Lesson: The Somapura Mahavihara

A. Reading

Unveiling the Somapura Mahavihara

Paharpur is an important archaeological site located in a village named ‘Paharpur’ in the Naogaon district of northern Bangladesh. Naogaon is primarily plain land, but in its midst stood a hill covered with jungle. When the jungle was cleared and the hill excavated, a lofty ruin of an ancient temple emerged. The temple is about 24 meters high from the surrounding level. ‘Pahar’ means hill. Hence the name Paharpur.

The Paharpur site has been excavated and re-excavated several times by archaeologists. Sir Alexander Cunningham, Archaeological Surveyor of India, visited the place in 1879. He intended to carry out extensive excavations but was prevented by the landowner. Nevertheless, he was satisfied with the excavations he was permitted to conduct. The site was declared protected by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1919 under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904.

Systematic and regular excavation began jointly by the Archaeological Survey of India, the Varendra Research Society of Rajshahi, and Calcutta University in 1923. They excavated the southwest corner of the monastery. Next, in 1925-26, historian and archaeologist R. D. Banerjee excavated the northern part of the central mound. From 1926-27 onward, excavation was carried out under the supervision of K. N. Dikshit.

The Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh further excavated the site after independence. The operations took place in two phases. The first phase was initiated in 1981-82 and continued until 1984-85. The second phase began in 1988-89 and continued until 1990-91.

Pre-liberation expeditions revealed the architecture of a vast Buddhist monastery, the Somapura Mahavihara. It is dominated by the central shrine, which attracts immediate attention with its lofty height and unusual architectural design.

Somapura Mahavihara was one of the most famous Buddhist institutions for monks in ancient Bengal and Southern Asia. The excavated complex at Paharpur has been identified as Somapura Mahavihara, built by the second Pala king Dharmapala (781-821 AD). Some clay seals from the ruins bear the inscription Shri-Somapure-Shri-Dharmapaladeva-Mahavihariyarya-bhikshu-sangghasya.

(Picture: A view of the ruins of Somapura Mahavihara)

The Pala rulers were devout Buddhists and founded many monasteries throughout their growing empire. Some of these monasteries became great centers of learning, and their reputations quickly spread throughout Asia. Somapura Mahavihara's close relationship with the ruling dynasty meant that it shared the political ups and downs of its benefactors.

B. Vocabulary Matching

Match the words with their meanings:

| Words | Meanings | |------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | archaeological | a) rubbles/wreckage | | excavate | b) widespread | | lofty | c) ancient cultural remains | | extensive | d) pious | | systematic | e) uncover something with difficulty | | debris | f) grand | | devout | g) done methodically |

C. Multiple Choice

Read the text in Section A again and choose the correct answer.

1. Paharpur is a/an:

   • a) typical Bangladeshi village.
   • b) extraordinary village.
   • c) very small village.
   • d) village on top of a mountain.

2. After excavation, archaeologists discovered a huge:

   • a) king’s palace.
   • b) emperor’s courtyard.
   • c) Buddhist monastery.
   • d) Hindu temple.

3. How many phases of excavation at Paharpur are mentioned in the text?

   • a) four
   • b) five
   • c) six
   • d) seven

4. What objects indicate that the site was built by the second Pala king?

   • a) earthen seals
   • b) ceramic seals
   • c) stone seals
   • d) iron seals

5. The word “benefactors” in the text means:

   • a) banks.
   • b) famous businessmen.
   • c) people with money.
   • d) financial supporters.

D. Comprehension

Read the text again. Work in pairs. Ask and answer the following questions:

1. Why is the village named Paharpur?
2. Where is it located?
3. What is it famous for?
4. What did Cunningham find when he was excavating the Paharpur site?
5. Why was the site officially declared protected?

Write your answers in your exercise book.

E. Writing

Do you have any old or ancient relics in your city/town/village? Write about them, considering the following questions:

• When was it built?
• Who built it?
• What does it look like?
• How big is it?
• What was it used for?
• What is its current condition?
• Why do you like it?

If you do not have any such relics, search the internet for a relic in Bangladesh that interests you and write about it using the questions above as a guide.