Ongoing Excavations at Telhada (Telhara)

"Baladitya Mound", Telhada-- Excavation in progress

Magadha in 1st millennia CE had many Monasteries where the monks and scholars from China, Korea, Ceylon, Sumatra and other Central Asian and South-East Asian countries would come to collect true teachings of the Buddha. villages of Magadha are replete with ancient remains of this glorious past. Except for Ancient Nalanda University all the ancient monasteries are still buried under the layers of biomass. Chinese monk-scholar Xuanzang’s (7th CE) description of Ancient Nalanda University was so compelling that Sir. A. Cunningham and other orientalists in 19th and early 20th Century opened the mounds of Bargaon to reveal the remains of Ancient Nalanda University for the world to see.

 Another monastery in Magadha where Ven. Xuanzang made a brief stay and speaks highly of was the Teladhaka Monastery. Research and study based on Xuanzang description have confirmed that present Telhada (telhara) is actually settled over the remains of ancient Teladhaka Monastery.   

Cunningham (1862), Broadley (1872), Beglar and others visited the site and all of them mention about a 40 ft high mound at the west end of the village. Broadley reported that he was told images of metal and stone were constantly found during digging of graves. Although he was unable to secure any examples of such imagery at the east end of village there still stands a ruined mosque. This contained pillars recycled from other buildings and an inscription mentioning name “Teladhaka”.

Hon’ble Chief Minster of Bihar was appraised about rich antiquity of Telhada. At the instance of Hon’ Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar Ji the excavation of “Baladitya Mound” of Telhada started in Dec 2009.

Read More-Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar Ji at Telhada

Dr. Atul Verma , Asst. Director, Department of Archaeology, Government of Bihar is Incharge of the Site

Several trenches all over and around the Mound

Xuanzang's Description of  Teldhaka Monastery

...this building has four halls, belvederes of three stages, high towers, connected at intervals with double gates that open inwards. It was built by the last descendant of Bimbisara- raja. He made much of high talent and exalted the virtuous, learned men from different cites and scholars from distant countries flock together in crowds, and reaching so far, abide in the sangharama. There are 1000 priests in it who study the great vehicle. In the road facing the middle gate there are three viharas above which are placed the connected succession of metal rings with bells suspended in the air; below they are constructed story above story, from the bottom to the top. They are surrounded by the railings, and the doors, windows, the pillars, beams and staircases are all carved with gilt copper in relief, and in the intervals highly decorated. The middle vihãras contains an erect image of Buddha about thirty feet high. On the left is an image of Tara bodhisattva on the right, one of the Avlokietswar bodhisattva. Each of these images is made of metallic stones; their spiritually composed appearance inspires a mysterious awe, and their influence is felt from far.

Trenches

A floor from gupta period is revealed

Different Layers and the ancient Wall

Wall with lime pilaster

A long Gupta period (4th-6th CE) floor running all across the mound has been revealed by different  trenches. Over the Gupta floor there is debris of 5.5Ft running all around covered with Pala (8th-12th CE) floor. Dr. Verma said that the excavation is in very nascent stage to draw any conclusion but the antiquities found in the course of excavation is very revealing and unique. The Gupta period wall is 6ft broad and a Pala wall is running over it all over.

Telhada is a very promising site is also evident from the Xuanzang's description and its rich antiquties is also reported by Broadley and Cunningham in 1870's. Telhada needs more excavations at different corners of the village to reveal the complete picture. The village is settled over the mound and villagers have often reported about discovering sculptures in course of removing earth.

One of the biggest challenges shall be conservation of the exposed site. For lack of conservation we have already lost the Gupta period Murals of Temple no 3 (Nalanda) and  the colourful murals from Pala period at the Sarai Mound (Nalanda).

Sculptures found during the excavation:

Telhada is one of the richest sites as far as the sculptures are concerned. Lots of sculptures collected from Telhada by Cunningham, Beglar and Broadley have been placed at National Museum Calcutta (now Kolkotta) and Patna Museum. Many of the best sculptures are presently in private collections in Europe and America.
Many sculptures of all sizes have been found in different layers during excavations. One of the unique find is a broken rectangular panel with detail inscription.

