Kamaldah Jain Temple, Patna
This is an 18th century Jain temple situated close to Gulzarbagh railway station in Patna, a little further east of Agam Kuan/Shitala Devi temple. There is, however, another temple, much later in construction, situated close to it. This place has traditionally been associated with the birth of the renowned Jain teacher, Sthulabhadra. The high mound of the brick ruins, that this temple overlies, might suggest some greater antiquity of the site than this late medieval temple.
The temple contains a valuable inscription giving details of its construction. It was built in 1729 A.D. (Vikram Sanvat 1848) by the congregation of the faithful of the Jain Order of Patliputra, and that the temple was dedicated to Shri Sthulabhadra, the great Jain sage of the yore. Significantly, this is the only historical inscription that confirms the identity of Patliputra with Patna.
Golghar, Patna
Golghar is one of the most outstanding architectural members of the British India. It, in a way, symbolizes the identity of Patna. It is build close to the Ganga in Bankipur locality of Patna. Captain John Garstin, an engineer employed by the East India Company, has the credit of its conception and construction. It was built in the year 1886.
The purpose of this huge circular structure with an imposing dome was to store grains in huge quantity. The impetus of its construction was the famine of 1770. But perhaps it was never put to this noble purpose.
Though it was one of the important buildings built by the British Engineer in British India, it has nothing Greeco-Roman with it. It, on the contrary, was inspired by the native Stupa architecture of the ancient Indian tradition. Raised on a 2' high plinth, the enormous dome, over a circular plan, raises well up to 96'. It creates a wonderful echo effect from inside. The walls, all brick masoned, with its width of 12'-4", are no less impressive. Two spiraling stairways, rising from the opposing sides, reach to the top, which has a small hole at the centre (2'-7"). The doors at the bottom of the dome, are placed on all the four cardinal directions, which opened originally from within. Two inscriptions, one in English and the other in Persian rendering are affixed adjacent to each other giving information about its construction.
Nepali Mandir, Hajipur
About 4 miles west of Hajipur, on the confluence of the Gangas and the Gandak is situated this unique Shaivite shrine. Made in the late medieval period (18th century), by one of the army commanders of Nepal, the temple brings-in a fresh pagoda-style architecture of the Himalayan Kingdom to the plains of the Ganga. This temple is built largely of wood. Another distinctive feature of this temple is its fine wooden carving, which includes, of others, generous erotic scenes. Both in style and finish, largely drawn in from the Himalayan world of architecture, Nepali Temple at Hajipur remains quite singular and inimitable.
Jami Masjid, Hajipur
Hajipur is situated at a distance of about 11 miles North of Patna, the capital of Bihar, on the eastern bank of the river Gandak. The town is known by the name of Hajipur as it was founded by a King of Bengal named Haji Ilyas Shah who ruled between 1345 to 1358 A.D. Inside the fort built by this king in Hajipur there is a mosque called Jami Masjid, a plain building measuring 84.5 ft. long and 33.5 ft. broad. The mosque is crowned by three domes, the central one being larger than the others. An inscription over its stone gateway records its erection in the year 1587 A.D. during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Akbar by Makhsus Shah who according to the Akbarnamah was the brother of Said Khan, the governor of Bihar Sharif. The Jami Masjid of Hajipur is one of the most remarkable monuments belonging to the Mughal period.
Chirand, Saran
Chirand is situated 10 Km. south-east of Chapra, the district headquarters of the Saran district and same distance south off the Sonepur-Chapra road. The village with an extensive mound is situated on the northern bank of the Ganga, and the confluence of the Ganga, and the Ghagra is just some distance away in the west near Revalganj. The Ganga also meet the Sone few kelometer away from the site. 2½ Km. north of the site there is a dried up bed, possibly, a loop of the Gandaki, So, four rivers converge on or near the site. This must have provided it a very fertile soil for the development of pre-historic and historical cultures. It is very likely that in ancient times the confluence was actually at Chirand. Carlyle in 1879-80 says that it was situated just at the junction of an old river channel (old bed of the Ghogra river) with the Ganges. The mound has been being cut by the Ganga since long, but the face of the mound overlooking the river shows jutting bricks of ancient times and potsherds. There is a mosque on the top of the mound, which was erected by Sultan Abul Muzaffar Hussain Shah of Bengal in A.D. 1503. The mosque contains remains of Hindu pilasters, and show parts of an earlier Hindu temple and its materials were used in the construction of the mosque. Chirand has given a continuous cultural sequence beginning from the Neolithic to the Pala period. The discovery of the Neolithic culture in 1970 in the Ganga valley was very significant as till then no Neolithic strata was exposed in course of archaeological excavations in northern India.
