202.51.69.86: /* Ruins of ancient Vaishali */

2021-03-20T12:32:28Z

Ruins of ancient Vaishali

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
'''Silk Road sites in India''' are sites that were important for trade on the ancient [[Silk Road]]. There are 12 such places in [[India]]. These are spread across seven states in India ([[Bihar]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. These sites are on tentative list of [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Sites]].

==Ruins of ancient Vaishali==
;Kolhua
The excavations conducted by [[Archaeological Survey of India]] have unearth remains of ''Kuthagarshala'', ''Swastika'' shaped monastery, a tank, a cluster of votive stupas, miniature shrines, main stupas and the [[Pillars of Ashoka|Ashokan pillar]]. The main components of structure belong to period of [[Maurya Dynasty]] (3rd century BC) to [[Gupta Dynasty]] (7th century AD).

The pillar is 11.00 meters high is monolithic polished sandstone. This pillar is locally called ''Lat''. It is Probably one of the earliest pillar of [[Emperor Ashoka The Great]] and does not bear usual edict, but few letters of shell character of [[Gupta Dynasty|Gupta Period]] are engraved on the pillar.

The brick stupa was erected to commemorate the event of offering honey to [[Buddha]] by the [[Monkey|chief monkey]]. It was originally built in [[Maurya Dynasty|Maurya period]] (323 BC-232 BC) and subsequently enlarged in [[Kushan Dynasty|Kushan period]] (1st-2nd century A.D.) by raising height and providing brick paved the circumambulatory path. Further brick encasing took place in Gupata and post [[Gupta Dynasty|Gupta period]].

The adjoining tank has been identified as ''Market Hard''. This is supposedly dug for [[Buddha]] by [[monkey]]s. The bricks lined seven-tiered tank which is approximately 65 X 35 meters in dimension having two bathing ghats on southern and western wings.

''Kutagarshala'' represents the spot where [[Buddha]] used to stay during rainy season at Vaishali. Excavations have discovered three phases of its construction. Originally it was a small Chaitya built during [[Shunga dynasty|Shunga]]-[[Kushan Dynasty|Kushan period]] in (2nd-3rd century A.D.). It was enlarged to a lofty temple in second phase during [[Gupta Dynasty|Gupta period]]. In the third phase, it was converted to a monastery in post Gupta times by providing a number of partition walls.

The other monastery which looks like a ''swastika'' has 12 rooms, 3 on each arm attached to a common veranda which is around an open central courtyard. This monastery has its entrance towards east and toilet chambers attached to its southern wall. It was constructed in [[Gupta Dynasty|Gupta period]] probably for [[nun]]s.

Antiquities like beads of semi-precious stones, terracotta figurines, seals and sealings, bricks embedded with semi-precious stones, inscribed polished and a unique terracotta figure of crowded monkey found during excavations of the sites are kept on display for visitors in local site museum run by ASI.

;Relic stupa
[[File:Relicstupa-vaishali.jpg|thumb|250px|Remains at ancient Vaishali]]
The stupa has been identified as one of the eight stupas which contain corporeal remains of Buddha. Excavation of this site was done by K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute 1957–58. Originally it was mud stupa, smaller in dimension, erected by Lichhavis over their share of relic of Buddha in circa 5th century B.C. Ayakas noticed that southern and eastern sides are probably the earliest example of its kind. A soapstone casket found in the core of stupa contains ashy earth, a small conch, two glass beads, a small piece of gold leaf and a chopper punch marked on a coin. In Maurya, Shunga and Kushan period the stupa got its enlargement and diameter of stupa was increased by 17.1 meter.

==Remains of Vikramshila Ancient University==
[[File:Vikramshila stupa.jpg|right|thumb|250px|alt=A The Main stupa at the center|The Main stupa at the center, [[Bihar]]]]
;The Property
Excavations have revealed a huge square monastery with a cruciform stupa in its center, a library building and cluster of votive stupas. To the north of the monastery, Tibetan and Hindu temple have been found. The monastery is huge square structure having each side of 330 meters. There are 208 rooms with 53 on each side of the monastery. The entire spread over is over hundred acres. On the wall there are decorative with mouldings and terracotta plaques which testify high excellent art of terracotta art of flouring in the region during [[Pala Empire|Pala period]] (8th-12th century A.D.). Over the plaques are depicted many Buddhist, Hindu deities and human figures, animals, and birds.

The library building was air-conditioned by cooled water from the adjoining reservoir through a range of vents in the black well.

