The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found ancient caves and temples from the 9th to 12th centuries, Buddhist structures, and Brahmi inscriptions dating back to the 2nd century, during its exploration at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh in September, 2022. This exercise was held from May 20 to June 27, 2022 by the ASI’s Jabalpur Circle under the direction of Shivkant Bajpai, the superintending archaeologist. The team, consisting of archaeologists, archaeological analysts, photographers, and forest guards, covered nearly 170 km2 within the core area of the tiger reserve. These explorations have added a new chapter in the history of Baghelkand, which is said to have derived its name from the Vaghela Rajput kings of the 14th century. Baghelkand covers the northeastern regions of Madhya Pradesh, and a small area of southeastern Uttar Pradesh.
Home to the majestic big cats, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is located about 500 km from the state capital, Bhopal. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968, and became a tiger reserve in 1993. According to the ASI, explorations in the region had been undertaken for the first time in 1938, under the command of archaeologist, N.P. Chakravarty.
The Findings
Some of the key findings are as follows:
- In a first of its kind exploration, the ASI has found over 100 remains, including largest Varaha scripture, considered taller than the one discovered in Kerala, and remains of 26 caves, mainly Buddhist. These caves belong to the Kalachuri period. The Kalachuri dynasty, which had spread over parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, is also associated with the earliest Ellora and Elephanta cave monuments. Some of the caves have carvings of board games that are similar to Ali Guli Mane in Karnataka.
- Of these remains, 10 sculptures had already been found and reported in the previous ASI survey of 1938. The caves and some of their remains had ‘Chaitya’ (rounded) doors and stone beds which were typical of Mahayana Buddhism sites. These caves date back to the same time as the Ajanta caves in Aurangabad. Names of some of the businessmen and donors were inscribed in some of the caves that are being studied.
- A votive stupa and a Buddhist pillar fragment containing miniature stupa carving, dating back to the second and third centuries AD, have been documented as part of this exploration. The findings of Buddhist structures in the region, where a Hindu dynasty had ruled, suggested the religious harmony. Thus, the total number of caves found in Bandhavgarh has become 76, as 50 were already in the records of 1938.
- The ASI team found 24 inscriptions in Brahmi text dating back to the 2nd and 5th centuries, and mentions name of cities such as Mathura and Kaushambi, Pavata, Vejabharada, and Saptanaairikaa. The text suggests that there were trading ties. Names of people from other cities are also mentioned who had donated something to Bandhavgarh. The kings mentioned include Maharaja Bhimasena, Maharaja Pothasiri, and Bhattadeva. The number of reported sculptures has increased to 56, from the previous 10.
- Mural inscriptions in old scripts like Shankhalipi and Nagari have also been found. Remains of one of the ancient temples which was dedicated to poet Kabir have also been documented.
- Two Saiva mutts have also been documented.
- There were 26 fragments, 19 water bodies across various quarry sites, and brick kiln.
- There were remains of the Gupta period, such as door jambs and carvings in the caves, that have also been found.
- There were also coins which belonged to the Mughal-era and Sharqi dynasty of Jaunpur Sultanate.
- The ASI also found statue of another avatar of Lord Vishnu ‘Matsya’ and board games made in natural caves.
Also, 35 temples have been documented in the reserve, of which 26 were done during the latest expedition. The remains of the 26 temples date back to the Kalachuri period, which was between 9th and 11th centuries.
Significance of the Findings
According to the ASI, it is for the first time that all the remains that are visible to anyone visiting the specific regions of the reserve, have been officially documented. While digital documentation and videography has been done, metal signs could not be placed for visitors as they may be harmful for animals living inside the reserve.
In 1938, N.P. Chakravarty had mainly focused on exploring and documenting the inscriptions. Therefore, not much is known about the architecture of the caves. There is no significant report in the public domain about the region.
Claims by Other Archaeologists
According to Professor Nayanjot Lahiri of Ashoka University, Haryana, she had also communicated regarding the evidences that ASI has claimed in the peer-reviewed publication, Current Science, in February 2022, which was accepted for publication by the journal, and was published online on June 20, 2022, and came out in print on September 25, 2022. She, along with other scholars, had surveyed Bandhavgarh in 2021, in four phases, and had located 81 rock-cut shelters, of which 44 bore numbers of the forest department. These rock-cut shelters also contained carvings in their interiors and occasionally on the cave exterior. As per these inscriptions, written in Brahmi script, in the Prakrit language, the shelters had been built as resting spaces for merchants and traders.
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