This inscription from late Pala (10th CE) is unique because the donor (of the Inscribed slab) has urged to protect the Monastery/ temple and has used very disparaging word for anybody who tries to do any harm to the establishment.

Shri Atul Verma and Awadhesh kumar by the broken rectangular panel with inscription

A closer view of the rectangular slab with Pala period inscription

The Slab with inscription....

A 5ft long panel with Buddha in different postures..

Lots of broken sculptures with inscription hase been found

Dr Verma and Village head, Shri Awadhesh Kumar...with a bowl from found from excavation

More than 30 trences have already being taken..

Pottery Yard....

Ancient Beads factory site at Banganga

Archaeological findings in the past have revealed that the use of beads is one of the oldest art forms, older than cave paintings, reaching back to the cradle of civilization. Rajgir Valley, developed since ancient times, is replete with ancient stone tools from the Paleolithic period up to the Neolithic period as reported by DR. Col. A. B Prasad.

Banganga Village south of Rajgir Valley is a treasure chest full of these ancient beads. Heavy rains during the monsoons expose many of these colorful beads, which the children from this village then collect. With a lack of awareness and the lure of easy money, these villagers sell these valuable finds to spurious traders who turn a profit by selling them in the grey market. Who are buying these beads in the grey market is not clear.

As we spoke to the villagers of Banganga, we were told that some very beautiful ancient pieces could fetch up to Rs 10,000. When we did not offer to purchase any of these ancient finds, the villagers began suspecting us as being from a government agency and stopped sharing any further information.

Government agencies are needed to stop this illegal trade of ancient art and to bring this site under its protection. Steps that the government agencies need to take are  

1. to declare these sites as protected sites,
2. to make arrangements to collect or purchase the beads that are found,
3. to do further excavation of these sites to collect ancient artifacts, and
4. generate awareness of the issue by creating awareness boards posted in the villages or near the sites.

Ancient beads collected by the village children

Banaganga village south of  Rajgir

Where did the Ananda attain Parinirvana

Xuanzang and Fahein’s- Journey to Ananda’s Parinirvana Stupa

 Fahein and Xuanzang both went to Ananda’s Parinirvana Stupa to pay their homage. While Xuanzang touched on two places in between, Fahein went directly to Ananda’s Parinirvana place from Vaishali. We have projected the descriptions of both pilgrimages on a GIS map in order to locate the sites mentioned by Fahein and Xuanzang (Fig-1). 

Table- 1a- Matrix of sites described by Xuanzang and Fahein

From	to	Xuanzang		Fahein
		Distance	Direction	Distance	Direction
Vaishali	2nd Council (Place)	14-15 Li	SE
2nd Council Stupa	Swetpura	80-90 Li	S
Swetpura	Ananda Stupa	30 Li	SE
Vaishali	Ananda stupa			4Yojan	E

 Fig-1- GIS Projection of Sites mentioned by Xuanzang and Fahein (table-1a & 1b)

From the GIS projection of Xuanzang’s description of places visited (Table 1a), we are able to deduct with a fair amount of certainty the most possible places that match those sites in the description (Table 1b). These places are the most appropriate places for the description available and the antiquities found at the site. Further scientific exploration and excavation is needed to reach any conclusion.

 

     Table-1-b- Matrix of possible places

Place of 2^nd Council

The 2^nd Council meeting place was the first place mentioned by Xuanzang as he left Vaishali. This site is located 15 Li south-east of Vaishali.  At the site of the council, he mentioned a great stupa (See fig. 2). According to Xuanzang, two different conversions of Li were given in his accounts.
15 Li is between 4.5km (1 Li=300 m) to 6 km (1 Li= 400 m)
Within this distance range from Vaishali, are located a group of villages, with Bhagwanpur (25° 56’ 39 N, 85° 07’ 16 E) being the most suitable place among them to match Xuanzang’s description. Bhagwanpur Village is settled on a big mound spread over a large area. In the western corner of the village is a tank (pond) and by its side is big stupa shaped mound (Fig 3 and 4). On top of the mound is a temple. The temple is very popular among the locals.

