Jagjivanpur
Encyclopedia
Jagjivanpur or Jagajjibanpur is an archaeological site in Habibpur block of Malda district
in West Bengal
state in eastern India
. This site is located at a distance of 41 km east from English Bazar
town. The most significant findings from this site include a copper-plate inscription of Pala emperor
Mahendrapaladeva
and the structural remains of a 9th century Buddhist Vihara
: Nandadirghika-Udranga Mahavihara.
The importance of this site was first indicated by the chance discovery of a copper plate inscription of the Pala emperor Mahendrapala on 13 March, 1987 who was not known from any other sources till the date of this discovery. Later, the excavation by a team of the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, West Bengal Government led by Sudhin De began in 1992 at Tulabhita mound, followed by an extensive excavation at the same site in 1995-96 under the direction of Amal Ray of the same directorate. The excavations resulted in discovery of a part of the brick built Vihara
, stupas, cells with corbelled niches, verandah and a large number of anitquities, which include terracotta plaques, terracotta seals & sealings, an inscribed potsherd, beads and other objects for daily use.
The excavation at the central part of the Tulabhita mound has revealed the eastern part of a burnt brick-built Vihara. A number of sizes of bricks (32 cm x 18 cm x 6 cm, 28 cm x 26 cm x 5 cm, 23 cm x 17 cm x 8 cm, 28 cm x 15 cm x 6 cm and 17 cm x 6 cm x 6 cm) and mud morter were used to construct the 1 m wide wall of the Vihara. The northeast and the southwest corners of the Vihara have been exposed. The exposed 1.7 m wide inner courtyard of the Vihara is made of rammed bricks with a tiled pathway. The post-holes have been traced along the pathway at a regular distance of 2.5 m. It probably indicates the existence of a shed over the pathway for circumambulation
during the rainy season. A 3 m wide staircase with three steps at the eastern part of the courtyard attached to the verandah
has been exposed. A brick stupa, having a circumference of 6 m and diameter of 2.25 m has also been identified. A part of the eastern verandah with rammed-floor of the Vihara has also been found.
The excavation at the southeast corner of the Tulabhita mound has exposed two monastic cells of 2.6 m x 2.6 m dimension with corbelled 1.05 m high niches on the southern wall of each cell. The height of the cells is 3 m. from the floor level. Originally an opening of 130 m x 1.28 m was provided on the partition wall between the cells, which was blocked later. Four distinct layers of deposit were excavated to reach the floor level of these cells.
A huge brick-built stupta along with a wall adjacent to its southern part has been exposed at the northwestern corner of the mound. Most probably this stupta is hollow inside. The excavation, which was carried out up to the depth of 1.5 m has exposed a niche on the southern side with a blocked opening indicative of the activities during the second phase. A few fragmentary gray colored potsherds were discovered at the core of the stupa. The extant height of this stupa is about 3.5 m and its circumference is 19.63 m.
, more than a hundred terracotta seals and sealings, a large number of terracotta plaques and decorated bricks. Before the commencement of the excavations, a small bronze seated image of Buddha in bhumisparshamudra (earth-touching gesture) was found from a local resident. Most of this artifacts are preserved at present in the Jagjivanpur gallery of the State Archaeological Museum at Behala
, Kolkata
along with a scaled model of the site.
month of his seventh regnal year (854) from Kuddalakhataka jayaskandhavara (camp of victory) in the Pundravardhana bhukti. It states that the emperor Mahendrapala, the son and successor of Devapala
, announced before the body of the officers and other persons assembled on the occasion of a land grant ceremony that his mahasenapati (general) Vajradeva had intended to donate the land adjacent to the Nandadirghika Udranga Mahavihara, erected by him for attainment of religious merits for his parents and all people on earth for the worship of the Buddhist deities and maintenance and performance of religious rites which include copying (manuscripts) by the monks residing in the Vihara.
& Mainamati
. The plaques are of different sizes, the most common size is 28 cm x 24 cm x 7 cm. Some of these are intact and in good state of preservation. These plaques depict Shiva, Surya, Avalokiteshvara, Vidyadharas, Gandharvas, Garuda, Kinnaras and Kinnaris, warriors, man with parasol, a devotee, boar, lion, deer, peacock and swan. A unique plaque depicts a sacred manuscript (most probably the prajnaparamita
) on a lotus and a kneeling devotee.
