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	*{{cite book\|last= Das \|first=Ratna \|title=Art and Architecture of Tripura\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LOjVAAAAMAAJ\|year=1997\|publisher=Tribal Research Institute, Government of Tripura}}		*{{cite book\|last= Das \|first=Ratna \|title=Art and Architecture of Tripura\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LOjVAAAAMAAJ\|year=1997\|publisher=Tribal Research Institute, Government of Tripura}}

	~~{{Portal\|India}}~~

	[[Category:Former populated places in India]]		[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
	[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tripura]]		[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tripura]]

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Pilak
|native_name =পিলাক
|alternate_name =
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|map_type =India
|map_alt =
|map_size =
|coordinates = {{coord|23|12|N|91|36|E|display=inline,title}}
|location = Jolaibari, Tripura, India
|region =
|type = Ancient historic Settlement
|part_of =
|length =
|width =
|area =
|height =
|builder =
|material =
|built =
|abandoned =
|epochs = Historic period 8th to 12th centuries
|cultures = [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]]
|dependency_of = [[Samatata]] kingdom in historical [[Bengal]]
|occupants =
|event =
|excavations = 1927
|archaeologists =
|condition =
|ownership = Archaeological Survey of India
|management =
|public_access =
|website =http://www.tripuratourism.gov.in/pilak
|notes =
}}

'''Pilak''' is an [[archaeological]] site in the [[Santirbazar]] sub-division of [[South Tripura]] district of the [[India]]n state of [[Tripura]].<ref name=Time>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-09/india/28242217_1_hindu-temple-idol-deity |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715205644/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-09/india/28242217_1_hindu-temple-idol-deity |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2011 |title= A rare 8th century statue becomes casualty of Indian piety |last = Paul|first= Manas|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]| date= 9 November 2010 |access-date= 1 October 2015}}</ref> Many images and structures, belonging to Buddhist and Hindu sects,<ref name=Outlook>{{cite web| url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=592065| title=Tripura sculptures, rock images speak of glorious past| date=25 July 2008| access-date=1 October 2015| work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630024531/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=592065| archive-date=30 June 2013}}</ref> have been discovered here since 1927. The antiquities found here are dated to 8th to 12th centuries.<ref name=Outlook/>

Sandstone sculptures of the Pilak site, which represent a heterodox culture of [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]] of 9th to 13th century, are on display at the [[Tripura Government Museum]].<ref name=Govt>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capertravelindia.com/tripura/tripura-museum.html|title=Tripura Govt. Museum|access-date=1 October 2015|publisher=Tripura Government Museum}}</ref>

==Location==
Pilak site is located at Jolaibari, in South Tripura,<ref name="Bhowmik2003">{{cite book|author=Dwijendra Lal Bhowmik|title=Tribal Religion of Tripura: A Socio-religious Analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6JXXAAAAMAAJ|year=2003|publisher=Tribal Research Institute, Government of Tripura|page=181}}</ref> and is spread over an area of about {{Convert|10|km2}}. It is {{Convert|100|km}} away from [[Agartala]], {{Convert|51| km}} from [[Udaipur, Tripura|Udaipur]], Santibazar is {{Convert|18|km}} away, and {{Convert|3| km}} from Jolaibari.<ref name=Kendra>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kvcrpfagartala.org/innerpage.php?pagename=visitingplaces|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926140905/http://kvcrpfagartala.org/innerpage.php?pagename=visitingplaces|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 September 2013|title=Visiting Places|work=Pilak|access-date=1 October 2015|publisher=Kendriya Vidyala, Government of India}}</ref> The sites excavated are in Shyam Sundar Tilla, Deb Bari, Thakurani Tilla, Balir Pathar, Basudeb Bari and others.<ref name="Outlook" />

==History==
The archaeological site used to be a part of [[Samatata]] kingdom in historical [[Bengal]]. It is part of a series of archaeological sites that includes [[Mainamati]] and [[Somapura Mahavihara]] in [[Bangladesh]].<ref name=Time/> The earliest dates of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, terracotta plaques and seals found at the site are between 8th and 9th centuries.<ref name=Kendra/> The artifacts unearthed at the site belong to the [[Bengal]]'s [[Pala Empire|Palas]] and [[Gupta Empire|Guptas]] sculptural and architectural features; also the style of the [[Kingdom of Arakan|Arakan]], [[Myanmar]] (earlier known as [[Burma]]) and indigenous features is noticeable.<ref name=Trip>{{Cite web|url=http://tripuratourism.gov.in/pilak|title=Pilak|access-date=1 October 2015|publisher=Tourism Department, Government of Tripura}}</ref>

