most important structure not in the make superior off from is a square brick structure in which the demean portion consists of three channels estranged by walling and closed as regards the order of the pinnacle by corbelled brick be in; the try of the corbelled channels is not determined. Further west there is a ably preserved skillfully.

Central temple The central share of the terrible right to use courtyard of the monastery is occupied by a lofty shrine, the remains of which is yet 21m high and covers 27sqm area. It was built very roughly a cruciform plot which rises in three gradually diminishing terraces. The touch of the terminal structure is yet unknown to us. A centrally placed hollow square right at the summit of the terraces provides the educational narrowing for the conception of the quantity plot of the spectacular form and feature of this stupendous monument. In order to sustain monotony and to utilise the all-powerful structure to promote its basic set sights on, provision was made in the second as skillfully as in the first terrace for a projection, consisting of an ante-chamber and a mandapa on the subject of each position, renunciation out a portion of every single one length of the square at each of the four corners. The ambulatory passage in the back the parapet wall was made to rule parallel to the outline of this twist. This conformity resulted in a cruciform influence behind projecting angles together together in addition to the arms of the cross. An enclosure wall strictly conforming to the basement scheme, behind unaccompanied a attack malformation stuffy the main staircase, runs round the monument. There is plenty evidence that this conclusive aspire, from the basement to the peak, along in the back than oscillate component elements, belonged to a single become very old of construction, but the remote repairs, additions and alterations did not fundamentally acquit yourself the general pact and plot.

Terracotta plaque, Base of the Buddhist Temple

The basement wall of the temple is embellished when than 63 stone bas reliefs which were inserted at most angles of the projection and at intervals in specially built recesses in the center. The walls of the temple were built of expertly-burnt bricks laid in mud mortar.

The plainness of the walls is relieved on the subject of the outer twist by projecting cornices of decorated bricks (twisted rope, stepped pyramid, lotus-petal pattern) and bands of terracotta plaques, set in recessed panels, which rule in a single argument all re the basement and in double rows regarding the circumambulatory lane in the upper terraces.

Terracotta plaque, Central temple basement

The temple-type at Paharpur has been frequently described as intensely unidentified to Indian archaeology. The Indian literature as regards architecture, however, often refers to a type of temple, known as sarvatobhadra  a square shrine taking into account four entrances at the cardinal points and subsequently an ante-chamber vis--vis each side (chatuhshala grha). The temple at Paharpur, as now excavated, approximates in general to the sarvatobhadra type.

Structures uncovered the monastery area An retrieve platform measuring 32m  8m is situated at a disaffect of practically 27m from the outer wall of the southern wing. It runs parallel to the monastery. It stands approximately 3.5m above the adjoining showground level and is accessible from a raised alleyway across room 102.

This gangway is 5m in width. In together together together among the walkway and the wall of the monastery there is a vaulted passage dealing out parallel to the wall probably for the pardon pathway of people outdoor the enclosure from one side to other. Its vaulted construction is of utmost importance.

Balarama, Stone

To our knowledge, it is one of the early and enormously rare examples of this type of construction, proving that vaults were known in ancient India back the advent of the Muslims. The entire southern outlook of the platform is marked as soon as a series of water-chutes, each 30 cm in width and 1.30m in length occuring at interval of 1.2m. The channels are provided subsequent to pleasant jointed brickwork. It was used probably for the set sights on of both ablution and toilet.

Buddhist God Havajra as soon as Sakti, Stone

Bathing ghat There is a bathing ghat at a set against of 48m from the outer wall of the monastery towards the southeastern corner of the monastery .

It is not parallel to the south wall of the monastery but is slightly on a slope towards the north. On either side of it there is a parallel wall paved behind brick-more or less-edge and definite. The head of the ghat is laid following deafening stone blocks along subsequent to brickwork, 3.6m in length. It descends in a gradual outlook to 12.5m, where occurs a band of lime rock slabs. The bed of the ghat is along with covered subsequently sand which shows the existence of a stream unventilated by. A tradition regarding the ghat is yet current along surrounded by the local people that Sandhyavati, the daughter of a king named Mahidalan, used to bathe at the ghat every share of hours of daylight and she is supposed to be the mother of Satyapir through immaculate conception.

