Arc Sites Page: 06.

Archaeological Sites

GARHPURA TEMPLES ( Thakurbari & Shiv Temple )
Garhpura Temple
Garhpura
Begusarai

Harigiri Dham
34 K.M.North; North – East from Begusarai district headquarters.
Temple
Sculpture
Thakurbari

The temple has a tradition of more than 400 years. The present Mahanth Ram Kumar Das jee is the 15th  in  the tradition. The temple follows a rectangular plan on a 1 m high platform. The base expands in an area of 20m x 20m with 10m wide courtyard and 20m x 10m2 main structures. The height is almost 10m. few Black stones and Astathatu sculpture are placed here.

• Sun, Blackstone

Rajputa period 
H – 50 cm
W – 30 cm
The sun has been bought here from Jaimangal garh. Standing Sun holding lotus in two hands. Two female figures can be seen on each side.

• Male deity, Blackstone

Measurement could not be taken due to customary provisions. The Deity is holding some things in its hands.

• Stone plate, Blackstone

L – 13 cm
W – 06 cm
Seems to be the plate of Saptarishi.

HARIGIRI DHAM
Temple
Almost 1½ Kms. East to Garhpura,
32 K.M. North – East from Begusarai district headquarters.
This is a famous religious place in this region.

• Shiv Linga, Blackstone

H – 35 cm.
Diameter – 20 cm.
It is a Mukhlinga having one face carved on the Linga.

• Saraswati, Blackstone

H – 15 cm.
W – 10 cm.

BAKHARI
Begusarai
16 K.M. E N E to Manjhaul,
34 K.M. North – East from Begusarai district headquarters.

1. Bahura Mama Temple – The old temple near Bakhari Railway crossing has been renovated several times in the past. It is said to be almost 400 years old. A stone sculpture of ‘Bahurra Mama’, the famous Godhin in the local tradition, is placed in the Garbhagriha.
2. Bahura Godhin Shaktipeeth – Bahura Godhin is the famous character of the local folk tradition of Bakhari and its surroundings. There are a number of stories associated to her power and glory. The old belief that the famous Godhin used to perform her magical activities is still in custom. There is an old vast ‘Pakar’ tree on this Shaktipeeth. Three ‘pindis’ namely Bahura, Durga and Kamala measuring 16 cm, 20 cm and 6 cm diameters can be seen on the incircling platform. Devotees and aspirants of magical powers used to come here and fulfill there wishes.
3. Ram Janaki Temple – it is an old temple almost 50 m from Bahura Mama temple. Almost 15 – 16 m high ‘Shikara’ adds to its glory. An astadhatu sculpture of RamJanaki is placed in the Garbhagriha. The temple is said to be 350 years old.
4. Shiv Temple – It is situated almost 50 m west to Ram  Janaki temple. The old Shiv temple seams to be built during the medieval period. The architecture is planned over a 4 m x 5m.  platform.

JAILAKH
Shakarpura
Bakhari, Begusarai
3½ Km. North – east to Bakhari and 37½ Km. ENE from Begusarai district headquarters.
River Bagmati flowing to the north of the site.
Mound – extended in almost 50 Bighas – Height – 1½ m.
Almost 1½ Km. North – west from jailakh village, the site is almost intact. Only the upper layer of the mound has been depleted.

There is a famous Bhagwati Asthan at Jailakh, said to be more than 200 years old. Some old sculpture used to be placed in the corner of the Garbhagriha, but none was ready to speak about that. Only the mark of the stele could be seen as the evidence.

In front of the old Bhagbati Asthan there is an old Peepal tree under which a small Shiva temple almost 250 – 350 years old can be seen. A square holy tank is to its North. The site presents antique landscape.
Pottery – Red ware (Plain & polished), Burnt.
Vessels – Storage vessel, Plate, Deep bowl, Small bowl, cookware.

BIHAT TEMPLE
Bihat
Barauni, Begusarai
16 Km. south – west from Begusarai district headquarters.

The population shift of Bihat is remarkable with the population flow of upper caste people from the south across the Gangas and from the Mithilanchala. The down troddens might have evacuated the place. The temples here seem to represent cultural features.

