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Lalpahari-Jaynagar Excavation site at Lakhisarai.


World level amazing heritage site seems useless for Bihar government!

@news5pm

January 22nd, 2023

Our Bureau/

Some three year ago  history lovers cheered after the state government’s notified  Lal Pahari along with four other archaeological sites in Lakhisarai as protected places.

jainagar Lal Pahari excavation site at Lakhisarai.

But today they have clearly understood the government’s fraud as the state government has gone into full silent mode, it doesn’t say anything. But point is that what they see now is disgusting. Till now not a single sign board is installed. Six sites declared state protected monument in 2018 in Lakhisarai but till now no sign board is installed nor any activity so far.

Some four six  year back excavation team from Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan under the leadership of Dr Anil, head of the department of ancient Indian history culture and archaeology, Visva-Bharati University,  had confirmed the discovery of a large Buddhist nunnery ( monastery for Buddhist nuns) at Jainagar Lal Pahari in Lakhisarai township, which British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham had mentioned in 1842. The excavation was initiated by the University of Bengal with joint venture with Bihar Heritage Development Society (BHDS) a body of the Bihar government.

The ruins of such a  beautiful hill-top monastery for the Buddhist  nuns found first time at the center of the ancient riverine civilization of eastern India ushered in a new chapter in the history of Buddhism. This discovery by Dr Anil’s team created quite a stir all around and  Lakhisarai started witnessing the sudden flows of  large crowds consisting history lovers, archaeologists, research scholars and many others. The flows of visitors are still there today.

Most interestingly, state chief minister, Nitish Kumar inaugurated the excavation work on 2017 and visited Lal Pahari, Lakhisarai twice earlier and claimed many things. A museum building constructed but nothing done till now to make showcases and other facilities to display the sculptures and retrieved artefacts from the excavation. Many valuables sculptures and archaeological evidences  have been stolen already due to lack of storage. “This is the governmental affair, in a way you can say Rs 26 crore wasted,” a top ranking state official at Patna said on condition of anonymity.

The proposed map of Bihar governmnet for a museum and other modern tourist facelities at Lakhisarai .

Echoing that official, Narendra Kumar Sringi, a Lakhisarai based social activist said ,  “see the condition of excavated site. Secretary of Art Culture department, government of Bihar, Bandana Prēẏasī  visited recently with tall claims but result is zero”. Preyasi informed the media persons at the excavated site that the state government has initiated measures to develop Lakhisarai as a popular tourist spot. She also disclosed that it was a long project to be completed stepwise.

“If you see the condition of such places having historical significances and have immense tourism potentials in Bihar, you can find how such places are being ignored by the government and its concerned agencies.  Same is happening with Lal Pahari also. After my all the possible efforts for conservation of excavated site government  has not started yet the conservation work. Gradually site is getting damaged, Dr Anil lamented sadly.

Professor Dr Anil at Lal Pahari.

“ Three years ago after the excavation I raised my concern for conservation. My predictions are becoming true. Scholars from all around visiting but shameless officials sitting in capital are not showing any concern. Everyone busy in Bihar Museum as if history of whole Bihar is confined in a building,” he alleged further.

Recently Robert Linrothe, Jinan Kim, noted researchers of archaeology  from USA visited the site and were surprised to find the site laying in abject condition. “This is a national rather international heritage site for the people who are in mainstream research of Buddhism and also the followers of Buddhism. In our country, the government takes care of all such things.  Look how the precious witness of history gradually getting destruction mainly due to lack of proper conservations,” they openly alleged.

Recently Robert Linrothe, Jinan Kim, noted researchers of archaeology from USA visited Lal Pahari.

Earlier, the department of art, culture and youth affairs (directorate of archaeology), Bihar, had notified that places linked to Gautam Buddha and also once powerful Buddhist centres during the Pala period, such as Lal Pahari, Balgudar Ghar, Satsanda hills known as Nonghar, Ghoshikundi hills, Bichwa hills and Laiy hills were notified under Section 3 of the Bihar Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites, Remains and Art Treasures Act, 1976, on February 2, 2018.

Secretary of Art Culture department, government of Bihar, Bandana Prēẏasī visited Lal Pahari.

Bihar government’s notification on protecting five sites with archaeological significance in a single notification was in itself a history in the country, government sources claimed earlier. However, three such places with archaeological importance in the district like Uren, Balgudar and Nonghar could not make it to the list of protected sites, mainly due to some technical faults.

The Lakhisarai district administration has also geared up in the wake of the notification and sent requisition to the state headquarters earlier for fencing along with other conservation works at the five sites.

As per the rules,  a copy of the notification for the proposed declaration of protected places were fixed at the sites and two months time given to invite public opinion. “Except for public objection from Balgudar Ghar, there was not a single public opposition to the other sites,” recalled Dr Anil.

He said due to the location of a grave yard on Balgudar hills, which is not very old, local inhabitants raised objection to the place being included in the protected places list. Similarly, since the local administration of Ramghar Chak block in the district didn’t send revenue details, Nonghar site was also not included in the list, he alleged.

“Discovery of such structural evidence below the earth could unfold the ancient history of this area, where Buddha had spent three monsoons as mentioned in Buddhist texts. Such places are very important in modern studies of Buddhism in the world, pointed out Behari Lal Choudhary, former head of the of post graduate department of ancient history and archaeology, Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University while adding that Bihar government’s neglect of this place is very shameful.


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