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Description of Mahasthangarh
Mahasthangarh, the earliest and also the most significant archaeologic sight in East Pakistan. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of ancient associate town referred to as Pundranagara. The word Mahasthan suggests that an area that has nice holiness, and Garh suggests that fort. The in-depth ruins of Mahasthangarh present a glorious past of concerning 2 thousand and five hundred years of Pundranagar.
This earliest and largest town of the whole geographic region is fortified in turn by mud and brick wall. It measures 1525-meter long North-South, 1,370meter broad East-West, and five meters high on top of the encircling level. Mahasthangarh is spreading on the western bank of Korotoa stream, set concerning 13km north of Bogra city. The flow within the east and a deep trench on the west,
south and north served as an extra defense except for the stronghold wall.
Citadel
When excavation started, the within of the stronghold was more than the encircling space by over 4meters and dotted with many troubled elevated items of land. The bulwark seemed like a jungle-clad mud bulwark with forced openings at many points. The dam was 11-13 meters(36-43ft) more than the encircling space. As its south-east corner stood a Mazhar(holy tomb)
At present, their area unit many mounds and structural vestiges within the fortifications. They are-Jiat Kunda(well that in keeping with legends, has vitalizing power), Mankhalir Dhap(Place consecrated to Mankali), Parasuramer Basgriha(Place of a king named Parasuram), Bairagir Bhita(Place of a feminine anchorite)Khodar Pathar BhitaPlace of stone conferred by God) and Munir Ghon(a bastion).
There area unit some gateways of various points: Kata Duar(in the north), Dorab crowned head Toran(in the east), Burir Fatak(in the south), and Tamra Dawaza(in the west).
The community of the stronghold
There area unit around 100 mounds, besides the fortified space, unfold with a radius of 9km. Some excavated mounds are-Gobhindo Bhita(a temple on the point of the northeastern corner of the Citadel),
Khulnar Dhap(a temple 1km north of the castle), Mangalkot(a temple 400m south of Khulnar Dhap), Totaram Panditer Dhap(a cloister 4km north-west of the Citadel), Noropotir Dhap(Vashu Bihar),
Gokul Medh(lokhindorer Bashor Ghor), Shkonder Dhap(a temple 2km south-east of Gokul Medh).
Major excavated mounds are-Shiladebir stairs, Chunoru Dighi Dhap, Kaibilki Dhap, Juraintala Poroshuramer Shobhabati, Balai Dhap, Prochir Dhibi, Lohonar Dhap, Khujar Dhap, Doshatina Dhap, Mondirir Dargah, Bishmordana Dhibi, Malinar Dhap, Podmobhatir Dhap, Jogir Dhap, Kani Dhap, Dulu Mojhir Bhita, Podda Debir Bhita, Rastala Dhap, Shoshitola Dhap, Dhobandhor Dhap, CHader Dhap, Shindinath
Dhap, Shalibahon rajar kacharibari Dhipi, Kacher Angina, Mongolnather Dhap, Babur Dhap, Shonyashir Dhap.
Highlights of Mahasthangarh
One of the highlights of Mahasthangarh is Govinda Bhita, wherever remnants of 2 Buddhist temples will visit. The most temple erected within the sixth century and next to it may be a slightly smaller temple that in-built the eleventh century. The side of the stronghold is that the Mahasthan archaeologic repository, opposite Govinda Bhita. The pool little, however, encompasses a well-maintained collection of items recovered from the archaeologic web site. These embody the statues of Hindu and Buddhist gods and goddesses, terracotta plaques representational process everyday life, also as some well-preserved bronze pictures found in near cloister ruins that initiate to the pre-pala amount.
The rest of the archaeologic web site consists chiefly of foundations and hillocks, hinting at the past glory. It’s doable to steer everywhere the remains of the fortifications of the traditional stronghold to induce a way of however the town would once have looked. All in all, it is a pleasant excursion.
History of Mahasthangarh
From the archaeologic proof, it proves that Mahasthangarh was the urban center of Mauryans, the Guptas, the Palas, and also the social system Hindu Kings of a later amount. On the far side, the stronghold, different ancient ruins found within a radius of 7/8km during a semi-circle during a north, south, and west, that testify the existence of large suburbs.
The whole space made in Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim sites. The Buddhists were here till a minimum of the eleventh century. Their most superb amount was the8th to the eleventh countries once the Buddhist Pala emperors of North-Bengal dominated. It’s from the amount that almost all of the visible remains belong.
Threats of Mahasthangarh
In the report of 2010, titled saving our vanishing Heritage, the international Heritage Fund knew Mahasthangarh “on the Verge” of irreparable loss and harm, citing scant management(poor water drain in particular) and pillaging as primary causes.