The Chirand Neolithic community practiced agriculture and evidence for wheat, rice, mung, masur, peas has been found. The agricultural tools must have been of stone, bone or wood.
It appears that agriculture was not on a large scale, because hunting tools and bones of animals, fish and mollusces and birds suggest popularity of non-vegetarian diet. People lived in huts, circular in plan, made of mud and reeds. Some post-holes were noticed. The walls could have been of reed-frame and plastered with mud. Some burnt daubs indicate reed-impressions. Such construction is common in villages in North Bihar even today. The roof was made of thatch of paddy-pools (straw bundles)-tied to the reed-frame. Food was cooked in ovens. Clusters of longish ovens were found for roasting of meat and fish.
The tool-kit of Chirand Neolithic shows an amazing variety. Both stone and bone-tools were found, though the latter were more in abundance and variety. Polished and ground Celts were met with, though no stone vessel has been found. Hammers, millers, pestles, querns and balls have been picked up. Besides the ground and pecked-tools we found quite a number of microliths, which as in Neolithic sites of South India, constituted an integral part of the Neolithic Chirand. Parallel-sided blades, scrapers, arrow-heads, points, lunates, borers and some geometric microliths are principal microlith objects.
Pottery was decorated in many ways. We have both appliqué, incised and punctured designs. A lid decorated with punctured design was noticed at Tekkalkota in Neolithic strata. Knobbed vessels have been found here; one has seven holes like one reported from Piklihal, pots with holes on shoulders were probably suspended-jars hanging from the roof. Burnished ware is common here as well as at other Neolithic sites.
One of the distinguishing features of Chirand Neolithic pottery first noticed at Chirand was post-firing painting in ochre colour mainly on grey ware, but sometimes on red-ware also. Though some stray examples of such post-firing ochre painting appear on rims or spouts of some pots at Piklihal, Utnoor. Brahmagiri IA, and Sangankallu, at Chirand we have it in much larger number and in diverse designs. An ochre piece was also found at Chirand, the material of which the painting was made. Some pots with rusticated base may have served as cooking vessels. One of the uncaliberated 14c date from the top Neolithic strata is 1845-+110. The latest 14c date for Neolithic is 1050-+110. One of the date is 1755+155 B.C. If we take into account the thicknes of the stratified deposit and uncaliberated 14c dates, it would be reasonable to put the beginning of the Neolithic earlier than 2500 B.C., may be cir. 3000 B.C.
A luxuriant chalcolithic culture with the distinctive black and red ware was discovered in Chirand. The cultural period has two phase, A and B. 'A' phase is without iron but with evidence of copper. 'B' phase has iron in upper strata but without N.B.P. it is safe to conclude that iron appears to have come into use before the N.B.P. ware was invented. Except for this significant difference, the cultural traits in phase A and phase B are almost identical. The total chalcolithic deposit is 5.50m thick. "Like their predecessors the chalcolithic community lived in houses made of reeds and bamboos with mud plaster, their dwellings being comparatively larger in dimension (than of the Neolithic predecessors having floors of burnt earth. The earliest level of this pd. has revealed a circular hearth and a few post-holes. A post-cremation burial has been suspected on the level of the pd."
The Chalcolithic black and red ware, and with white paintings is almost indistinguishable from Alan specimens of Rajasthan. Lipped bowl found in Chirand are similar to those found in other Neolithic sites and this vessel later evolved into the chalcolithic channel spout. At Paimpalli, the burnished grey were, as found in chirand, is available. According to S.R. Rao, this type of lipped bowl and burnished grey ware shows affinity or contract with Paimpalli, and Chirand will be extremely important for the development of Neolithic into chalcolithic. This statement actually proved prophetic as later Neolithic was exposed in Chirand.
It is really intriguing that certain Harappan triats are met with in Neolithic-Chalcolithic Ceramics in Chirand. The black and red ware is met in early Harappan levels in Lothal. This is further borne out by the fact that except for rich pottery, the chalcolithic chirand is poor in other civilization-marks. The settlement pattern is primitive, showing development from Neolithic. But while in the preceding Neolithic we have rich haul of stone-beeds of fine quality and variety, chalcolithic Chirand which has some Harappan like pottery types, is very-very poor in this artistic activity. Even copper appears to have been sparingly used. Iron slag's appear on the top layers and also a number of socketed-hoes on the first three top layers or black and red ware.
