Brief
Locally this site is known as “Rupban Mura”. After excavation, the sign of a shrine, a monastery and an octagonal votive stupa were found. Among the antiquities, one Gupta imitation gold coin, 04 coins of debased metal, 3 silver coins and a bulky sand stone, Buddha image of post gupta period are mention worthy. On the basis of all the evidences found here, the original monastery and shrine may be dated prior to the 8th Century A.D.
Rupban Mura an important archaeological site of Mainamati lying on a hillock just between the modern BARD and BDR establishments in the Kotbari area on the south of the Comilla-Kalirbazar road. Excavations have revealed here the remains of a remarkable semi-cruciform shrine of medium size (28.2m east – west, 28m north – south), together with a number of subsidiary structures, including an octagonal stupa and another one on a square base. A boundary wall within the oblong stupa courtyard encloses all these. Its regular entrance is on the east, facing the monastery entrance. Deep diggings have revealed three main periods of building and repairs and rebuilding, the earliest corresponding to c.6th-7th centuries AD. Very few remains of the latest period (10th-11th century AD) survive now in this very heavily disturbed site.
The Cruciform Shrine Originally built as a solid stupa on a square base, it was subsequently converted into a semi-cruciform shrine in the second period (8th century AD). It has a peculiarity not noticed elsewhere. Instead of a single chapel built in each of the long arm of the cross, a group of three long narrow chapels was built in the eastern (front) side of the shrine.
In the middle chapel the colossal stone Buddha, now exhibited in Mainamati Museum, was discovered. The same peculiarity is noticed in the adjacent Itakhola Mura grand stupa, also on the eastern side facing the entrance. Fragments of bronze images found in other chapels suggest installation of such images there.
The Monastery The small 34.1m square monastery of the site was built separately, 31m.The South-east of the cruciform stupa. It has a prominent gateway complex (12.5m x 6.9m) projecting outwards in the middle of the northern wing. Built in the usual square plan, it originally had a total of 24 cells in four wings, subsequently reduced to 18 in the second period. The southern wing, occupying an area of 11.7m, was abandoned, due certainly too irreparable damages, and a row of new cells was built in its front, thus making the shape of the monastery oblong (34.1m x 24.8m). Corbelled niches and brick-built bedsteads can be noticed in the 2nd period cells. A broad corbelled drain was built in the courtyard to drain out rainwater. Significant discoveries from the site include, besides the colossal stone Buddha, five debased gold coins of Balabhatta, the Khadga ruler.
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(
[name] => Lakshindarer Gokul Medh
[post_id] => 1378
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/lakshindarer-medh-gokul/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Lakshindarer-Medh-Gokul-rakib-bd21-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => The name
Lakshindarer Gokul Medh is taken from famous folk tale Laksinder and Behula. It was excavated in 1934-1936 and it exposed the antique of a temple. It has a high podium and it can hold 172 rectangular blind cell of different types. Terracotta plaques and other objects were found while digging during the Pala period (6
th-7
th) century.
The mound derived its name from the popular romantic folk tale entitled Behula and Lakshindar. Connected with the same story is found another smaller mound, locally known as ‘Netai Dhopanir Pat’, situated to the close east of the Medh.
The mound is situated on the west of village Gokul which is about 2km to the southwest of Mahasthangarh. It was excavated in 1934-36 and has revealed the derelict relics of a temple. The remarkable feature of this temple is its high plinth accommodating 172 rectangular blind cells of various dimensions. They rise in tiers and packed solidly with earth, so as to form a lofty massive podium, crowned originally either by a shrine or a stupa, now lost.
This novel device, functionally comparable to our modern piling system, liberally used in Bengal during five centuries preceding the Muslim conquest, was found particularly suitable for the alluvial soil of Bengal by the builders to erect their sacred buildings to an imposing height much above the flood level. However, the cellular construction is not confined to Bengal only but parallel examples occur far to the west at Ahichhatra in the Bereilly district of U.P.
Terracotta plaques and other associated objects unearthed during the excavation, which are ascribed to the late Gupta period (6th-7th century A.D.), indicate that originally this stupendous ruin at the Medh constituted an imposing terraced sub-structure of a roughly cruciform plan surmounted with a central shrine of complex outline, dedicated probably to the Buddhist Faith. Over the sub-structure is an octagonal plinth which, as mentioned, may originally have carried a stupa, but now completely gone. This stupa was replaced by a square shrine ( 8.17m square outside) and porch during the Sena period (11th-12th century A.D.).
A grand staircase on the west gave access to the shrine, but the doorway of the shrine and porch was later blocked and the floor level raised to an unknown height. The excavation inside the shrine revealed a small intrusive cell containing human skeleton-probably of an anchorite-and underlying that was found a circular brick-paved pit of 3.86m in diameter. A stone-slab of 51.2cm × 46.1cm was discovered at the center of the shrine which bore 12 shallow holes with a larger hole in the center containing a tiny gold left, about an inch square. However, nothing note worthy was discovered underneath the stone-slab.
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[name] => Bikrompur Bouddha Bihar
[post_id] => 8281
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/bikrompur-bouddha-bihar/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bb-1-300x169.jpg
[post_content] => Bikrompur Bouddha Bihar(বিক্রমপুর বৌদ্ধ বিহার) is one of the most ancient Buddhist Bihar (Approximately 1000 years old), buried under soil at Rampal union parishad of Raghurampur Village in Munshiganj District. It is assumed that this Bihar was built in late 8th-9th century AD. It was revealed by conducting excavation very recent years. Bihar is a place being used as a Residential Higher Education Center.