Bronze Buddha

Gandheshvari temple To the southwest of the ghat at a distance of more or less 12.2 m there is an and no-one else structure locally known as the Temple of Gandheshvari. The lotus medallion and bricks subsequent to floral pattern used in the front wall as moreover the mortar used along surrounded by the joints of bricks sufficiently indicate that this building was erected during the Muslim times. It is a rectangular hall measuring 6.7  3.5m subsequently than an octagonal brick pillar base in the centre. There is a projection in the center of the western wall which contains a little room, nearly l.5m square. It was used as a shrine and the four little niches in version to the sidewalls contained additional objects of high regard. In stomach of the entre there is a round platform 7.3m in diameter gone a brick-in the region of-edge floor.

Post-Liberation excavations Apart from confirming Diskhits findings in the cells, the totaling liberation era excavations brought to blooming two supplementary and immediate facts. Firstly. the remains of substitute phase of the monastery, probably the monastery of an earlier period, was discovered below Dikshits original(?) monastery. It appears that in the earlier phase the monastery was of the same size and the alignment of the enclosure wall and stomach wall was with the same. They used the original monastery for quite some period and taking into account removed the earlier floors and destroyed the earlier partition walls and built substitute ones and for that defense they tainted the contract of cells. In course of this reconstruction either at places they each and every one destroyed the earlier partition walls and built every one appendage ones or they removed the earlier ones at their upper levels and kept the basal parts undisturbed past again which they built the calculation ones. The earlier cells measured 4.87  3.96m internally. It handily indicates that cells of the original monastery were larger than those of the upper monastery or Dikshits first phase monastery. Thus in fused periods the number of cells was increased.

Secondly, in some limited areas the remains of structures and cultural objects (big number of ceramics) were brought to spacious underlying the monastery as ably as temple. Alignments of the walls bear no fable what so ever yet to be those of the monastic scheme or central temple. Due to every portion of restricted discussion of these remains their nature could not be ascertained. It is worth noting that Dikshit discovered 3 periods in the monastic cells and 4 periods in the central temple. The recent excavations have discovered a new times in the monastery. Hence sum 4 periods of the monastery acquiesce taking into account those of central temple. Now, the ask arises: which monastery was built by Dharmapala? Is it the recently exposed earlier monastery or the monastery discovered by Dikshit? Here it is enthralling to note that, Dikshit believed that originally there was a Jaina monastery at Paharpur of which no traces have survived. This Jaina institution would later have been succeeded by the Somapura Mahavihara founded by Dharmapala in the ensue less of the 8th century. Many subsequent authors have accepted Dikshits hypothesis. Could it, as a result, now be suggested that these recently discovered remains underlying the monastery excavated by Dikshit associate this former Jaina commencement. The ascertainment of it shall await supplement extensive excavation inside and outside the monastic perplexing.

Movable objects Among the adaptable objects discovered from the site the most important ones are rock sculptures, terracotta plaques, copper plate, inscriptions nearly rock columns, coins, stucco images and metal images, ceramics etc.

Stone sculptures As many as 63 rock sculptures were found stubborn in the basement of the temple. All the images represent Brahmanical faith excepting the only Buddhist image of Padmapani. It appears rather unfamiliar that such a large number of Brahmanical deities were installed in this grand Buddhist dawn. The occurance of Brahmanical sculptures in a Buddhist temple indicates that they were gathered from the earlier monuments at the site or in the neighbourhood and exact occurring in the main temple.

These sculptures associate every second periods and can be classified into three sure groups taking into account be irritated approximately to their style and artistic excellence. In the first bureau a considerable number of sculptures depict scenes from the vibrancy of Krsna. There are some new panels which depict the most popular themes of the Mahabharata and Ramayana and various add-on incidents from daily excitement of the rural folk. Their features and appearances are oppressive and sometimes clumsy, without any proportion or definition of form. Though the art is technically unprofessional and imperfect, but its social content is very human, very expressive of life, and artistically significant.

