17/08/2024
This archaeological site was discovered in 2022 by the Archaeological Survey of India, Jabalpur circle.
In the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Park in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Archaeological Survey of India has identified 26 Buddhist cave groups, 2 Buddhist monastery, 46 inscriptions, several man-made water bodies and 26 Hindu temples.
Source : Buddha Vani
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24/03/2022
A small village of garoth tehsil dharnaar, Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh. The villages is famous for numerous Buddhist and brahmanical caves. The dhamnar caves is probably named after the temple dharmarajeshwar, carved in one of these caves. a big annual fair meets at the spot on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
The hill in which these Buddhist and brahmanical caves are situated is about 4km in circumstance and about 40m in height toward in South. it has form of house shoe. The cave no.6 is called the "big court" it has 4 big pillers and few windows. the cave no.8 is called "small court".
There are some lovely designs on its dome. The 11th cave, known of the Buddhist ascetic. Within it there is a chaitya a few images of Buddha. the local name of the 12th cave is hathibandhi. The 13th or the "child cave" is most interesting of all of these caves. On its entrance there is huge figure and on either site are two other giant images of Lord Buddha.
Source : Buddha vaani
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24/02/2021
Jagjivanpur or Jagajjibanpur is an archaeological site in Habibpur block of Malda district in West Bengal state in eastern India. This site is located at a distance of 41 km east from English Bazar town. The most significant findings from this site include a copper-plate inscription of Pala emperor Mahendrapaladeva and the structural remains of a 9th-century Buddhist Vihara: Nandadirghika-Udranga Mahavihara.
The excavations resulted in discovery of a part of the brick built Vihara, stupas, cells with corbelled niches, verandah and many antiquities, which include terracotta plaques, terracotta seals and sealings, an inscribed potsherd, beads and other objects for daily use.
The excavation at the southeast corner of the Tulabhita mound has exposed two monastic cells and huge brick-built stupta along with a wall adjacent to its southern part has been exposed at the northwestern corner of the mound More than 250 terracotta plaques have been discovered during the excavations from the collapsed debris of the stupa complex at the northwestern corner of the mound. Most probably this stupta is hollow inside. Number of decorated tiled-bricks have been found from the site.
Source : Wikipedia
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17/02/2021
The location, on the outside of Rajagriha in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar, just below the Gijjhakuta hill, was originally a mango orchard which was donated to the samgha by the famous royal doctor Jivaka.
Jivak's Mother's name was Salvati ganika. Jeevak was brought up by Abhay Kumar. He was educated as an Ayurvedacharya from Taxila University. He was primarily a pediatrician. He treated Lord Buddha, Magadha King Bimbisara, Avanti King Pradyot and many dignitaries during his lifetime.
Jivaka built a monastery on the location and also donated it to the samgha.
The initial monastery was formed of two long parallel and oblong halls, large dormitories where the monks could eat and sleep, in conformity with the original regulations of the samgha, without any private cells. Other halls were then constructed, mostly long, oblong building as well, which remind of the oblong construction of several of the Barabar caves.
Source Wikipedia And Buddha Vani
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23/01/2021
Salihundam, is a village and panchayat in Gara Mandal pf Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. It is a historically important Buddhist monument and a major tourist attraction is a village lying on top of the hill on the south bank of the Vamsadhara River. It is at a distance of 5 KMS west to Kalingapatnam and 18 KMS from Srikakulam town. It was known as Salivatika (meaning rice emporium). But many called it “Salyapetika” (meaning box of bones or relics).
There are a number of Buddhist stupas and a huge monastic complex on a hillock amidst scenic surroundings. The site was first discovered by Gidugu Venkata Rama Murthy in 1919. Four stupas, relic caskets, and architectural shrines were discovered during digging performed by state authorities, as well as sculptures of Buddhist deities Mareechi and Tara. All of the remnants were built between the 2nd century and 12th century, reflecting the different times of Buddhism: Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana. Buddhism spread to Sumatra and other far-eastern countries from here.
Salihundam is one of the main Buddhist excavation sites, showing evidence that Buddhism thrived in the local area during the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
Source : Wikipedia and Buddha Vani
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17/01/2021
The Nasik Caves, or sometimes Pandavleni Caves or Trirashmi Leni, Trirashmi being the name of the hills in which the caves are located, Leni being a Marathi word for caves are a group of 24 caves carved between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, though additional sculptures were added up to about the 6th century, reflecting changes in Buddhist devotional practices mainly.
