Paharpur Buddhist Bihar

The Buddhist monastery known as Paharpur Buddhist Bihar or Somapura Mahavihara is an ancient structure that is almost destroyed. Paharpur Buddhist Vihara is located just 10 km from Badalgachi Upazila of Naogaon district. Sri Dharmapaladeva, the 2nd king of the famous Palavansh dynasty, built this Buddhist monastery in the 9th century. Sir Cunningham discovered this historical structure in 1879. In 1985, UNESCO listed Paharpur Buddhist Vihara as a World Heritage Site. Paharpur Buddhist Vihara was known as a center of Buddhist practice for almost 300 years. At that time, Buddhists from Tibet, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar also rushed to Paharpur Buddhist Vihara to practice and gain knowledge.

Paharpur Buddh Vihar extends to 922 feet in north and south and 919 feet in east-west. Buddhist monks lived in a total of 177 houses in the monastery. A temple adorns the center of Bihar, measuring 400 feet in length and 350 feet in width, and the temple is about 70 feet high. On the outer wall of the temple are statues of Buddha and Hindu deities and several burnt clay plaques. The main enclosure of Paharpur Buddhist Vihar is about 20 feet wide. Another Buddhist temple can be seen inside the enclosure.

The quadrangular Paharpur Vihar was surrounded by a wide boundary wall. There were 92 small rooms lined up inside the boundary wall. It is assumed that all the rooms were inhabited by monks and later some rooms were used as prayer rooms. Bihar has its main entrance through the northern side. Till 1984 there was a pond in front of the entrance. Excavations here in 1984-85 yielded huge silver coins of the reign of Caliph Harun Al Rashid, which are kept in the museum adjacent to Paharpur Buddhist Monastery. Also several statues, coins and inscriptions etc. are found from Paharpur Buddhist Vihara.

Central Temple : Inside the Paharpur Buddhist Vihara are the ruins of the central temple in the middle of the open square. Around 2,000 terracotta plaques are found all over the walls of the temple, a wonderful architectural masterpiece. The main temple, 400 feet long and 350 feet wide, was built of mud mixed with bricks.

Baths and latrines : A number of baths and latrines are constructed on a platform outside the Buddhist monastery at a distance of about 27 meters from the southern wall. The bathhouse and lavatory were connected to Room No. 102 of the Buddhist Vihara through a raised walkway.

Sandhyavati Ghat : A Shanbandhano Ghat can be seen outside the walls of Paharpur Buddhist Vihar in the south-east corner. This Ghat is known as Sandhyawati Ghat. It is said that Sandhyavati, daughter of King Maidlan used to bathe in this ghat.

Open Courts : Traces of several ruined buildings can be seen in the open court within the Buddhist monastery. Administrative buildings, canteens, kitchens, offering piles, wells etc. are scattered here.

Satyapir's Vita : Satyapir's Vita is located 365 meters east of Paharpur Buddhist Vihara. A star temple and the remains of 132 offering stupas are found at Satyapir's residence. About 50 terracotta plaques, eight-armed goddesses and terracotta seals inscribed with Buddhist religious doctrines have been found in the temple premises. There are 132 offering piles in the temple premises.

Gandheshwari Temple : Another temple is seen just 12 meters west of Sandhyavati Snan Ghat. The temple is locally known as Gandeshwari temple. The length of the temple is 6.7 meters and width is 3.5 meters. The southern wall of the temple houses the idol of the Buddha goddess Padmapani and the front wall has a design of lotus flowers.

Paharpur Buddhist Vihara is closed on full day every Sunday and half day on Mondays. It is also closed on any public holiday. It is open from April to September from 10am to 6pm and on Mondays from 2.30pm to 6pm. Open from 9am to 5pm from October to March and from 1.30pm to 5pm on Mondays.

From anywhere in the country, you can go directly to Paharpur Buddh Vihar from Naogaon Baludanga bus terminal by bus fare of 40 to 50 taka from Naogaon district town. Distance from Naogaon to Paharpur is about 32 kilometers. Or you can come to Jaipurhat district and hire a bus or autorickshaw from there to reach Paharpur Buddhist Vihar easily. Paharpur Buddhist Vihar is just 13 km away from Jaipurhat. If it is convenient for you to visit Jaipurhat district then it will be convenient to visit Jaipurhat district just to visit Paharpur Buddhist Vihara.

You can go to Naogaon by train, get off at Santahar station and take an auto rickshaw to the nearby Naogaon town. Then from Naogaon one can go to Bihar in the above mentioned way. If you want to go to Joypurhat by train, you can get down at Jamalganj railway station and go to Paharpur Buddhist Vihar, which is 5 km away, by van or autorickshaw.

There are some fairly decent food hotels in front of the Bihar entrance gate.

There is no overnight stay in Paharpur but you can stay overnight in Naogaon district headquarters. Notable among the residential hotels located in Naogaon are: Mallika Inn, Hotel Avakash, Hotel Yamuna, Hotel Raj, Hotel Aghani, Hotel Plaban, Motel Chisati and Hotel Sarani. If Joypurhat is convenient for you, you can stay in a decent hotel there.