It is now time to describe the main shrine of Buddhist pilgrimage, which was lost till about two centuries earlier. The ruins around the Mahabodhi temple were not still understood in the times of Buchanan, and were thought to be the ruins of a large palace built by Asoka, who then was a legendary ruler shrouded in mystery. Regarding the ruins he mentions:-


 “I have already mentioned that west from the north of the Sannyasis’ convent, there are traces of a very large building called the Rajasthan or the palace of Dharma Asoka. These extend about 1300 feet from east to west and about 1000 from north to south. On the east, north and west sides are the traces of a ditch, and on the west and south sides there are traces of an outer wall with a ditch between it and the palace, but by far the greater part seems to have been a very large castle probably containing many small courts, as the ruin, except on the sides where there are traces of a double wall, is everywhere an uniform terrace consisting chiefly of bricks now covered with soil. Immediately south from the palace and separated only from it by a road was the temple of Buddh, which by the messengers from Ava was called Mahabuddh, (it) has been about 800 feet from east to west and about 480 from north to south, and it also seems to have been composed of various courts now mostly reduced to irregular heaps of bricks and stones, as immense quantities of materials have been taken away.”

To be continued....