                          Fig-2- GIS Projection for Possible places for 2nd Council

                           Figure 3- The Stupa shaped Mound and temple on the top (Bhagwanpur)

Figure 4- The Tank by the temple west of Village Bhagwanpur

 

Swetpura Monastery and Ashokan Stupa

Eighty to ninety Li south of the 2^nd Council meeting place (Bhagwanpur) one arrives at Hajipur by the northern banks of the River Ganges. In the biography of Xuanzang, Swetpura Monastery is mentioned as 100 Li south of Vaishali (The Life of HIUEN-TSIANG by SHAMAN HWUI LI, S.Beal,-Book-III- P-101).With many ancient remains, Hajipur seems to be a promising site for the Swetpura Monastery. This site needs systematic study to locate the remains of the Swetpura monastery where Xuanzang collected the Bodhisattava-Pitaka (The Life of HIUEN-TSIANG by SHAMAN HWUI LI, S.Beal,-Book-III- P-101). Xuanzang mentioned that near the monastery was an Ashokan stupa marking the place where the Buddha looked back north to Vaishali as he was going south towards Magadha.  The aerial distance (GIS) between Vaishali and Hajipur is 43 km and it is from here that Xuanzang crossed Ganges as mentioned in Life

                                       Figure 5- GIS Map with the places discussed

                        Figure 6- Ramcahura Temple on top of a Stupa mound at Hajipur 

Ananda Parinirvana Stupa

Ananda was the cousin of the Buddha and also his attendant. The Pali Canon is silent on Ananda's death, but the commentaries mention that Ananda lived one hundred and twenty years (DhA.ii.99 ;). He is bracketed with Bakkula, as having lived to a great age (AA.ii.596). The description of the Parinirvana of Ananda is mentioned by the pilgrims Fahein (The records of Buddhist kingdoms By James Legge, P- 89) and Xuanzang. Both of them mention the same story with minor differences, probably an old tradition which they were told here. As per the description of Fahien, when Ananda was on his way from Magadha to Vaishali, there to die, Ajatasattu heard that he was going, and, with his retinue, followed him up to the River (Ganges). The chiefs of Vesali (Vaishali) also heard the news and went out to meet him, and both parties reached the river banks. Ananda, not wishing to incur the displeasure of either party, entered into the state of Samadhi in the middle of the river and his body went up in flames (Fig-7). His remains were divided into two portions, one for each party, and they built a chetiya for the enshrinement. Xuanzang visited the half body relic stupas of Ananda at Vaishali and Rajgriha (Ref. Buddhist records of the western world- S. Beal, Book-VII, P-73, Book-IX, p-160).

Figure 7- Approaching army from both the sides and Ananda attaining Parinirvana in the middle of the River Ganges

 Xuanzang and Fahein both visited Ananda’s parinirvana place from Vaishali (See fig-1). While Xuanzang came via Swetpura Monastery, Fahein came directly from Vaishali. Xuanzang gives a more elaborate description of the events behind the Parinirvana of Ananda and the Parinirvana itself.  According to him, Ananda became the patriarch of the sangha after the Parinirvana of the Buddha and Maha Kassapa. Ananda guided the sangha from some monastery in the woods near Rajgriha.  One day a monk on being reminded by Ananda to recite the true teachings of the Buddha replied, “Your reverence is of great age; your interpretation is of the words is mistaken one……” Ananda realized that the time for his parinirvana had come and he decided to attain parinirvana at Vaishali. And from here the story matches that of Fahein, except for a detail mentioned by Xuanzang that Ananda attained parinirvana in a boat in the River Ganges

The description by Xuanzang and Fahein further leads us at Chechar. Fahein says 4 Yojan east, but Chechar is actually 53 km (Aerial Distance) southeast of Vaishali. Fahein further adds that the place is also a confluence of five rivers. We find three major rivers meeting at Fathua and Chechar. River Gandak meets from North, the Ganges coming from West and Punpun joining Ganges from south. Satellite images suggest changing courses of the River Sone in past allowed it to join the Ganges near Fathua (Fig 7, Fig 15b). River Punpun was the main stream draining into Ganges near Fathua. 

  Antiquities of Chechar are well established and the finds suggests the place was once an important Buddhist centre; and probably a gateway to the trade route north of Ganges, connecting Vaishali and further North up to Kapilavastu. Floods and the changing course of the Rivers Ganges and Gandak have washed off the northern shore, revealing many antiquities. Shri Ram Pukar Singh who is working for the preservation and promotion of the heritage of Chechar has collected many of such antiquities in his private museum. 