Among interesting finds from the chalcolithic strata, mention may be made of a immature sarcophagus in cream-slipped ware. The piece is slightly damaged. It bears painting in dots in cream pigment, showing the outline of a bull and deer. Terracotta's are very poor and few. Terracotta beads, mostly pear and ghata shaped are found. A headless flattish bird with punctured decoration all over the body is all that we have for a terracotta figurine from chalcolithic Chirand. Bone and stone arrow-heads, points and other microlithic tools like blades have been found, including socketed bone arrow-heads, a few Neolithic celts, styli of bone and ivory-pins, stone beads of steatite and chalcedony, saddle querns, balls and pestles.
Exposed animal burials have been noticed in the upper layers of Period IIB with iron.
The earliest C14 date for the Chalcolithic Chirand is 1600 B.C., which is just in line with dates of Chalcolithic Ahar and Navada Toli.
Period III starts with the emergence of the N.B.P. The total thickness of the deposit is 2.45 representing N.B.P.W. culture. N.B.P. shreds of fine quality and in different shapes and shades appear. Some have paintings. Associated wares are black and red grey, black and red. Some painted black and red and red ware in white or cream colour ware found.
Iron implements are represented by sickles, axes, ploughshares, daggers, lances, knife-blades etc. Terracotta figurines of human and serpent are found. Toy-carts in terracotta have been met with. One of the rare find in mid N.B.P.W. level, assigned to the Mauryan period, is a terracotta mask, (length 35 cm, breadth 32.5 cm), of a human figure on both faces of the mask, a female and male on either face. It must have been used at a pantomime. The double-face is difficult to explain. On the upper levels of the period there are remains of brick structures though evidence of mud walls also is there.
Period IV is represented by 100 B.C. to 30 A.D. structural remains of well burnt bricks of both monastic and secular character have been exposed. The Buddhist monastery was built in blocks; each block containing three cells with a verandah in front of the residential structures; one of the blocks shows two small interconnecting rooms with a drain passing through a circular hole, and a raised floor to keep water vessel have been found. These may represent a bathroom and lavatory. The drain emptied into a square cistern outside the main building. A kitchen about 100 steps to the west of the monastic establishment has been unearthed. It is constructed of a mud wall and has a rammed surkhi floor with the evidence of an oven with charcoal in it in a corner. A torso of Hariti has been found in this kitchen area. The bricks measure 41x25x6 cm. These structural remains show 5 building stages.
Kandaha Sun Temple, Saharsa
Kandaha is a small, obscure village, situated about 8 miles west of Saharsa. Over a relatively moderate mound is situated this famous Sun-temple. It was built in 1435 (Shaka Era 1357) by a devotee named Vamshadhara under the reign of the renowned ruler of Mithila, Narasimhadeva of Karnata dynasty. A Sanskrit inscription, installed on the door-frame of the temple, records these facts. The image installed in the sanctum is huge, but considerably defaced and fragmented. But the door-jambs/frames are uniquely well preserved. With rich, tasteful decoration of both floral creepers and divine beings, this frame represents the best of art and architecture that Mithila under the Karnata reign nurtured.
Jalalgarh Fort, Purnea
The ruined fort of Jalalgarh is situated 20 kms north of Purnea and stands in what was once an island in the old channel of the river Koshi. According to one tradition the fort was built by Saiyid Muhammad Jalaluddin of the Khagra family, on whom Jehangir conferred the title of the Raja; while another tradition says that Saif Khan the Nawab of Purnea, built it in 1722. The former tradition would appear to be more authentic. The fort is a large quadrangular structure with lofty walls and was evicted primarily to serve as a frontier post to protect the border against invasion from Nepal.
Katragarh, Muzaffarpur
Kataragarh represents one of the finest relics of the fortified cities that came into being during the early historic period in Bihar. Extended over an area of about 70 bighas, Kataragah falls in Muzaffarpur district, and situated at about 18 miles east-north of the district headquarters, (i.e. town of Muzaffarpur). To its west flows river Lakhandei which would have provided water to the agricultural needs of the hinterland and an outlet to the city's inland water transport. The legend is that the city was built by some Raja Chand whom we cannot identify with any of the historical personalities.
The site was excavated over as many as five seasons from 1975-76 to 1979-80 under the supervision of Dr. Sita Ram Roy, the then Director, Archaeology and Museums, Bihar. The basic exercise of these excavations was to unravel the constructional features of the fortification. The excavations proved quite productive in this particular sense.
The city was fortified during the Shunga period (c. 2nd-1st century B.C.), although habitation at the site preceded it by at least two to three centuries. The construction period of the fortification wall, was a long process of making, and involved not less that three phases.