==Buddhist remains at Kushinagar==
;Description
The remains at [[Kushinagar]] are distributed in three sites the main site, Matha-Kuar shine, and the cremation stupa. The main site consists of the main stupa and Nirvana temple with the surrounding monuments.

== Sites ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;width:100%;border:0px;text-align:left;line-height:150%;"
! Name
! Image
! Location
! Area (hectares)
|-
| Ruins at ancient [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]]
| [[File:Buddha's ashes Stupa, Vaishali, Bihar.jpg|100px|Buddha's ashes Stupa, Vaishali, Bihar]] [[File:Relicstupa-vaishali.jpg|100px|Relic Stupa, Vaishali, Bihar]]
| [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]], [[Bihar]]
| 2.770 (Vaishali)<br />
7.300 (Kolhua)
|-
| Remains at [[Vikramaśīla University|Vikramshila ancient university]]
| [[File:Vikramshila-7.jpg|100px|Vikramshila ancient university]]
| [[Vikramshila]], [[Bihar]]
| 42.35
|-
| Buddhish remains at [[Kushinagar]]
| [[File:Kusinara.jpg|100px|Parinirvana Temple, Kushinagar]]
| [[Kushinagar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| 6.400 ([[Kushinagar]])<br />
1.660 (Ramabhar)
|-
| [[Sravasti]]
| [[File:Twinmiracle.jpg|100px|Sravasti, India]]
| [[Sravasti]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| 164.814
|-
| [[Kosambi|Kaushambi]]
|
| [[Kosambi|Kaushambi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| 362.341
|-
| [[Ahichatra|Ahichhatra]]
|
| near [[Ramnagar, Bareilly|Ramnagar]], [[Bareilly District]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| 362.341
|-
| Ancient site and Buddhist Stupa ([[Sanghol]])
| [[File:SangholIndia PArt of stupa site.JPG|100px|Sanghol Stupa site]] [[File:Sanghol India Part of excavation.JPG|100px|Part of excavation at Sanghol]]
| [[Fatehgarh Sahib district]], Punjab
| 220 m X 200 m
|-
| [[Arikamedu]], Early historic site
|
| [[Puducherry district|Puducherry]]
| 13.89
|-
| Excavated remains of [[Kavaripattnam]]<br>(Excavated remains of Buddhish Vihara and temple at [[Pallavaneswaram]]-[[Melaiyur]])
|
| [[Nagapattinam District]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| 0.405
|-
| Ancient monastery and stupa together with adjacent land ([[Harwan]])
|
| [[Kashmir Valley]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
| 74 Kanals 06 Marla
|-
| Locally Known as Burud Kot ([[Nalla Sopara Stupa]])
|
| [[Thane District]], [[Maharashtra]]
| 1.0415
|-
| [[Indraprastha]] ([[Purana Qila, Delhi|Old fort]])
| [[File:Purana Qila in Delhi 03-2016 img2.jpg|100px|Old Fort, Delhi]]
| [[National Capital Territory of Delhi|NCT Delhi]]
| 19.010
|}

==Map==
{{location map+ |India |float=center |width=500 |caption='''Location of Silk Road Sites in India''' |places=
{{location map~ |India |lat=25.590|N|long=85.600|E|label=[[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]]|position=left}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=25.190|N|long=87.170|E|label=[[Vikramaśīla University|Vikramshila ancient university]]|position=above}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=26.450|N|long=83.550|E|label=[[Kushinagar]]|position=below}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=27.310|N|long=82.020|E|label=[[Sravasti]]|position=left}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=25.200|N|long=81.230|E|label=[[Kosambi|Kaushambi]]|position=left}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=28.369|N|long=79.172|E|label=[[Ahichatra|Ahichhatra]]|position=above}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=11.550|N |long=79.500|E|label=[[Arikamedu]]|position=right}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=30.470|N|long=76.230|E|label=[[Sanghol]]|position=above}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=11.125|N|long=79.525|E|label=[[Kavaripattnam]]|position=left}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=34.900|N|long=74.840|E|label= [[Harwan]]|position=left}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=19.250|N|long=72.470|E|label=[[Nalla Sopara Stupa]]|position=left}}
{{location map~ |India |lat=28.340|N|long=77.120|E|label=[[Indraprastha]]|position=left}}
}}

==External links==
* [https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5492/ Silk Road Sites in India (whc.unesco.org)]

[[Category:Archaeological sites in Bihar]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Puducherry]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Sites along the Silk Road|India]]

Silk Road sites in India - Revision history

202.51.69.86: /* Ruins of ancient Vaishali */