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Lakhisarai : Otherwise known for noted goons and left extremists, Lakhisarai, a sleepy district in eastern Bihar has also historical significances for archaeological importance. Bihar government has decided to include as many as 7 such sights having historical significances, in the list of protected sites of the state government.

According to Atul Kumar Verma , director, state archaeological directorate, seven sites  like Bhosi Kundi, Bichuwey, Baal Gudar, Non Garh and Jainagar Lal Pahadi has been included in the list of protected sites of the Bihar government.  Earlier in February last, the archaeological directorate department which functions under art, culture and youth affairs department,  had surveyed 17 archaeological places in Lakhisarai district and  finally the seven sites are included  in the list, he informed. Principal secretary of art, culture and youth affairs department, government of Bihar has recently nodded the list, he said.

Verma further mentioned that  Lakhisarai district administration has recently been asked to furnish revenue details of the sites, following which the selected sites would be notified. “Objections would be sought on the proposed sites following the first notification. The final notification would be issued after 60 days of the first notification,” he said.

Lakhisarai was an important political and religious center from early medieval (AD550-1200) to Pala period (AD 8th-12th century) but very unfortunately it earned notoriety in modern periods mainly due to noted goons and Maoists. Excavation of sands from its river bed has synonyms with crime and some topographically inaccessible parts of the district with evergreen forests and hills are converted into the safe corridors of reds. High rates of illiteracy, poverty in absence of proper employment opportunities and even lack of

Ancient idol of hermit, Sringirishi.

measures to the dry lands, made the inhabitants rude and ruthless to some extent. Lakhisarai earlier as a sub-division of Munger district, carved out as a separate district in early nineties during the tenure of Laloo Prasad Yadav as chief minister, mainly for maintaining law and order situations.

Situated at the confluence of Ganga, Kiul and Harohar rivers, Lakhisarai  presently has  50 archaeologically rich sites spread over 50 square kilometres. Anil Kumar, associate professor at Visva Bharati University, Santinoketan who was also a member of the high-level team which surveyed Lakhisarai last year, pointed out the silent features of the historical significances of Lakisarai. According to him Lakhisarai was  also one of the political capitals of Pala empire of Bengal.

Noted British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham who visited Lakhisarai also had mentioned in his archaeological reports about a Kushan period stupa at Non Garh. The discovery of a relic stupa at Bhosi Kundi where ashes of Lord Buddha were kep, was also mentioned in his reports. Buddhist literatures along with important historical texts also have confirmed that Buddha had spent three rainy seasons at Bhosi Kundi.

A member in that team revealed that a hill mound at Bichuwey  was found during the survey in last year.  It was claimed that Bal Gudar was an administrative center in the early medieval period and  Jainagar Lal Pahadi was one of the political capitals during Pala period.

Apart from the findings by the archeologists, Lakhisarai also claimed to be attached with Ramayana era as the  place  having  religious significance is associated with the hermit, Sringirishi, who, legend has it, used to live here.

Temple of Sringirishi, at the foothills of Kajra mountains.

Ramayana has it that King Dasaratha once visited the hermit to seek his blessings for having sons. The hermit gave the king some fruits for his three queens and subsequently they gave birth to Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan.

Situated off NH-80 and between Munger and Lakhisarai, Sringirishi Dham is one of the most picturesque locales in this part of the state. The mystic natural bounty of the place, which has its reference to in the Ramayana, however, does not give an inkling of the fact that it has over the years become a citadel of the Naxalites.

However, Verma told News5pm that Sringirishi Dham is also under the scanner of his department. “ We have started work on the place as we discovered some old edifices at that hill where Sringirishi Dam is located,” he told.