In the first phase, a baked brick wall was raised around the city to fortify it. The second constructional phase witnessed a huge earthwork taking shape. A moat was dug around the settlement and the earth thus obtained was utilized to build mud-core of the fortification. The highlight of the third phase was the brick reinforcement over the earthen core built-up during the phase II. This was in form of sloping brick-worked sides. The fortification, moreover, had a few auxiliary structures, such as watch-towers and flights of steps leading to them. Some of the intrinsic features of the fortification here are comparable with the early fortifications of the Gangetic plains, and especially Balirajgarh of the neighbouring district, Madhubani.
The site revealed, on excavations, as many as four cultural periods. Of these, Pd. I was found associated with the Mauryan Period (4th-2nd cent. B.C.), Pd.-II with the Shunga period (2nd-1st cent. B.C.), Pd.-III with the early Kushana (1st-2nd cent. A.D.) and the last one, Pd.-IV, after a considerable gap, represented the relics of the Pala period. (9th-10th cent. A.D.). The earliest habitation strata, however, could not be reached at due to the oozing of the sub-soil water beneath the Mauryan habitational layers.
Vishnupada Temple, Gaya
The Vishnupada Temple is considered to be one of the most sacred of all the Vaishnava temples in India. The spot on which it stands is associated with the famous mythological event of God Vishnu killing the demon Gayasura and leaving marks of his footprint on the rock which is the main object of worship in the temple. Little is, however, known of the ancient or original temple over the sacred spot. The present Vishnupada Temple on the bank of the river Phalgu was built at the end of the eighteenth century by the Maharani of Indore Ahilya Bai Holkar who brought about 1,200 sculptors from Jaipur (Rajasthan) who quarried the grey granite stone from Patherkatti (a hill in Gaya district) and took about twelve years to complete the construction of the temple. The temple consists in plan of a sanctum, having an octagonal tower, about hundred feet high, with a lofty pyramidal roof besides an open pillared hall or mandapa in front, surrounded by an open courtyard all around. Annexed to the temple within the courtyard is a large baradari or pillared pavilion of sixteen granite pillars called as Solah Vedi where 'Pindas' are also offered by the pilgrims coming from all over India. In front of the baradari is a huge bell, which was presented by Ranjit Pande, a minister of Nepal.
In the courtyard of the Vishnupada Temple there are numerous small shrines and images. The Nrisimha Temple, a small temple dedicated to Nrisimha, the man-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu has a beautifully carved doorframe. An another temple of Vishnu adjoining the Nrisimha Temple on the north side has stone pillars and brick built walls. On the eastern side of the courtyard also there is a small temple dedicated to Siva or Mahadeva in the form of Phalgwisvara or Lord of the Phalgu (river). A number of inscriptions have had been earlier found in and around the premises of the Vishnupada Temple which are of great epigraphical significance.
Brahmayoni Hill, Gaya
Situated to the south of Gaya, the Brahmayoni Hill, the highest hill in Gaya is named after a natural fissure on its top which is believed to represent the female energy or yoni of the God Brahma. In a small temple on the hill a five-headed female image is worshipped as a female energy of Brahma i.e. Brahmayoni. This temple was built by one Maratha chief named Balaji Pandit. An inscription on the hill records the construction of a flight of steps from the foot of the hill to the top by Rao Bhau Saheb in the reign of Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior in about 1843 A.D. The Brahmayoni Hill is a sacred place for the Hindus and pindas are offered here during the Pitripaksha mela in large numbers.
Pretshila Hill, Gaya
The Pretshila Hill, situated to the North-West of Gaya is a sacred place for the Hindus where 'pindas' are offered by the devotees in large numbers to their ancestors. On the summit of the hill is a temple of the Pretaraja or God Yama of Hindu mythology. To pacify the preta (ghost), who is said to have once haunted the hill, this temple was originally built on this spot by Rani Ahilybai of Indore and was renovated thereafter several times. An inscription dated 1744 A.D. in the temple on the hill recorded the construction of the flight of steps having been done at the expense of Sri Manmohan Datt of Calcutta. Earlier several images of Surya, Vishnu, Mahismarddini Durga and some Buddhist divinities were found in and around the hill which indicates the existence of earlier shrines in the locality during the ancient period. At the foot of the hill is a tank called Ramkund in which it is believed that Lord Ram himself bathed before offering 'pinda' to his ancestors.