Malda district
Malda district is a district of West Bengal, India. It lies 347 km north of Kolkata, the state capital. Mango and silk are notable products of this district. The special variety of mango produced in this region, popularly known by the name of the district, is exported across the world and...
in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
state in eastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This site is located at a distance of 41 km east from English Bazar
English Bazar
English Bazar, better known as Malda, called mango city, is a city and a municipality in Malda district in the state of West Bengal, India. Malda is the fifth largest city in West Bengal. Malda is nominated for becoming the municipal corporation...
town. The most significant findings from this site include a copper-plate inscription of Pala emperor
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was one of the major middle kingdoms of India existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala , which means protector. The Palas were often described...
Mahendrapaladeva
Mahendrapala
Mahendrapala was the fourth emperor of the Pala dynasty. He succeeded his father Devapala. We came to know about him and his mahasenapati Vajradeva from the Jagjivanpur copper plate grant dated in his 7th regnal year and issued from the Kuddalakhataka jayaskandhavara . He was succeeded by his...
and the structural remains of a 9th century Buddhist Vihara
Vihara
Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season....
: Nandadirghika-Udranga Mahavihara.
The importance of this site was first indicated by the chance discovery of a copper plate inscription of the Pala emperor Mahendrapala on 13 March, 1987 who was not known from any other sources till the date of this discovery. Later, the excavation by a team of the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, West Bengal Government led by Sudhin De began in 1992 at Tulabhita mound, followed by an extensive excavation at the same site in 1995-96 under the direction of Amal Ray of the same directorate. The excavations resulted in discovery of a part of the brick built Vihara
Vihara
Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season....
, stupas, cells with corbelled niches, verandah and a large number of anitquities, which include terracotta plaques, terracotta seals & sealings, an inscribed potsherd, beads and other objects for daily use.
Site
The site comprises a number of mounds, most impressive of them is the 5 m high Tulabhita or Salaidanga. other significant mounds are: Akhridanga, Nimdanga, Rajar Mayer Dhipi and Nandagarh. Another significant feature of the site is a large tank, Nandadighi (Nandadirghika of Maehndrapala's inscription) which still covers a large area. Tulabhita mound covers an area of 9432 m². Total 262 trenches ( 6 m x 6 m) were laid, of which 78 trenches have been excavated so far.Excavations and findings
The excavation has revealed six distinct layers of deposit, of which second to fourth are the most significant in terms of activities. Two phases of construction work can be identified. The first phase was probably abandoned due to the flood, the second period of construction started over it without any substantial chronological gap.The excavation at the central part of the Tulabhita mound has revealed the eastern part of a burnt brick-built Vihara. A number of sizes of bricks (32 cm x 18 cm x 6 cm, 28 cm x 26 cm x 5 cm, 23 cm x 17 cm x 8 cm, 28 cm x 15 cm x 6 cm and 17 cm x 6 cm x 6 cm) and mud morter were used to construct the 1 m wide wall of the Vihara. The northeast and the southwest corners of the Vihara have been exposed. The exposed 1.7 m wide inner courtyard of the Vihara is made of rammed bricks with a tiled pathway. The post-holes have been traced along the pathway at a regular distance of 2.5 m. It probably indicates the existence of a shed over the pathway for circumambulation
Circumambulation
Circumambulation is the act of moving around a sacred object.Circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu ritual. It is also practised in Buddhism. In Islam, circumambulation is performed around the Kaaba in Mecca, in a counter-clockwise direction...
during the rainy season. A 3 m wide staircase with three steps at the eastern part of the courtyard attached to the verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
has been exposed. A brick stupa, having a circumference of 6 m and diameter of 2.25 m has also been identified. A part of the eastern verandah with rammed-floor of the Vihara has also been found.
The excavation at the southeast corner of the Tulabhita mound has exposed two monastic cells of 2.6 m x 2.6 m dimension with corbelled 1.05 m high niches on the southern wall of each cell. The height of the cells is 3 m. from the floor level. Originally an opening of 130 m x 1.28 m was provided on the partition wall between the cells, which was blocked later. Four distinct layers of deposit were excavated to reach the floor level of these cells.
A huge brick-built stupta along with a wall adjacent to its southern part has been exposed at the northwestern corner of the mound. Most probably this stupta is hollow inside. The excavation, which was carried out up to the depth of 1.5 m has exposed a niche on the southern side with a blocked opening indicative of the activities during the second phase. A few fragmentary gray colored potsherds were discovered at the core of the stupa. The extant height of this stupa is about 3.5 m and its circumference is 19.63 m.
Artifacts
A significant number of artifacts were found from the site, which include the copper plate inscription of Mahendrapala (presently preserved in the Malda Museum), a 175 cm high bronze image of MarichiMarichi
Rishi Marichi or Mareechi or Marishi is the son of Brahma, the cosmic creator, and also one of the Saptarshi , in the First Manvantara, with others being Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, and Vashishtha .Before the creation started, Lord Brahma needed a few people who can be held responsible...
