ASI to develop ancient site of Vikramshila Mahavihara
Pranava K Chaudhary, TNN 10 October 2009, 04:42am IST

PATNA: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has chalked out a comprehensive plan to develop the ancient site of Vikramshila Mahavihara (8th century AD) as an international tourist destination. The site is located 47 km away from Bhagalpur railway station.

ASI DG K N Srivastava on Friday reached Bhagalpur to visit the site to finalize a master plan to develop it. Ancient Vikramshila complex would be developed at par with ancient Nalanda. Srivastava will visit the ancient site on Saturday morning.

Vikramshila Mahavihara was founded during the rule of Pala king Dharmapala (CE 783-820) and remained an important centre of learning for about four centuries.

"We have chalked out a comprehensive plan to develop the ancient site as well as its surroundings to make it an international tourist destination. The plan would be finalized after the on the spot visit of the DG," said superintending archaeologist, ASI, Patna circle, S K Manjul.

He told TOI that the integrated management plan would mainly include strengthening of the existing museum, outer and inner development of horticulture as per the suitability of the site, its conservation, chemical treatment and beautification.

The road connectivity to the main site would also be one of the major parts of development plans of the site, Manjul said.

Currently, the upkeep and maintenance of the site is not up to the mark. "Due to the lack of proper maintenance and conservation of the site, some of the artifacts are fast decaying," said a local teacher. The conservation work is urgently needed to protect this site.

Former HoD of ancient Indian history and archaeology, Patna University, the late B P Sinha had conducted its first excavation on the highest mound of the site in 1960 and continued till 1969. Later, an excavation of the site was conducted by the ASI from 1971-72 to 1982 under the supervision of B S Verma. "A unique feature of the Vikramshila is its dozen underground cells at the depth of 1.35 meter. These underground cells might have been used by monks for meditation. The number of monk scholars at Vikramshila in the 12th century is estimated to be about 3,000," said a professor of the department of ancient Indian history, culture and archaeology, T M Bhagalpur University, Rajiva K Sinha.

He said that the Vikramshila Mahavihara was the major centre of the tantric cult of the Buddhism. Sinha recently published a research paper on `The Making of Vikramshila Mahavihara: Material Milieu and Socio-Economic Context' in the Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies.
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