Archaeological excavations at Mahasthangarh in Bogra have unearthed ancient artefacts dating back to more than 1900 years. Ancient seals and burnt clay heads have already been discovered from this excavation in Bangladesh. Several Buddhist statues of the Gupta and Pala periods have also been found. Archaeologists say there is a Buddhist temple at Bairagir Vita in Mahasthangarh whose remains have also been discovered.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered several archaeological sites dating back to the Gupta period (320 to 550 AD). Apart from this, four Buddhist mausoleums and a Buddhist temple of the Pala period (800 to 1200 AD) have been found inside the fortified city of Mahasthangarh.
The excavation work has been going on since March 1 this year at Bairagir Vita in Mahasthangarh. The excavation work that started will continue for a few more months. According to the Department of Archeology, 1800-year-old Buddhist statues, two Buddhist stupas (mausoleums), seals emblazoned with ancient inscriptions, burnt earthen female heads, ornate bricks, broken pottery, Buddhist temples and other antiquities have been found there.
Mahasthangarh or Pundranagar was the capital of the Maurya, Gupta, Pala and Sen periods from the third century BC to the fifteenth century. Archaeological sites within and outside Mahasthangarh, which is 5,000 feet long and 4,500 feet wide, include Parshuram Palace, Jiyat Kund, Govinda Vita, Bairagir Vita, Khodar Pathar Vita, Mankali Kund, Munir Ghon, Behular Bashor, Shila Devi Ghat, Bhimer Jangal, various antiquities and architectural monuments including Vasubihara, Bihar Dhapa.
The Department of Archeology started excavating Bairagir Vita in 2016 to present the hidden secrets of history to the audience. Although the excavation has been stopped for the last three years due to the Corona epidemic, this time the excavation is going on again in this Vita.
Nahid Sultana, field director of excavations and regional director of the Department of Archeology, said the excavations included various terracotta plaques of the Northern period, pieces of northern black polished wire, terracotta bricks of ancient times, terracotta carvings, terracotta carvings, terracotta carvings. Terracotta figures, terracotta toy fractions, utensil fractions, terracotta birds, lamps, ink doyat, stone beads, terracotta dice playing sixes and amulets. In addition, four Buddhist tombs of the Pala period and the ruins of an ancient architectural structure of a Buddhist temple have been found.
An earlier excavation had uncovered a temple complex just south of the site where the monastery is currently being excavated. And this time the excavators found the Buddhist temple complex.
