A quest for Bihar’s past: Where tradition is as old as ruins

In India, it is unusual to see joyous adults at archaeological sites. They are either scholars deep in thought or young couples deep in love and sometimes, groups of children who are delighted to escape from the confines of a classroom. Which is why this author was surprised to see a large group of happy people, all grown-ups, rushing into the archaeological site of Kumrahar one day.

Kumrahar lies in Patna. To the ignorant, it is just a green space in the capital of India’s most densely populated state. But to those who know their heritage, Kumrahar was once the focal point of Pataliputra, capital of Magadha, possibly the largest-ever empire in the Indian subcontinent’s history. The rediscovery of Kumrahar’s past, leading to the revelation of Bihar’s ancient history, began in the latter half of the 19th century at the hands of the British.

Between 1912 and 1915, and again in the early 1950s, excavations were done here by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the KP Jayaswal Research Institute. What emerged left historians stunned. The dig revealed a huge assembly hall with nearly eighty pillars dated to the Ashokan period. It was believed that this was the site of a magnificently pillared hall created to host the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra in the 3rd century BCE.

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However, post the 1950s, Patna’s expansion saw an increase in the height of the surrounding areas causing groundwater levels to rise considerably. By the late 1990s, the excavated site began to experience severe waterlogging. And in 2004, the ASI covered the site with sand to prevent further decay. Recently, though, the ASI has decided to uncover the site with the help of scientists from the Central Ground Water Board. Given that the site’s antiquity showed habitation from the 6th century BCE to the 6th century CE, the possibilities of what may be discovered are rich.

Having said that, an equally exciting site lies just over a hundred kilometres south of Patna. Rajgir was the capital of the empire of Magadha before the centre of imperial power shifted to Pataliputra. Intermittent work by archaeologists over two centuries has thrown up an assortment of remains and structures over its landscape. Beginning with Francis Buchanan in the early 19th century, Marshall Kittoe, Alexander Cunningham, Aurel Stein, Amalananda Ghosh, DR Patil and others have all been part of this journey of rediscovery.

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Rajgir is surrounded by five hills which gave it an ancient name – Girivraja, meaning ‘an enclosure of hills’. These hills were essential to its defence and the old city was encircled by a thick wall which ran for forty kilometres. While only parts of this remain, the ‘Cyclopean Wall’ – as it is called – is an indication of the importance of the city to the Mauryans, who are said to have built the wall.

Prior to the Mauryans came the Haryanka dynasty, which ruled Magadha in the 6th-5th centuries BCE. Their capital too was Rajgir. A partially excavated site here is called the fort of Ajatshatru, second ruler of the Haryankas. While it looks more like a set of ruined pillars set atop a ruined structure, ongoing excavation work is expected to give a clearer perspective of its importance.

Rajgir is also a significant site for Buddhism and Jainism. A spot known as the Vulture Peak here is said to have been frequented by the Buddha himself, as per Buddhist texts and is associated with his sermons. The two man-made Son Bhandar Caves, with their vaulted ceilings, contain both Mauryan and Gupta period inscriptions and are associated with the Jain faith. Not far away is the Saptaparni Cave, where the Buddha is said to have meditated.

Beyond history and faith, Rajgir’s narrative touches the strands of mythology as well. The Maniyar Math, is said to be the shrine of Mani-Naga and finds mention in the Mahabharata texts. Its highlight is a well-like structure with a thick wall. Apparently, it was originally decorated with images of a Vishnu, a Linga, Ganesha etc., dated to the Gupta period but are no longer extant. A kilometre away from the math is Jarasandh ka Akhara, named after a legendary ruler of Magadha who is also a character in the Mahabharata. Visitors to the akhara now see an elevated stone platform. In another place are deep marks on the ground, spoken of as Krishna’s chariot wheel marks. Near them is a shell inscription, never deciphered.

Rajgir, the ancient capital of Magadha, lies in the heart of a great heritage zone. To its north is Nalanda, to its west Bodh Gaya. Between Rajgir and Gaya lies the village of Kurkihar. Today, it is impossible to imagine what the place may once have been. A clue lies inside the Bihar Museum in Patna. In the form of some magnificent bronze statues, found in a hoard unearthed in Kurkihar. You look at the statues, and then at Kurkihar and wonder in amazement!

The stories of Kurkihar, Rajgir, Nalanda, Kesariya, Gaya and hundreds of other sites are not to be seen in isolation but collectively. Put them together and the narrative that emerges is one that is not just a Bihar story, but an Indian one. To illustrate that, let’s go back to that crowd of joyous people who came to the Kumrahar excavated site. They did not come to recall the Mauryans, the Haryankas or even the Buddha. They came to perform a ceremony that involved worshipping an old tree, an old tree that stood protectively over older ruins. And in doing so, those people were keeping alive a tradition that is perhaps as old as the ruins themselves.

The author is a heritage explorer by inclination with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.