The [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI) carried out excavations at the site in early 1960s when [[stupas]] built with bricks were found.<ref name=Trip/> Recent investigations by ASI was at Jolaibārī and other mounds where statues of Buddha and idols of Mahayana Buddhism were unearthed.<ref name=Rao>{{Cite journal|last=Rao|first=Vinay|url=http://www.ancient-asia-journal.com/articles/10.5334/aa.12310/ |title=The Terracotta Plaques of Pagan: Indian Influence and Burmese Innovations|journal=Ancient Asia|year=2013|volume=4|page=7|access-date=1 October 2015|publisher= Ancient Asia Journal|doi=10.5334/aa.12310|doi-access=free}}</ref> ASI has taken over the site since 1999<ref name=Outlook/> and is responsible for its maintenance. Buddhist tourists from [[Tibet]], [[Southeast Asia]] and [[Japan]] often visit the place. The [[14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]] of [[Mahayana Buddhism]] visited the site (of the [[Theravada]] or Hinayana sect) in 2007.<ref name=Chaki>{{cite web| url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/buddha-helps-up-tripura-tourism/36084-3.html| title=Buddhism boosts Tripura tourism|last=Chaki | first=Deborshi |publisher=[[CNN-IBN]]|date= 7 June 2007 | access-date= 9 April 2013}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name=Chan>{{Cite web|url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=42,3834,0,0,1,0#.Vgu01SsYPGI|title=Buddha helps up Tripura tourism|access-date=1 October 2015|date=15 March 2007|publisher=Buddhist Channel}}</ref>

==Discovery==
The Pilak archaeological site represents both Hinduism and Buddhism co-existing peacefully. Artifacts of Hinduism are in the form of sculptures and plaques of Hindu gods [[Shiva]], [[Surya]], and [[Vaishnavi (deity)|Baishnabi]]. Large number of antiquities pertain to the [[Hinayana]], [[Mahayana]], [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism practices. The site is strewn with a large number of terracotta plaques and statues.<ref name=Trip/> Very large stone sculptures of [[Avalokiteśvara]] and [[Narasimha]] have been unearthed at the site.<ref name=Kendra/>

===Buddhist antiquities===
The inscribed terracotta seals found at Pilak depict the Buddhist [[stupas]] of very small sizes. In Tripura, it is the seal which is worshipped and not the stupa. There is a cone shaped stone slab with an image of [[Buddha]] in an upright posture, dated to 8th century. In a portion of the image only the right arm is seen while the left hand is holding the border of a vestment. An [[Ushnisha]] (a three-dimensional oval form) adorns the top of the head which has a "close-curled hair" style, and a very small stupa is also engraved on the left part of the slab. A statue of Avalokiteshvara with two arms found at the site is now exhibited in the Tripura Government Museum.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

A sculpture of the 8th-9th century found here is that of Goddess [[Marichi]], venerated by both Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists. However, it is now an iconic idol which is installed in a Hindu temple known as Vasudev-badi. The idol in an upright posture is called "Pratyalida" and is mounted on a simple plinth, and is well preserved. The features carved on the idol consist of three faces and six arms; the three right hands depict the "sara, [[vajra]], and [[parashu]]" and the three left hands have depictions of ritual symbols of "''dhanu'', ''parna-pichichichi'' and ''Tarjani mudra''".{{cn|date=October 2020}}

A sculpted sandstone statue from the site dated to 8th-9th century is of [[Chunda]] which is now revered as "Raja Rajeshwari" in a temple at Muhuripur. The image is carved with 18 arms in a posture called "Vajaparyankasana" deified over a "padmapitha" (lotus pedestal). A [[dharmachakra]] symbol of [[Vajrasattva]] and Ghanathapani decorate its two regular hands. The sculpting on the top part of this slab also includes five [[Dhyani Buddha]]s, each depicting the ring of light around its head.{{cn|date=October 2020}} A new find from the Sundari Tilla is of a stupa dated to the 11th century similar to architectural features of the rule of "Palas of Bengal".<ref name="Outlook" />

===Hinduism antiquities===
A Hindu religious [[terracotta]] image made in fired clay found at Pilak is of [[Trimurti]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Tripura |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NGlHnr4j9IMC&pg=PA8 |year=1978 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |id=GGKEY:21RCWSTGZKJ |page=8}}</ref> Another image found here from the Sagardheba mound is of [[Surya]], the Sun god, riding a chariot driven by seven horses, dated to 7th-9th century, which is deified in a temple in the Rajesvari Ashram in Muhuripur.{{Sfn|Das|1997|p=83}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last= Das |first=Ratna |title=Art and Architecture of Tripura|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LOjVAAAAMAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Tribal Research Institute, Government of Tripura}}

{{Portal|India}}

[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tripura]]

Pilak, Tripura - Revision history

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