Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur Bangladesh

Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur - Bangladesh

Short Report

Proof of the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the 7th century Somapura Mahavira, or the Large Monastery, was a well-known intellectual center, until the 12th century. The layout perfectly adapted to its religious function, this monastery-city is a unique artistic achievement. With the simple, harmonious lines and the abundance of carved wood decoration, the influenced Buddhist architecture as far as Cambodia.

Wide Report

Paharpur is a small village 5 km to the west of Jamalganj in the Rajshahi District where the remains of the largest and most famous monastery south of the Himalayas are excavated. The Paharpur Vihara, known under Somapura Mahavira, was built by the Pala Emperor Dharmapala (AD 770-810).  The monastery is quadrangular farmhouse in form, with a colossal temple of a cross-shaped map in the middle of the courtyard and the comprehensive gateway complex in the north. There are 45 cells in the north and 44 in each of the three other side, and the total number of 177 monastic cells along the housing walls on four sides. This layout and the decoration of carved stone and terracotta plaques, give the building its religious function, which is influenced by Buddhist architecture in Cambodia and Java (Indonesia).

This 7th-century archaeological find covers an area of approximately 11 ha. The entire facility, which is housed in a quadrangular farmhouse court measure more than 275 m, externally on each side, high density-walls approximately 5 m thick and 3-5 m high. Proof of the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the 7th century Somapura Mahavira (Large Monastery) was a well-known intellectual center, until the 12th century. The layout perfectly adapted to its religious function, this monastery-city is a unique artistic achievement. With the simple, harmonious lines and the abundance of carved wood decoration, the influenced Buddhist architecture as far as Cambodia.

A small site-museum built in 1956-57 houses the representative collection of objects recovered from the area. The excavated finds are also preserved in the Varendra Research Museum in Rajshahi. The antiquities of the Museum include terracotta plaques, images of various gods and goddesses, pottery, coins, inscriptions, decorative bricks, and other smaller clay objects.

Source:whc/unesco