Mahasthangarh

Long ago, there was a very old city.

It was in a place called Bangladesh. The city was built on high ground. This helped keep it safe from floods.

The city had a big fort. This fort had very wide walls.

A river used to flow nearby. The river was once very wide.

People found many old things there. They found stone carvings. They also found old coins. These things tell us about the past.

One stone had old writing on it. This showed the city was very old. Many people lived in the city long ago.

Today, you can visit the old site. You can see a museum there too. It is a special place to explore.

Mahasthangarh is a very old city in Bangladesh.

It was the capital of the Pundra Kingdom. People built the city on high ground. This kept the city safe from floods.

A large river called the Karatoya flows nearby. In the past, the river was very wide.

The city had a big fort called a citadel. The fort had high walls to protect people.

Inside the fort, there are many old ruins. Some parts were temples or palaces. There is also a well called Jiat Kunda. People say this well has life-giving power.

Workers have found many treasures at the site. They found old silver coins and clay pieces. They also found stone statues of Buddha.

One special stone has old writing on it. This writing is called Brahmi script. It shows the city is at least 2,300 years old. Today, you can visit a museum to see these finds.

Many mounds and temples sit outside the main fort too.

Mahasthangarh is the oldest archaeological site in Bangladesh.

It was once the capital of the Pundra Kingdom. Long ago, this place was known as Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura. It was a very important city under the Maurya Empire. Today, the site sits in the village of Mahasthan. This village is in the Shibganj upazila of Bogra District. The name Mahasthangarh means a fort that is a very holy place.

The ancient city was built in a very smart way. People chose this spot because the land is high. It sits on the red soil of the Barind Tract. This area is 15 to 25 metres higher than the land around it. Being high up helped keep the city safe from floods. The mighty Karatoya River flows along the east side. In the 13th century, this river was three times wider than the Ganges.

History shows us many different names for this place. A limestone slab found in 1931 helps us know its age. This slab has six lines of writing in Brahmi script. It dates the site to at least the 3rd century BCE. In the 13th century, a Sanskrit text called Vallalcharita mentioned it. Later, in 1685, an official paper called it Mastangarh. This name was a mix of Sanskrit and Persian words.

The heart of the city is a large rectangular fort. This area is called the citadel. It covers about 185 hectares of land. The citadel has high and wide walls called ramparts. Inside, there are many ruins like palaces and temples. One famous spot is Jiat Kunda, a well with legendary powers. There are also gateways like Kata Duar in the north.

You can also find the Govinda Bhita temple nearby.

Many people have helped study these ruins over the years. Francis Buchanan Hamilton first visited the site in 1808. Later, Alexander Cunningham identified it as the Pundravardhana capital in 1879. Since 1928, experts have dug deep into the earth. They found silver coins and beautiful stone Buddha statues.

They also found many clay pieces and old buildings. You can see these treasures in the site museum today.

Many other mounds and temples still sit outside the main walls.

Mahasthangarh is the oldest archaeological site in Bangladesh.

It represents the earliest urban archaeological discovery in the country. This site served as the ancient capital of the Pundra Kingdom. Historically, it was known as Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura. It was a major urban center under the Maurya Empire. The name Mahasthangarh combines the words for a holy place and a fort.

The city was built using clever geographic advantages. It sits on the red soil of the Barind Tract. This area is slightly elevated compared to the surrounding alluvium. The site is 15 to 25 meters higher than the nearby land. This elevation created a physiographic unit that was relatively free from floods. The Karatoya River flows along the eastern side of the site. In the 13th century, this river was three times wider than the Ganges. The high ground made it a perfect location for a permanent city.

Archaeologists study the site through various layers of history. A limestone slab found in 1931 provides a key date. This slab contains six lines written in Prakrit using Brahmi script. It records a land grant and suggests the site dates to the 3rd century BCE. The citadel, which is the fortified heart of the city, was used until the 8th century CE. The citadel is a rectangular area covering approximately 185 hectares. It is protected by high and wide ramparts on all sides.

Inside the citadel, many structural vestiges remain. These include mounds that were once palaces or temples. Notable sites include Jiat Kunda, a well with legendary life-giving powers. There is also Bairagir Bhita, a site with ruins reconstructed over four different periods. Other locations include the palace of a king named Parasuram. The citadel features several specific gateways. These include Kata Duar in the north and Tamra Dawaza in the west.

Beyond the main walls, the city expanded into a large suburb. There are around one hundred mounds within a 9 km radius. These mounds include various temples and monasteries. For example, Gokul Medh is a temple located 3 km south of the citadel.

Another important site is Noropotir Dhap, which contains a group of monasteries. Some scholars believe this was the location of the monastery visited by the traveler Xuanzang in the 7th century.

This shows how large the original settlement truly was.

Excavations have revealed a wealth of movable antiquities. Researchers have recovered silver punch-marked coins from the 4th century BCE. They have also found copper coins and Gupta period coins. Sculpture is a major part of the findings. Experts have found a 5th-century Buddha stone sculpture. They also discovered a Lokesvara stone sculpture near Namuja village.

These items help historians understand the religious and economic life of the people.

Many researchers have contributed to our knowledge of Mahasthangarh. Francis Buchanan Hamilton first located the site in 1808. Alexander Cunningham identified it as the capital of Pundravardhana in 1879. Systematic excavations began in 1928 under K.N. Dikshit. Later, a Bangla-Franco joint venture explored deep archaeological layers. They reached a depth of 17 meters, revealing 18 different layers of history. This deep digging proves the site has been inhabited for many centuries.

Today, Mahasthangarh connects us to the ancient history of South Asia. It shows how early civilizations used geography to survive. The site demonstrates the spread of empires like the Maurya. It also shows the evolution of different religions through its temples and sculptures. The site museum displays many of these important finds. Studying these ruins helps us understand how ancient urban systems functioned. It remains a vital piece of the cultural heritage of Bangladesh.