Archaeologists find ‘Gupta-age’ carvings on hillock in Bhagalpur
The site is at the foothills of Murli Pahar, a hillock on the banks of river Ganga in Sultanganj block of the district.
Researchers at the Bhagalpur museum in Bihar have claimed they have stumbled upon ancient stone carvings at the foothills of Murli Pahar, a hillock on the banks of river Ganga in Sultanganj block of the district, and have demanded to declare the hill as protected monument.
The site is located adjacent to the Ajgaibi Mahadev temple, around 25 kilometres west of Bhagalpur town.
A team of researchers, led by curator of Bhagalpur government museum, Shiv Kumar Mishra, carried out a survey of the Murli Pahar foothills last month when came across the carvings, which, they say, came out after Ganga returned to its course after several years.
Mishra, in a letter to the state archaeology directorate, has said that the Archaeological survey of India (ASI) or Intach (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) be roped in for conservation and restoration of around 50-60 stone carvings of Hindu deities and other religious symbols, which could date back to Gupta period (6th century) but have suffered damages due to recurring floods and exposure of extreme weather conditions over the years.
“The stone carvings might have been under the streams of Ganga, which used to flow between Bhagalpur town and Ajgaibinath temple about 20 years ago. The carvings surfaced after Ganga changed its course slightly and moved away from Murli Pahar. Carvings of Lord Vishnu, Surya, Shiva, Ardhanarishwar, Ganesh, Durga, besides Lord Buddha, Navagrah, Rudra Pad and other spiritual symbols have come out in the open on stones at the foothills. There are some scripts written in Brahmi, which suggest the age of the carvings,” say the report prepared by the researchers.
Eminent archaeologist and former director of KP Jaiswal Research Institute, Chitranjan Prasad Sinha, said there were a series of stone carvings in the hills of Bhagalpur, which mostly date back to Gupta period. “If explored properly, there are chances that some older carvings even from pre-historic age could be found, as the civilisation thrived mainly on the banks of rivers,” Sinha said, while backing the demand for urgent conservation of the antiquarian remains spotted recently.
Deepak Anand, archaeology director, on whose instructions the survey was carried, said he could not recollect what was discovered. “Let me check on Monday,” he said.
However, some officials at the directorate, who did not wish to be identified, said the government was reluctant to let the archaeological remains pertaining to Hindu religion come into spotlight as it might risk the peace of this communally sensitive region, as there was an old mosque atop Murli Pahar.
Archaeologists believe the mosque could also be around three to four centuries old and followers of Islamic faiths do occasionally visit it.