Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara, Paharpur

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Bangladesh /Rajshahi Division /Naogaon District /Paharpur

Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara is located in Paharpur. Paharpur is a small village 5 km west of Jamalganj in the Greater Rajshahi District, in the northwest of Bangladesh. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur is said to be the second largest single Buddhist monastery south of the Himalayas. The heart-land of ancient “Varendra”, close to the village of Paharpur the extensive ruins of the Buddhist monastic complex are the most spectacular and important pre-Islamic monument in Bangladesh. Evidence of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the 7th century onwards, Somapura Mahavira, or the Great Monastery, was a renowned intellectual centre until the 12th century. Its layout perfectly adapted to its religious function, this monastery-city represents a unique artistic achievement. With its simple, harmonious lines and its profusion of carved decoration, it influenced Buddhist architecture as far away as Cambodia.

Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara, Paharpur

HistoryEdit

The Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur contain a Buddhist Monastery dating from the late 8th century. It was made a WHS as a tribute to the Pala dynasty, that ruled Bengal and Bihar for 3,5 centuries from the middle of the 8th century. The monastery is built as a quadrangle, measuring 281 meter on each side. All outer four wings contain monastic cells, 177 in total. In the center of the vast open courtyard of the monastery stands the shrine. Its remains are still 21 meter high and have three gradually diminishing terraces. The walls were built of burnt bricks, some ornamented with motifd of flowers and seated Buddhas. There were also bands of terracotta plaques in rows all around the terraces.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

N.A.

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

October to March.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

1 to 2 hours.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A.

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How to ReachEdit

Taxi : N.A.

Bus : The ruins at Paharpur are situated just off the Naogaon-Jaipurhat Road. There are regular buses from Jaipurhat between 7am and 4pm to Paharpur for Tk 10. The journey is 9km, taking about 25 minutes.

Train : Catch a train to Jamalganj Railway Station, located only 4.5km down the road (about 10 minutes). A rickshaw can be waved down for the short trip from the station to the Paharpur ruins.

Air : Nearest Airport to Paharpur is Zia International Airport (DAC) is an airport in the region of Dhaka in the country of Bangladesh. It is 126.8 km from Paharpur. After landing at Airport take bus to reach Paharpur.

Others : Buses can be used to get between major towns, or else rickshaws for small distances.