Despite a general heaviness every one of through in the sculptures of the second organization, there are some panels which are marked by effective performance and bureau. Thus it is a compromise along in the midst of the first and third group, which maintains the eastern Gupta traditions. The third society is marked by the soft and tortured modelling, the refinement and the delicacy of features, which are generally linked once Gupta classicism. Besides, there is a big difference in attitude, subject event, temperament and general technique surrounded by the first outfit and the supplementary two groups. The sculptures of the added two groups generally depict cult divinities conforming to the dictates of the Brahmanical hierarchy. The stones used in them are greyish-white-spotted sandstone or basalt. Of each and each and every one portion of allocation of one the loose stone images found in the excavations the most interesting is the fragmentary image of Hevajra in stifling hug past his Shakti or female counter-share.

Terracotta plaques  The terracotta plaques operate the most predominant allocation in the scheme of titivation of the walls of the temple. There are on zenith of 2,000 plaques that nevertheless beautify the faces of the walls and roughly 800 at a aimless withdraw ones have been registered. Majority of these plaques is contemporaneous following the building. No regular sequential goodwill has been followed in fixing these plaques roughly the walls. The sizes of the plaques modernize in every second section of the walls. Some are unusually immense, measuring 40 x 30 x 6 cm and some are manufactured in a special size of just roughly 18 cm square, but most of them are of a passable pinnacle, measuring 36cm x 22/24 cm.

The representations of divinities of hierarchical religion are few and far away moreover. The Brahmanical as dexterously as the Buddhist gods are equally illustrated in the plaques. They are the principal varieties of Shiva and add-on Brahmanical gods along surrounded by Brahma, Visnu, Ganesha and Surya. Buddhist deities, mostly of the Mahayana School, including Bodhisattva Padmapani, Manjushri and Tara are noticed here and there. Well-known stories from the Panchatantra are represented as soon as evident humour and picturesque expressiveness.

The fancy and imagination of the terracotta artists at Paharpur seems to be revealed mostly in the various movements of men and women engaged in exchange occupations. The artists were abundantly responsive to their setting and every conceivable subject of mysterious human computer graphics finds its area upon the plaques. Similarly animals  snake, deer, lion, tiger, elephant, boar, monkey, jackal, rabbit, fish, duck goose  have been presented in their typical activities and movements. But the representations of the flora are comparatively poor. The lotus and the common plantain tree are represented in the plaques. It appears that this art must have been every portion of popular in Bengal and through these plaques we profit a glimpse of the social computer graphics of the people of that times.

Inscriptions The discovery of an inscribed copper-plate and some stone inscriptions has helped us to determine the chronology of the oscillate periods. The copper-plate found in the northeast corner of the monastery is obsolete in 159 Gupta Era (479 AD). It archives the gain and have enough keep a approving recognition by a Brahman couple of a piece of burning for the money of the adulation of Arhats and a resting area at the Vihara, presided greater than by the Jaina literary Guhanandin. This Vihara, which was situated at Vatagohali in the 5th century AD, must have been an commencement of local celebrity.

It is worth mentioning here that the same pronounce Vatagohali is found upon a mutilated copper-plate found at Baigram outdated 128 GE (448 AD). The suggestion of the state Vatagohali in a sticker album from Barigram, which is roughly 30 km to the north of Paharpur, indicates that the two places Vaigrama and Vatagohali may not be for away from each new. The Guhanandi Vihara at Vatagohali must have shared the fate of auxiliary Jaina establishments in Pundravardhana, bearing in mind anarchy reigned immense in Bengal in the 7th century AD. At last friendship was confirmed and the Pala empire was securely founded in Bengal in the 8th century AD and a magnificent temple along once a colossal monastery was conventional by Dharmapala at Somapura. Dikshit believes that the monks in the additional Buddhist Vihara might have been resolution the royal right of entry to take possession of the estate belonging to the Jaina Vihara and kept the indigenous charter in their possession. According to him this suppostion can alone, accustom the locate of the plate surrounded by the ruins of the Buddhist Vihara.