Figure 8- The North Bank of the River Ganges – Temple of Chechar in view

Figure 9- The shore cut by annual floods and the changing course of rivers

Figure 10- An ancient image of Buddha in the Temple by the river shore

	Figure 11- Shri Ram Pukar Singh's Museum of Antiquities collected from Chechar Figure 12- Listening to Shri Ram Pukar Singh Ji              Some precious antiquities at the Chechar Museum  Terracotta Head Terracotta Bowl Northern Black Polish Ware Terracotta items

Xuanzang and Fahein mentioned stupas to mark the Parinirvana of Ananda on each bank of the River Ganges by the respective kings of Vaishali and Magadha.  The kings received the half body relics of Ananda and built a relic stupa over them at Vaishali and Rajgriha. Shri Ram Pukar Singh has identified two stupas in the vicinity of Chechar and one of these could be the stupa marking the Parinirvana of Ananda. Both of the mounds are very big and are spread over a large area. The first mound is at Madurapur (85° 20’ 22” E 24° 37’ 49” N). The mound is 80 ft high and is spread over a 2 acre area (See fig. 12). At the top of the stupa mound is a modern temple constructed over lots of bricks dating from the Mauryan Period (2nd century BCE) (See fig. 13, 14). The second probable site for the Ananda Stupa is Bazidpur Mound (85° 22’ 43” E 24° 36’ 39” N) which is also very imposing (See fig. 15).

Figure 13- Madurapur Mound with temple on the top

Figure 14- Mauryan Bricks at the Madurapur mound

Figure 15- Bazidpur Mound with a school at the top

                                

Fatehpur Diar (85° 20’ 28” E 24° 34’ 20” N) the site of Parinirvana of Ananda?

Fahein stated that Ananda attained his parinirvana in the middle of the river while Xuanzang mentioned that it happened in a boat in the middle of the Ganges. Both of the pilgrims wrote about the tradition of the time that Ananda attained Parinirvana in the middle of the river and, probably in a boat as mentioned by Xuanzang. Possibly this corruption of the story stems from it being told over the centuries interwoven with possible myths associated with the basic story of Ananda’s parinirvana. What seems more probable is that Ananda attained parinirvana on the island in between Chechar and Fathua, the two places on north and south banks of the Ganges. The island also called Diar and is a very large stretch of land between Chechar and Fathua which measures 35 km in length and 19 km wide. There are now more than 20 villages on Diar Island. While talking to the people of Fatehpur Village they revealed that the entire island gets flooded during the monsoons but that the Village Fatehpur remains the safest of all the villages of Diar because it is at a higher altitude than all the rest (Fig 16-a, b, c and d). There are no ancient antiquities on the surface to suggest ancient habitation; however, at the house of Shri Mundrika Singh ji, we received an unexpected surprise. He showed us some ancient bricks which were found in the course of the building of his house. They reused many of the bricks they unearthed in the process. There were thousands of such bricks some 15 to 20 ft below the surface. The size of the brick is 14” X 7.5” X 4.25” (fig 18, 19 and 20). The size of the brick and the depth of the find suggest these to be ancient bricks but further study is needed. It also suggests that a brick structure, most likely a stupa or something similar is buried deep in the earth. The location is in the exact path between Chechar and Fathua. Centuries of silting by successive floods have buried an ancient past, most probably a Buddhist one, and a stupa to mark the event of Parinirvana of Ananda.

Figure 16-a- Ananda’s Parinirvana Stupa site by the River Ganges

Figure 16 b – River confluence near Chechar (place of Ananda’s Parinirvana)

Figure 16 c – A large Island formed at the confluence of rivers. The Village Fatehpur is marked by a circle in the picture

Figure 16-d- The site of Ananda’s Parinirvana on the island; a stupa to mark this event is located at the north bank of the Ganges and the Chechar – Fathua transit points, in place since ancient times

Figure 17-Shri Mundrika Singh ji sharing folklore

Figure 18- Ancient Brick found at Fatehpur

Figure 20 – The Brick weighs more than 10 kg.

Figure 19 – Ancient bricks unearthed find many uses

References