Historical Geography of Ancient India c8.387

c8.387

The ruins of Pāhāḍpur are situated at a distance of three miles to the west of the Jamalgunge railway station in the district of Rajshahi. The Pāhāḍpur monastery resembles such great monasteries as Borobudur and Prambanam monasteries at Java and Ankarbhat monastery in Cambodia. In the Buddhist vihāra at Pāhāḍpur we find a square sanctuary with many chambers each having a courtyard in front and a small portico. A high altar is found probably for religious worship. To the east of this sanctuary there stands a little stūpa, called Satyapirerbhīṭā, where we have a temple of Tārā. The terra-cotta plaques on the walls of the monastery contain the tales of the Pañcatantra and the Hitopadeśa. The stone images of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, some lovely figures telling the story of the life of Kṛṣṇa, slaying of Dhenukāsūra, holding of Mt. Govardhana by Śrīkṛṣṇa are found here. The Epic and Pauranic scenes like the fight of Bāli and Sugrīva, the death of Bāli, the abduction of Subhadrā, etc. are all found here. There was a Jaina temple at Pāhāḍpur in the 5th century A.D. The famous Tibetan Buddhist scholar, Dīpankara Śrījñāna is said to have spent many years under his teacher Ratnākara Śānti in the Somapura-mahāvihāra. For an account of the excavations at Pāhāḍpur vide A.S.I., Annual Report, 1929-30, pp. 138ff.; A.S.I., Annual Reports, 1930-34, pp. 113–128; K. N. Dikshit, *Excavations at Pāhārpur*, M.A.S.I., No. 55; *Introducing India*, Pt. I, p. 78; *I.C.*, VII, 1940-41, pp. 35–40 regarding the date of the Pāhārpur temple by S. K. Sarasvati.