The name is derived from the word "Tiranhu" which is inscribed in the Caves. It means "rays of sunlight" which is quite obviously referring to the rays of sunlight emerging from behind the Caves as seen from the village.These caves were carved and donated by various kings that ruled Nashik - The Satavahanas, The Nahapanas, The Abhirs. The caves lodge idols of Buddha and Bodhisattva. Some caves are intricately connected by stone-cut ladders that join them to the other caves. Steps lead to the caves from the bottom of the hill. The peak of the Trirashmi Caves is also accessible by trekking of about 20 mins but the path is well built with steps.
The cave has images of Buddha, Bodhisattva, sculptures representing the King, farmers, merchants and rich iconography depicting a beautiful amalgamation of Indo - Greek architecture.
The site has an excellent ancient water management system and skillfully chiseled out of solid rock are several attractive water tanks.
Source : Wikipedia
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09/01/2021
Telhara is a village in Ekangarsarai block of Nalanda district, in Bihar, India. Telhara was the site of a Buddhist monastery in ancient India. It has been mentioned as Teladhaka in the writings of the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang, who visited the place in the 7th century CE.
The State Government of Bihar started a new archaeological excavation of the site in December 2009. The work unearthed ancient pottery, antiques, and the remains of a three-storeyed structure mentioned by Hiuen Tsang. Evidence of prayer halls and residential cells in the monastery have been found. The excavation revealed the following chronological layers.
1. Northern Black
2. Polished Ware (3rd
Century BCE)
3. Kushan (1st century CE)
4. Gupta (5th to 7th century CE)
5. Pala (7th century to 11th century CE)
A number of sculptures from the site had been moved to museums during the British Raj. The Indian Museum in Kolkata houses the Maitreya and the twelve-armed Avalokiteswar images from Telhara. A Pala sculpture from the site is present at the Rietberg Museum in Zurich. Telhara has a mosque, which is said to have been built with the materials carried from the ruins of the Buddhist monastery.
Remains of an ancient university (Mahavihara) on the site were unearthed in 2014.
Source : Wikipedia
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06/01/2021
Presently, two mounds named vaishya Tekri and Kumbha Tekri are located in Kanak Puri village near Andesa, ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. These mounds were excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1937 to 1938. Some of these ancient settlements and Mauryan brick and artifact were found. On the basis of which archaeologists have described both these mounds as between 3 century BCE to 2 century BCE.
According to some scholars it is the largest Mauryan brick stupa located in India. Following Buddhist texts, it is found that after the Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, two stupas were built by Mahakachchyan monk on Lord Buddha seat clothe and bed sheet. Later, it was also newly built by Ashoka's wife Vidisha Devi.
Source : Buddha Vani
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10/10/2020
The Dhamnar buddy Caves are caves located in the village of Dhamnar, located in Mandsaur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. This rock cut site consists of 51 caves, stupas, Chaityas, passages, and compact dwellings, carved in the 7th century CE. The site includes large statues of Gautama Buddha in sitting and Nirvana mudra.
Fourteen caves on the northern side are considered historically significant, among which Bari Kacheri (big courthouse) and Bhima Bazar are the most so. The Bari Kacheri cave measures 20 feet square and includes stupas and chaityas. The porch includes stone railing with the wooden architecture. Bhima Bazar cave is the largest among the group, measuring 115 feet by 80 and including vzhara and chaityagruha. It consists of stupas. The roof is in poor condition with the support of wooden architecture.
Source : Wikipedia
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Dhamnar Caves
08/10/2020
Kanaganahalli is about 3 km from Sannati. An important Buddhist site, the place where an ancient Buddhist Mahastupa site found. It is on the left bank of the Bhima river in Chitapur taluk, Gulbarga District in Karnataka, India.
The remains of the excavations site at Kanaganahalli can be dated to between the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD.
In circa the 1st century BC the stupa at Kanganhalli was constructed, as per the inscriptions referred to as Hama Chaitya and it was patronized by the Hinayana and Mahayana people during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. During the Shatavahana period, the Amaravati School of art made a deep impact on the sculptural and architectural forms of Kanaganahalli region. This was indeed a period of great artistic efflorescence that gave the Maha chaitya here the most impressive form unsurpassed in the history of stupa architecture in the south India.