Ramshila Hill, Hajipur
The Ramshila Hill situated on the south-east fringe of Gaya is one of the most sacred hills in Gaya and it also appears to have had a considerable antiquity. A number of stone sculptures belonging to the ancient period can be still noticed on and around the hill which suggests the existence of some earlier structures or temples since very early times. The temple situated on the top of the hill called as Ramesvara or Patalesvara temple was originally built in 1014 A.D. but has gone through many restorations and repairs in the succeeding periods. In front of the temple is a pavilion, built by Sri Krishna Basu of Calcutta in 1811 A.D. where 'pindas' are offered by the Hindu devotees during pitripaksha for their ancestors. The name of the hill is associated with Lord Rama and so images of Rama, Sita and Hanuman are also installed in a temple on the hill. The flight of steps leading up to the temple, originally got constructed by Sri K. Basu, was further repaired in 1886 by the then Raja of Tekari and even thereafter renovations and repairs have been going on for the benefit of the pilgrims who come in large numbers to offer 'pindas'. The Ramshila Hill is considered to be the most sacred as it is also believed that Lord Ram had offered 'pinda' on the hill.
Mirabigha, Jehanabad
Mirabigha village (Dist. Jehanabad) is situated at about 4 km. South-East of Tehta Railway Station. This archaeological site is characterized by a cluster of temples, mostly Shaivite, numbering about a dozen. Most of them are brick-worked with some stone appendage. There are ruins of an ancient tank, which may be associated with the site.
The site also yielded a host of Brahmanical deities, who once would have resided in these temples.
Both, the temples and sculptures, belong to the Pala period of the 9th-10th cent. A.D.
Arrah House, Arrah
Arrah house in Arrah, the district headquarter of Bhojpur district, is presently located within the premises of the Maharaja College. It is a small double-storied structure on a raised plinth built by Vicars Boyle, an Engineer of the Eastern Railway before 1857, during the British rule in India. It was intended as a billiard room, the residence proper being a short distance away. The Arrah house covering a total plinth area of 51' square consists of a billiard room with a smaller room, a bathroom attached on one side and a verandah in front with semi-circular arched colonnade. The Arrah House became famous in 1857 when insurrection broke out and a number of British officers took their refuge within this structure and put up a gallant defence till they were rescued by the British soldiers.
Jagdishpur Fort, Arrah
Jagdishpur is situated at a distance of about 35 Kms. South west of Arrah, the district headquarter of Bhojpur district. Jagdishpur is famous in the annals of Indian history because of "the son of the soil" Babu Kunwar Singh, who was the first and foremost freedom fighter of Bihar during the Freedom Movement in 1857. Jagdishpur for many generations was under the control of the Ujjainia Rajputs, to which family Babu Kunwar Singh belonged, and so the spirit of revolt and love for independence was in the very marrow of their bones, veins and blood. The Jagdhishpur Fort where Babu Kunwar Singh resided was the epicentqre of the first freedom struggle and so it has great historical importance.
At present besides the main double-storied massive building there are two big tanks on its either side and a Kachehri in front of the building. In front of the main building is a big statue of Babu Kunwar Singh riding on his horse. At the back of the main building is a big well and an another small brick structure. The compound in front of the garh is very big and on one side of it is a 'mazar' of Shahid Baba, a Muslim saint.
Chausagarh, Buxar
In the Buxar district of Bihar Chausa or Chausagarh is situated at a distance of about 11 Kms. East of the district headquarter Buxar. Chausa, very well known in the annals of Indian history as the place where in 1539 A.D. Sher Shah defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun, is also a place of great antiquity. The archaeological and historical importance of this site during the ancient period is evident from a variety of antiquarian remains found on and around Chausagarh, mainly in course of a series of explorations earlier, the most significant being a hoard of 18 Jain bronze images dating right from the Sunga period upto the Gupta period, which are presently preserved in the Patna Museum. A hoard of electrum coins and other ancient coins have had been also found earlier in Chausa. Besides these, fragments of terracotta panels and other objects and a number of stone sculptures also belonging to the ancient period have been found which are of great archaeological importance and are preserved in the Patna Museum and also in the Sitaram Upadhyaya Buxar Museum.
Chausa is situated on the confluence of the rivers Karmanasa and the Ganga which separates it from the neighbouring state U.P., and therefore it has been a place of great strategic importance since very early times.