1. Shiv Temple, Market – This is newer of the temples present here. The platform follows almost square plan of 4m x 4m with a raised height of almost 80 cm. The height of the shikhar is about 10 m. The temple seems to be around 100 years old.
   Black Stone Basaha
   15 cm x 13 cm x 7 cm
   A blackstone sculpture completely defaced is also placed in the Garbhagriha.
2. Jageshwar Baba Temple
   This is one o the oldest temple of Bihat. The temple with its dome shaped top is remarkable and said to be around 350 years old. The platform follows the square plan of 5m x 5m and its height is about 10 m.
   Shiv Ling, Blackstone
   Argha – 19 cm x 28 cm x 41 cm.
   Linga – 23 cm (H), 28 circum.
   Defaced sculpture, Black stone
   (Hands clipping, completely defaced)
   32 cm x 18 cm.
   Broken stele, Black stone
   (Advance sign of deterioration)
   49 cm x 18 cm x 15 cm (Thickness)
3. Gauri – Shankar Temple
   The 150 years old temple was renovated in 1995. The procession of Ram – Vivaha at Bihat starts from this very temple. The sculpture is newer.
4. Amar Das Thakurbari

The 250 years old Thakurbari was renovated in the year 1995-99. Built above a rectangular platform of 1 m. height measuring 15m x 8m. the temple has a central courtyard. The tradition here was started by Baba Sheetal Das Mahanth Amar Das Jee was the sixth saint of the tradition.
At present Mahantha Ramchandra Das holds the office.

5. Bhagwati Asthan

Three sets of structure at present can be seen here. The southern is the oldest and is said to be more than 200 years old. The landscape here is remarkable.

NAULA GARH
(86° 04’ 00”/25° 33’ 15”)
Naula
Birpur, Begusarai
20 Km. North, North – East from Begusarai district headquarters.
Mound

The mound is almost intact. The expansion and landscape is remarkable. The road intersets the mound in two parts. The remains of fortifications had been explored several times by A.I.H.Culture and  Archaeology department of G. D. College, Begusarai. The Northern mound is remarkable for its landscape with natural and man – made water channels.

Pottery – N.B.P., Black slipped, Burnt (Plain & Polished), Red ware (Plain & Polished), Internal Black & External Red type.

Vessels – Heavy type storage vessel, water jar, Dish, cookware, small and large Plate, bowl, Deep
Pan, Flat pan etc.

It is situated only 3½ Kms. westward of the block headquarters Birpur. This enormous mound expands in almost 1½ Km. long area, right from Bhit in the East to Fansiari Tola in Makhwa panchayat in the west. Balan in the East and Bainti in the south creates a remarkable topology for the mound. Both the rivers join in the east almost 1 Km. from the centre. In fact, the mound is divided in different parts –

1. The central fortified area of 360 acers, 1400 acers and 800 acers.
2. Sodhri mound measuring 400m x 100m to the north of the Godh (fort) and
3. The mound of Dih and Bhit to the east of the fortified area.

The A.I.H. Culture and Archaeology Deptt. Of G. D. College, Begusarai under supervision of prof. R. K. Chowdhary  had explored and surveyed this huge area in 1950-52.
A local resident Shri Ramnath Singh  donated the antique collection from this mound to the museum of G. D. College, Begusarai. A black stone broken sculptures with inscription of Vigraha Pala III has been displayed in the K.P.J.A. Museum of the A.I.H. Archaeology Deptt., G. D. College, Begusarai. The concerned inscription is narrated in G. D. College, Buletin – 2.

Naulagash is remarkable for its multi-cultural sequence. A number of coins have been reported to be explored by local people during agricultural practices. The expansion and some evidence of dockyard strongly suggests this place to be the Apan Nigam mentioned in the Buddhist literature. The 200m x 100m old tank which is connected by river Bainti in the west with a 50m. wide deep channel, seems to be made for transportation purpose. It is possible that the eastern side of the tank would have been a platform for loading – unloading of goods. According to the local traditions, this particular tank used to be a secrete path of the royal family to go out side but the topology and the findings till now does not supports this hypothesis.

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