, more than a hundred terracotta seals and sealings, a large number of terracotta plaques and decorated bricks. Before the commencement of the excavations, a small bronze seated image of Buddha in bhumisparshamudra (earth-touching gesture) was found from a local resident. Most of this artifacts are preserved at present in the Jagjivanpur gallery of the State Archaeological Museum at Behala
Behala
Behala is a neighbourhood in South West Kolkata, in the Indian state of West Bengal. Behala was officially known as South Suburban Municipality until it was merged with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on January, 1984. Now it is broadly spread across Ward Nos.118 and 132 of the KMC and is...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
along with a scaled model of the site.
The copper plate inscription of Mahendrapala
The copper plate is inscribed on the both sides (40 lines on the obverse and 32 lines on the reverse) in Siddhamatrika script prevalent in the 9th century in Sanskrit language. A royal seal is attached to the top of the plate, which comprises within a lotus, a dharmachakra at the centre, flanked by deers on either side and the legend Shri Mahendrapaladeva below. The weight of the copper plate is 11.85 kg and it measures 52 cm x 37.5 cm. The copper plate was issued by the emperor Mahendrapala on the 2nd day of VaisakhaVaisakha
Vaishakha or Baisakha is a month of the Hindu calendar. It is the first month of the Nepalese calendar and the Bengali calendar . In the Indian national calendar Vaisakha is the second month of the year, beginning on April 21 and ending on May 20.In the Hindu solar calendar, Vaisakha begins in...
month of his seventh regnal year (854) from Kuddalakhataka jayaskandhavara (camp of victory) in the Pundravardhana bhukti. It states that the emperor Mahendrapala, the son and successor of Devapala
Devapala
Deva Pala , was a powerful emperor from the Pala Empire of Bengal region in the Indian Subcontinent. He was the third king in the line and had succeeded his father, emperor Dharamapala...
, announced before the body of the officers and other persons assembled on the occasion of a land grant ceremony that his mahasenapati (general) Vajradeva had intended to donate the land adjacent to the Nandadirghika Udranga Mahavihara, erected by him for attainment of religious merits for his parents and all people on earth for the worship of the Buddhist deities and maintenance and performance of religious rites which include copying (manuscripts) by the monks residing in the Vihara.
The terracotta seals
The terracotta seals found from the site are circular in shape and inscribed with legends, varying from one to three lines. Most of these seals and sealings are monastic, though some of these are personal and votive in nature. Most notable discovery was a monastic seal depicting the dharmachakra and deer motif, which bears the name of the Vihara in two lines. Inscribed in Siddhamatrika script in Sanskrit language, the seal reads (as read by Debala Mitra): Shri Vajradeva Karita Nanda Dirghi Vihariya Arya Bhikshu Sam(ghasya) (of the venerable community of monks residing in the Nanda Dirghi Vihara which was caused to be built by Shri Vajradeva).The terracotta plaques
More than 250 terracotta plaques have been discovered during the excavations from the collapsed debris of the stupa complex at the northwestern corner of the mound. Made of fine, levigated clay, often with a micaceous compound, the plaques are normally red in colour and rectangular in shape. These plaques were probably used to decorate the outer surface of the stupa like PaharpurPaharpur
Paharpur is a census town in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar.-Demographics: India census, Paharpur had a population of 5758. Males constitute 68% of the population and females 32%. Paharpur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is...
& Mainamati
Mainamati
Mainamati is located almost 8 miles from the town of Comilla, Bangladesh. It is the home of one of the most important Buddhist archaeological sites in the region. There are a number of Buddhist sites in this region, dating approximately from 7th to 12th centuries CE...
. The plaques are of different sizes, the most common size is 28 cm x 24 cm x 7 cm. Some of these are intact and in good state of preservation. These plaques depict Shiva, Surya, Avalokiteshvara, Vidyadharas, Gandharvas, Garuda, Kinnaras and Kinnaris, warriors, man with parasol, a devotee, boar, lion, deer, peacock and swan. A unique plaque depicts a sacred manuscript (most probably the prajnaparamita
Prajnaparamita
Prajñāpāramitā in Buddhism, means "the Perfection of Wisdom." The word Prajñāpāramitā combines the Sanskrit words prajñā with pāramitā . Prajñāpāramitā is a central concept in Mahāyāna Buddhism and its practice and understanding are taken to be indispensable elements of the Bodhisattva Path...
) on a lotus and a kneeling devotee.