How it was discovered: Researchers said, from the very beginning they had conducted nine test excavations at Rampal & Bojrojogini Union Parishad, where they found the evidences of pre-medieval human settlement. At the 9th grid they discovered the existence of a brick wall. Depending on that evidence Archaeologist dug a trench measuring 80×60m. Later they discovered this Buddhist Bihar.
What can be seen there: In the south-east corner of that structure there are two diagonal brick walls. One is extended from south to north and another one is extended from east to west. Likewise, the other Buddhist Bihar structure the chamber for Buddhist Monk was built beside main brick wall. In the northern side there are five chambers have been revealed. Near to the western there is a another chamber. Dimension of those chambers are nearly three square meter. The side wall dividing the chambers is also being discovered.
Observing the architectural strategy and characteristics, researchers had confirmed this feature as a Buddhist Bihar. Similarity had been found in architectural property and design with the Shompur Bihar (Naogaon), Mahasthangarh (Bogra), Shalbon Bihar ( Comilla) and even with Nalonda Bihar of Patna (India). A pancha-stupa (Five stupa) structure is also been discovered at the middle of that Bihar.
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[2] => Array
(
[name] => Chilla kotha
[post_id] => 11310
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/chilla-kotha/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_63031-300x225.jpg
[post_content] =>
Chilla kotha is a one storeyed rectangular shaped building which is locally known as Andhar kotha. There are three rooms existing inside the whole building. These rooms are almost same in dimension. The interesting thing is there is a secret room in the underground level, which is connected with a staircase to way out at the south-east corner of this building. The underground room is so dark as there is no ventilation system or window inside of it. There are some rectangular shaped panel outside the building.
The specific time period of this architecture is not known. Historians could dig the history as far as possible and from their review we got to know that the time period of Crori City of Panam Nogor and Chillakatha is the same.
Myth: Local people believes that it was being used as a meditation and praying place for different Muslim Saint & Sadhus. Specially, there is a belief among the local people that when some saints do their praying & meditation inside the Under ground room of this building then it was enlightened with a picture of Mekka Sharif. Some people also said that it was being used as a torcher cell for punishing people commited crime went against the rituals of Islam. In every year from the 25th of January a very local festival named ‘Oros sharif’ has been celebrated annually. Many people from different direction come to join this event.
Recently this building is almost being abandoned. The outer front side has been demolished and being decaying day by day. Necessary steps should be taken to conserve and preserve it for future generation.
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[3] => Array
(
[name] => Mahasthangarh
[post_id] => 1387
[post_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/bn/places/mahasthangarh/
[thumb_link] => http://offroadbangladesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mahasthangarh1-1024x768-300x225.jpg
[post_content] => Mahasthangarh (Bengali:
মহাস্থানগড় Môhasthangôṛ) is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. A limestone slab bearing six lines inPrakrit in Brahmi script, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century BC. The fortified area was in use till the 18th century AD.
Together with the ancient and medieval ruins, the mazhar (holy tomb) of Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar built at the site of a Hindu temple is located at Mahasthangarh. He was a dervish (holy person devoted to Islam) of royal lineage who came to the Mahasthangarh area, with the objective of spreading Islam among non-Muslims. He converted the people of the area to Islam and settled there.
Mahasthan means a place that has excellent sanctity and
garh means fort. Mahasthan was first mentioned in a Sanskrit text of the 13th century entitled
Vallalcharita. It is also mentioned in an anonymous text
Karatoya mahatmya, circumstantially placed in 12th–13th century. The same text also mentions two more names to mean the same place – Pundrakshetra, land of the Pundras, and Pundranagara, city of the Pundras. In 1685, an administrative decree mentioned the place as Mastangarh, a mixture of Sanskrit and Persian meaning fortified place of an auspicious personage. Subsequent discoveries have confirmed that the earlier name was Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura, and that the present name of Mahasthangarh is of later origin.
Mahasthangarh, the ancient capital of Pundravardhana is located 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Bogra on the Bogra-Rangpur highway, with a feeder road (running along the eastern side of the ramparts of the citadel for 1.5 km) leading to Jahajghata and site museum. Buses are available for Bogra from Dhaka and take 4½ hours for the journey via Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge across the Jamuna River. Buses are available from Bogra to Mahasthangarh. Rickshaws are available for local movement. Hired transport is available at Dhaka/ Bogra. Accommodation is available at Bogra. When travelling in a hired car, one can return to Dhaka the same day, unless somebody has a plan to visit Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur in the district of Naogaon and other places, or engage in a detailed study.
It is believed that the location for the city in the area was decided upon because it is one of the highest areas in Bangladesh. The land in the region is almost 36 metres (118 ft) above sea level, whereas Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is around 6 metres (20 ft) above sea level. Another reason for choosing this place was the position and size of the Karatoya, which as recently as in the 13th century was three times wider than Ganges.
Mahasthangarh stands on the red soil of the Barind Tract which is slightly elevated within the largely alluvium area. The elevation of 15 to 25 metres above the surrounding areas makes it a relatively flood free physiographic unit.
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