Tomb of Alawal Khan, Sasaram
The tomb of Alawal Khan is situated to the south of the town, Sasaram, the district headquarter of the Rohtas district and one of the most important ancient towns in Bihar. Alawal Khan, whose full name was Alauddin Khan, was the superintendent of buildings under the Pathan rulers Sher Shah and Salim Shah. He was also an important general in command of 5,000 horsemen. While Alawal Khan was incharge of the construction of Sher Shah's tomb he pilfered better materials for his own tomb and was therefore put to disgrace by Sher Shah. As such, the tomb of Alawal Khan consists in plan only of a courtyard surrounded by a high stone wall of fine masonry with three entrances on the east, south and north, but now only the eastern entrance remains and the other two have been closed. The eastern and western walls are surmounted by cupolas and the principal door has some fine carvings round it. There are only three open graves inside the enclosure, one of Alawal Khan and the other two of his relatives. On the grave of Alawal Khan is a short epitaph containing the usual Kalimas.
Masahi, Kaimur
Situated at a distance of about three kms. from the block headquarter Bhagwanpur in Kaimur district Masahi is a village by the side of the river Suvara where a mound, locally called as 'garh', has been declared as a Protected site by the Govt. of Bihar under Section 3(3) of the Bihar Ancient Monuments and Archaeological site, Remains and Art Treasure Act, 1976. The mound or garh in Masahi village covering an area of about five acres is supposed to have had been the site of an ancient temple complex. Stone sculptures of standing and sitting Buddha and other Buddhist deities besides architectural remains like pillars, pilasters, beams, lintels, doorjambs, amalakas etc. have been found in large number from the site which suggests that during the Early Medieval period or even earlier there was a huge temple complex at this site. This can be as well ascertained by the fact that still large sized bricks are scattered on and around the mound and some brick structures are also remaining. Masahi is situated at a distance, of about two kms. from the very well known Mundeswari Temple belonging to the later Gupta period and so it is likely that there may be some closer sculptural and architectural links between the two during the ancient period.
Kheri Hill, Sunshine
Kheri Hill, Shahkund in the district of Bhagalpur is situated at a distance of about ten kms. from Sultanganj. Shahkund owes its name to a big tank measuring 1300 ft. x 600 ft. on the northern edge of a grave of a Muslim saint named Shah Saheb. Evidently Shahkund means the tank of the Shah Saheb. The village proper is situated at the foot of a hillock called the Kheri Pahar (Hill). Remnants of old buildings and temples have been found on the Kherhi Hill and its vicinity. In a well of the village, large number of ancient relics consisting of broken sculptures and architectural pieces besides railings were found which clearly suggest that Shahkund had an ancient tradition. During the rule of Shashanka, the king of Bengal in the 7th century A.D. Shahkund appears to have been included within his kingdom. A number of ancient tanks, sculptural and architectural remains etc., presently existing at the site, appear to be belonging to the early medieval period. A number of religious sculptures, mostly of black stone, such as those of Nrisingha, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Ganesh, Durga, besides Buddha, Tara etc. were earlier found from this site. These are of great archaeological significance. Shahkund is particularly famous for the large number of Shivalingas, some of which are still existing on or near the site, one of which has a number of miniature Shivalingas (Sahasralinga) around its body.
Mahmud Shah's Tomb, Kahalgaon
In the Bhagalpur district Kahalgoan or Colgong is situated at a distance of about 30 kms. East of the district headquarter, Bhagalpur. Mahmud Shah was the last independent King of Bengal who died at Kahalgoan in 1539 A.D. After his defeat at the hands of Sher Shah, the mighty Pathan ruler, he took refuge with the Mughal Emperor Humayun at Chunar. In his absence from Bengal his capital was stormed and sacked and his two sons were murdered by the Afghans. Mahmud Shah, after joining hands with the Mughal emperor Humayun, advanced as far as Kahalgoan to attack Sher Shah. But, after hearing the news of the death of his two sons and the plunder of his capital, he was so much shocked that only after a few days' illness he died at Kahalgoan in 1539 A.D., where his tomb was built later. The tomb of Mahmud Shah is, therefore, of great historical significance.
Munger Fort, Munger
The most important of the monuments at Munger is the fort, built on a rocky eminence projecting to the river Ganges which protects it from west and partly from the north, the other sides being defended by a deep moat 175' wide. The fort encloses an area of about 222 acres and has a circuit of 2½ miles. The rampart is 30' thick, consisting of 4' inner wall, 12' of outer wall, the intervening thickness of 14' being a filling of earth. The rampart was provided with four gateways, one on each side, and with circular or octagonal bastions, at regular intervals, carrying the usual battlements. Of the gates only the northern gate, called Lal Darwaza, is some what preserved, with some carved stones build into it, which originally belonged to some Hindu or Buddhist structure.
The history of the fort and its original foundation still remains to be thoroughly investigated. Some scholars have suggested that it was built during the time of the early Muhammedan Kings of India. It should be noted that inside the fort are two hillocks as follows.