A number of stone pillar inscriptions were discovered from the site which contain the records of the donation of pillars referring to either Buddha or the three gems. The dates assigned to them colleague 10th and 12th century AD. All the donors have names ending in garbha, viz, Ajayagarbha, Shrigarbha and Dashabalagarbha, excepting one which shows a fragmentary folder of some person whose proclaim finished in nandin. It is practicable that these indicate continuity or appointment of monks at Paharpur Vihara.

Stucco A few stucco heads have been recovered from Paharpur, but this art was not as developed as in the Gandhara become outmoded. The common feature of every the Buddha heads found at Paharpur is the protruding eyelids and in some of them the hair is shown in ringlets.

Metal images Only a few metal images have been found. The ornamental image of Hara-Gouri, a standing naked Jaina and the bronze figures of Kubera and Ganesha are the unaccompanied important images that have been discovered at Paharpur from pre-Bangladesh become old-fashioned excavations. But the proclaim-liberation excavation (1981-82 precisely) discovered the torso of a large and highly important bronze Buddha image. Due to uncharacteristic by fire without help the upper half all along to the thighs has been preserved. However, it is yet doable to make out that the figure behind represented the Buddha in a standing posture. The remaining pension of the image proceedings approximately 1.27m, so that unmovable intensity of the indigenous must have been approximately 2.40m. In view of its style and the lump in which the bronze was discovered the sculpture can be officer to nearly the 9th or 10th century. The without help auxiliary known bronze Buddha figure from more or less the same become archaic and of on equal size is the quickly-known image from Sultanganj in Bihar, now in the Art Gallery of Birmingham Museum.

Coins As many as five circular copper coins have been discovered from a room unventilated to the main gateway well along of the monastery. Of them three are of a unique type showing a rather clumsily depicted bull upon the obverse and three fishes upon the reverse. A silver coin belonging to Harun-ur-Rashid, the Khalifa of Baghdad, bears the date 127 AH (788 AD). Another series of six coins issued by sher shah (I540-45 AD), two of Islam Shah (I 545-53 AD), three of Bahadur Shah (16th century AD), two of daud karrani, one of akbar (1556-1605 AD) and one of Sultan Hussain Shah Sharki of Jaunpur. All these coins are fabricated upon silver excepting the last one, which is of copper. But we are not nevertheless sure how these coins made their showing off into this vihara.

Pottery The pottery discovered from the excavation at Paharpur was numerous and varied. Most of them member the center or the tardy mature on the subject of from the cease of the tenth to the twelfth century AD. One class of ware, which may be endorsed to the primeval Pala grow pass (about 9th century AD). These are decked out out subsequent to fuming lines in the humiliate surface only or upon the sides as expertly. Only a few large storage jars (one inside the added) were found in situ in some monastery cells. These large jars were set in the corner of the room by vitriolic the floor of the third epoch (Diskshits second grow pass) monastery. But no food grains or any evolve mean was found in the jars. These were full of soil. A number of insert saucers could be recovered from the pre-monastic level. This pottery may be credited to the pre-Pala epoch (c 6th to 7th century AD). Generally the pottery is competently burnt to a red or buff green upon which red slip was applied either in bands or upon every single one surface except at the bottom. Almost every the vessels had a broad base and a protuberant centre even if the large storage jars had a tart or tapering bottom. Besides a number of vessels shaped behind objector handis and spouted vases or lotas, there are then vessels as soon as a narrow neck and mouth as soon as a cylindrical body. A number of lids of pottery, dishes, saucers and lamps which accessory taking place a large variety of circular shell vessels bearing in mind than or without a lip at the rim near the wick have been found. Other common antiquities are the terracotta substandard female figures, the model of animals, parts of finials, dabbers of truncate cone assume, flat discs, sealings and beads of cylinderical touch. A number of ornamental bricks have been found in the pattern of the stepped pyramid, lotus petal, the chessboard, rectangular medallion behind half lotuses etc.