During the excavations (1994 to 1998) at Kanaganahalli, found remains of a massive Stupa, many brick structures in the form of a Chaitya-griha and votive stupas were brought to light.
During the excavations many architectural members of the stupa found like fragments of sculptured veneering slabs, members of railings, pillars, capitals, Buddha padas, sculptures of yaksha and four images of Buddha many more.
The most important finding of the excavation include a stone sculptured slab bearing the name Raya Ashoka . The first inscribed portrait of Ashoka (surrounded by female attendants and queens) found at Kanaganahalli, was unearthed from the ruined Buddhist stupa.
Source : Wikipedia
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29/09/2020
Mansar is a census town in Ramtek tehsil of Nagpur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. This town is located 5 km west of Ramtek and 45 km northeast of Nagpur city.
Locally known as Hidimba Tekri. Important excavations were carried out at the ancient sites of Mansar since 1997-98, under the aegis of the Bodhisatva Nagarjun Smarak Samstha Va Anusandhan Kendra, Nagpur and under the directions of Jagat Pati Joshi and A. K. Sharma. So far 5 sites have been excavated in Mansar, which are designated as MNS 1, MNS 2, MNS 3, MNS 4 and MNS 5. Exposed Brick Structures containing the Buddhist Monastery, Buddhist Box Pattern Stupa, Small Temples and the Palace Structure. Various Stone images also exposed during the Excavation. Identified as the Capital of Vakatakas. The evidence of Purushamedha and the construction of Sheyna-Chiti is the important point. These excavations have resulted in the discovery of various shrines (MNS 3, 4, 5) and a palace complex (MNS 2), identified as Pravarapura, the capital of the Vakataka king Pravarasena II (1st half of 5th century). Adjacent to this palace, on Hidimba Tekri (MNS 3), an extensive temple complex has been unearthed, identified as Pravareśvara.[2] A 3 m tall lime model of a male human figure in crouching position was found underneath one of the terraces of MNS 3. Significant 5th-century sculptures, artefacts and some coins have been discovered in the excavations.
The water reservoir around the site and findings of ancient tools and other objects point to the fact that a large population inhabited the area 1600 years ago. The discovery has made Mansar one of the prime archaeological sites in the country.
Source: Wikipedia
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27/09/2020
Pauni is located at 20.78°N 79.63°E. It has an average elevation of 226 metres (741 feet). The town is surrounded on three sides by a moat and earthen rampart, and the fourth side by the Wainganga River.
The excavations at Pauni have shown that the area was a center of Buddhism from the Maurya and Satavahana times, and coins of the early Satavahana ruler Satakarni I were discovered in connection with archaeological finds. One of the excavated stupas, the Suleman Tekri stupa, had a diameter of 41.6 meters, larger than the main stupa at Sanchi.
Jagannath Tekri Stupa. 20.7835°N 79.6357°E There is an earthen mound to the south of Pauni, outside the fort-wall on the bank of the Balasamudra water body. A temple to Jagananath is built on the mound. Nagpur University has carried out archeological excavations around the Jagannath temple in 1969. These excavations unearthed the remains of a large stupa of the early historic period. The stupa has a diameter of 38.1 meters and seems to have been worshipped from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, undergoing several waves of enlargements and renovations. The excavations revealed also a number of carved pillars, some on the site, and other pieces now in the National Museum of India and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. A number of the pieces of this railing carry Brahmi inscriptions. Four gateways seemingly rather similar to those of Bharhut were also erected. The majority of the inscriptions record donations to the stupa, but one inscription mentions Mucalinda, the earliest reference to this deity in India.
Suleman Tekri Stupa. A second stupa was excavated by Nagpur University near the village of Chandakapur, about 600 meters south of Jagannath Tekri. The Suleman Tekri stupa has a diameter of 41.6 meters, larger than the main stupa at Sanchi, and is dated to circa the 1st century BCE, with extensions down to the 2nd century CE.
Hardolal Tekri. This is a mound outside the town. A large megalith stone was found here, inscribed in the early historic period with the name of the ruler Bhagadatta. The stone is now in the collections of the Nagpur Central Museum.
Source: Wikipedia
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