Hindu Temple Built In Early Pala Period Excavated in Bangladesh

Source: www.thedailystar.net
Thusday,April 15,2010

DHAKA, BANGLADESH: Archaeologists of Jahan-girnagar University in Dhaka have recently dug out the first Hindu temple from the early Pala period in Bengal at Chandipur village in Birampur upazila of Dinajpur district, tentatively dating back to the 8th century. No other Hindu temple of any kind dates from Pala period (eighth-eleventh century) was found in Bengal, according to experts.

A team of students of the Department of Archaeology and experienced excavators from Mahasthan started digging on this archaeological mound locally known as “Tileshwarir Mound” in 2007. A number of experts from India, France, England and Bangladesh from various fields including archaeology, geology and geomorphology are collaborating with the team.

Swadhin Sen, the director of the excavation team, said this season they have found another cell on the western part adjoining a cell found previously. According to him the four-pillared room served as the garvagriha and the cell of the west with a brick built platform inside acted as the mandapa as per the layout style of a Hindu temple. He added that the stratigraphy of the excavation proves that the religious edifice was used and reused several times until the 14th-15th century.

The team has found three terracotta plaques from a trench. One of them has been identified with the Vamana incarnation of God Vishnu.