Integrity Score 570
No Records Found
Thanks for sharing this
Close to the north of the pillar is a ruined stupa of solid brick, 25’10” above the fields; but only 15’11” above the ground level of the pillar as stated by Cunningham. Both Stephenson and Cunningham refer to an excavation having been done here by some doctor from Muzaffarpur early in the 19th century, but without any notable discovery. Kuraishi gives the base of the stupa as measuring 65’ in diameter, the bricks being 12”x9.5”x2.5” (Stephenson says “a foot square” while Cunningham gives the measurements as 13.5”x9.5”x2.5”).
According to Cunningham the Stupa was clearly the monument built by Asoka, but the purpose was not stated. A modern brick temple was then found built upon the stupa, with a long flight of steps on the east, enshrining a well preserved medieval image of the Buddha in bhumi-sparsha-mudra, then worshipped as Ramachandra. This image was found in situ in 1854 by the local zemindar amongst the ruins of an old temple or a Buddhist chapel monastery, some 720 feet to the north of the pillar.
Stephenson describes the Stupa as a mound or tumulus of solid brick work, of a conical shape, similar to the one described above near Basarh, and that the top was surmounted by a large pipal tree, which appeared many centuries old. He further mentioned that the bricks were a “foot square”, and that mud had been used instead of mortar. He was informed that on the north side of the Stupa, an excavation had been recently made by a doctor who was resident of Muzaffarpur, 30 years ago, but whose name was not known.
The Doctor could not find the treasure, but only a well of great depth, situated immediately under the centre, which he could not find any vestige of, on searching for it. At that time a hindu faqir had converted the extremity of the excavation made by the doctor into a place of worship, making a few images of clay, which were fixed into the sides of the cavity.
To be continued...