The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has resumed excavation efforts to uncover more of the ancient Vikramasila Mahavihara, a renowned university established by Pala king Dharmapala in the late 8th or early 9th century AD. Located in Antichak village in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, this excavation marks a return to the site after a hiatus of nearly four decades.
The Vikramasila Mahavihara thrived for approximately four centuries before its decline in the early 13th century AD. According to Goutami Bhattacharya, the Superintending Archaeologist of ASI Patna Circle, previous excavations from 1972 to 1982 unearthed significant structures such as a large square monastery, a library building, and clusters of votive stupas.
The current excavation, initiated on February 8, involves cleaning previous trenches and removing debris to access undisturbed cultural layers for systematic exploration. Jalaj Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Superintending Archaeologist of ASI-Patna, oversees the excavation, highlighting the site's significance as one of the three major Buddhist monasteries in India during the Pala empire, alongside Nalanda and Odantapuri.
Vikramasila Mahavihara was once among the largest Buddhist universities, boasting over a hundred teachers and approximately a thousand students. It produced distinguished scholars who propagated Buddhist learning and culture internationally.
Bhattacharya described the monastery as a vast square structure with brick arched underground chambers, possibly used for meditation. The central stupa, standing at about 15 meters high, was the focal point for worship, constructed with brick and mud mortar.
The ongoing excavation aims to discover further insights into the Mahavihara's history, potentially discovering new inscriptions that shed light on its past.
The nearest airport is in Patna, and the nearest railway junction is in Kahalgaon. Vikramshila has excellent road connectivity to nearby cities like Patna, Gaya, Bodhgaya, Motihari, Muzaffarpur, Biharsharif, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon. You can easily access these cities by road. If you are coming from Bhagalpur, there are bus services available to Vikramshila.
(With inputs from PTI)