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Underneath the Bodhi tree was placed, perhaps by the Emperor Asoka in the 3rd Century BC, a polished sandstone slab called as Vajrasana or “Diamond Throne” representing the seat of the Buddha, and around it was erected a stone railing (now seen in the Archaelogical Museum nearby) in the 1st century BC. The Vajrasana was still in existence during the visit of Hieun Tsang in 637 A.D.
While removing the supporting buttress, against the western wall of the Great Temple, in the course of repairs and renovation in 1880, Beglar and Cunningham found, placed against the wall, a polished Vajrasana throne of grey sandstone. Its upper surface is carved with geometrical patterns, circular in the middle, with a double border of squares, while the four sides are richly carved with pigeons and the conventional acanthus flowers and the geese usually seen on Asoka’s capitals. On the narrow edges of its upper surface is an illegible votive inscription in early Brahmi script intended to record a gift of the throne. Underneath it was discovered a brick platform 3’4” in height ornamented, on its sides, with figures of men and lions. Inside the masonry of the brick platform, in the middle of its front face, was found a ball of stiff clay which, when broken, yielded a number of gold and silver objects, gems and pearls including a hollow golden amulet imitating the obverse motif of a coin of Huvishka on both its faces and 5 punch marked coins. While removing the plaster on the platform it was further noticed that the mortar “instead of being composed of sand and lime, consisted of coarsely pounded coral mixed with small fragments of sapphire, crystal, pearl and ivory, bounded together with lime”, obviously indicating that this shrine or the Vajrasana was held in the highest veneration and sanctity.
To be continued...