A natural rocky eminence called as Karnachaura or Karanchaura associated with the Raja Karna. Buchanan mentioned that this king built a house on this hill. The ruins of which were occupied under the British by a saluting battery; but later General Goddard built the present bungalow on the site as the residence of the Commanding Officer, since it commands a fine view of the surrounding country. An old platform in front of the Bungalow near the hill are also locally considered to be the work of the king Karna and his wife.
The other hillock, on the other side of the tanks, is an artificial rectangular mound which once probably formed the citadel of the fort. There is no ancient local name given to this hill, but it is stated that there once stood here a building known as Damdama Kothi which was demolished by the British, to make room for the Collector's Bangalow. This Kothi was built of very strong masonary, for it had to be blown-up by gun powder, bit by bit, since the ordinary methods of demolition could make no impression on it. While removing the debries from its site numerous holes were discovered showing the former existence of underground rooms. Inside a well in the compound, just above the water level, two arched passages were found, one leading towards the house and the other, in the opposite direction; towards the ground now occupied by the Jail. The Kothi would appear to be the work of the Muhammedan rulers, raised perhaps on still earlier Hindu ruins, as would be evident from the traditional association of the nearby tanks and the Karan-Chaura Hill with the earlier rulers of Hindu tradition. It may be pointed out that Buchanan noticed on the inside of the rampant of the fort, at points where the plaster had fallen number of stone carving and sculptures, built into the masonry.
Munger does not figure prominently in the first Muslim conquests of Bihar under Ikhtiyar Khan Khilji; though it appears that in 1330 A.D. it was part of the kingdom of Muhammad Tuglaq of Delhi. After this it was variously under the king of Jaunpur and the Bangal Sultans; until Babar invaded Bihar in about 1530. By this time Munger and become the headquarters of the Bihar army under the Bengal Kings. In about 1533-34 Sher Shah conquered Munger which seems to have continued to remain under the Afghan Rule till Bihar became part of the Mughal empire under Akbar in about 1563. Todarmal, the famous statesman and general under Akbar, had camped at Munger for quite a long time to quell the Afghan rebellion improved the fortification. Hundred year later Munger had against his father, Shah Jahan, and later against his brother, Aurangzeb, who had subsequently usurped the throne. In the next century Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, made when the Nawab was finally defeated by the British. Some years later, when the fort was occupied by the East India Company's troops, it was a scene of an outbreak of European officers, known as the "White Mutiny", which was quelled by Lord Clive, After this, though the fort was garrisoned by a small force, the fortifications were not maintained and were allowed to fall into disrepair, the building inside being gradually converted to civilian use.
Within the fort, there are a few eminent structures.
The real home of this saint or Pir is not known. It is said he originally came from Persia and had gone to Munger at the instance of the famous Muslim divine Khwaja Muinddin Chishti of Ajmer. He died here, it is believed, in A.H. 596 (A.D. 1177) and was buried in a place near the rampart.
The building is raised inside the southern gate of the fort on the top of a small mound, about 25' high, which, according to Bloch, represent the ruins of some Buddhist structure. The platform is surrounded by retaining walls, covering an area about 100' square. The building of the tomb consist of a domed tomb chamber, 16' sq. inside, with a prayer room or mosque and a rest room attached to it. At the corners of the dome are circular turrets. All around the tomb are the graves belonging to the family of the Mujawirs. A few carved stones, apparently representing ruins of some Hindu shrine, are to be seen embedded in the low platform to the south of the tomb.
This building occupies as one of the finest sites inside the fort and has now been converted into a Jail. Though locally known as the palace of the Mughal Prince Suja, Kuraishi would consider it to be the work of Nawab Mir Qasim Ali, when he had his capital at Munger. The building is enclosed by a high wall on three sides and by the river on the fourth or west side. It consists mainly of a Khas Mahal or Zanana Palace (now used as "the under trial ward"), the Diwane-I-Am or Public Audience Hall (now used as a school for prisoners), and the Top-Khana or Armoury with 10' – 15' thick walls (now used as the dormitory). Attached to the palace, to the west, was once a small mosque, now a flat roof building used as a ration godowns. "On the floor of the mosque" writes Colonel Crow-ford in 1908, "Underneath the centre dome, is a dry well or pit, some ten or twelve feet deep. From this well four sub-terranean passages lead off in different directions".
- Tomb of Mulla Muhammed Said
Tomb of Mulla Mohammed Said is situated on the bastion at the south-west of the fort. The Mulla was a Persian poet and had come to India from Mazandran near the Caspian Sea, during the reign of the emperor Aurangzeb. The King employed him as a tutor to his daughter Zibunnisa Begum. Later Azim Shah, grandson of Aurangzeb, employed him when he was the viceroy of Bihar. The Mullah died in 1704 A.D. and his tomb existed, till the early years of the 20th Century, when it was demolished and the grave removed. This information is based on the District Gazetteer. But it is seen that Buchanan, who visited Munger hardly hundred year after the Mulla's death, says nothing of him, nor does Hunter mention him in his Statistical Account of the district.
- The Kashtaharini Ghat on the Ganges
The river takes a bend here towards north, i.e., it becomes Uttara-Vahini, a fact which had made the spot specially sacred to the Hindus. The sanctity of the place may be of considerable antiquity, as is perhaps indicated by the inscription of the Gahadwala King Govind Chandra of Kanauj, which records a grant made by the king after bathing in the Ganges at Mudgagiri on the occasion of Akhshaya Tritiya festival. On the wall of the gateway near the ghat is an inscription of about the 10th century A.D. which mentions the king Bhagiratha and the construction of a Siva temple. Numerous carvings and sculpture have been discovered from this area by Bloch in 1903. An inscribed image of Dhyani Buddha bearing the usual Buddhist Creed is now in the Indian – Museum, Kolkatta.
This spot, with the shrine thereon, is mentioned by Buchanan as Vikrama Chandra which is but "a hole in a rock sacred to Chandi, the Gramadevata of the place. The tradition associates this place with Karna Vikrama. It was held quite sacred during the time of Buchanan. It is not unlikely that an ancient temple may have existed here, but this can be more certainly stated after a careful exploration of the area.
Daud Khan Fort
This fort is situated on the eastern bank of the Sone River and was founded by Dhaud Khan, a Governor of Bihar under Aurangzeb in the 17th of Palamu fort from the Cheros; and it is said that while back from this conquest he camped here and founded the town known after him. The surrounding area was also granted to him as a Jagir by the emperor. Early in the 18th century Buchanan saw it as a flourishing town with cloth and opium factories. The sarai built by Daud Khan was, perhaps really meant to be a stronghold; for it was well fortified with a battlemented wall, two large gates and a moat all around. It was called as a sarai probably to avoid jealousy of the Government. The sarai was in good condition till a few years before 1896; for the Bengal list says that the gates were regularly shut every night. Ahmad Khan, grandson of Dhaud Khan, fortified the town which was then named as Ghausipur. The town also contains an old mosque and another sarai built by Ahmad Khan, which had mud gates. In the outlying part of the town called Ahmadganj is the tomb of Ahmad Khan.
Hazarimal Dharamshala, Bettiah
Hazarimal Dharamshala (built in 1892) in Bettiah, was used by Mahatma Gandhi to launch his first Satyagraha movement in India after coming from South Africa. A number of important personalities, viz. Acharya J.B. Kripalani, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Sarojini Naidu, Braj Kishore Prasad made this place a common ground of struggle for the Freedom Movement.
Paravati Pahari, Nawada
The archaeological site on the Parvati hill is located in the Kashichchak block of Nawada district. This archaeological site is about 39.5 km north-east of the district headquarter Nawada. Is located at a distance of. According to one opinion, this hill is identified with 'Vedia mountain', which is mentioned in the Buddhist literature 'Sumangal Vilasini'. Evidence of three stupas is found on this hill, one of which is the main stupa which is at the highest point in the western part of the hill. There is a stupa in front of the main stupa in front and the other is in the south of the main stupa. From the middle of these two can be reached to the cave on the hill. The bricks used in these landscapes are 38 x 26 x 4 cm. is. It appears that it was built around the later Gupta or Guptak.
Dwalakh Shiva Temple, Madhubani
The ancient temple of Dwalakh is situated in the Madhepura block of Madhubani district. This temple is in the Drift Range of Kosi River. This ancient Shiva temple is unique in terms of architecture. The sanctum sanctorum and entrance gate of the temple is oriented. Apart from this there are two entrances and, which are respectively in the south and west. Three Shivaling is established in the sanctum of the temple, in which the middle Shivling is big. In front of Shivalinga, in front of the Nandi, Black-Basalt Stone, artists have built up with great skill, which is very interesting to see. The top of the temple is domesticated. Amazing and elegant portraiture has been done inside the dome. Elsewhere the remains of painting have ended. Lakhauri Brick and Sukhi-Luna have been used in the construction of the temple. The verandah of the verandah at the entrance to the temple is artistic. The verandas are frail. In the floor of the sanctuary, the stones are sewn in the floor.