The village of Moghalmari (21[degrees]57' N and 87[degrees]16' E) is in the district of Paschim Medinipur, about 5.2 kilometres north of Dantan town and 46 kilometres south of Kharagpur railway station on National Highway 60 (figure 1). This part of Paschim Medinipur belongs to the Dakshina Rarha (Rarh] region. The major drainage system of the area around Moghalmari is the River Suvarnarekha with its numerous spill channels. The site was originally located on the left bank of the Suvarnarekha, but now the river flows about 4.5 kilometres west of Moghalmari. There are also a number of other water sources like tanks and ponds (dighis) which are special features of the Rarh region.
Historical background:
According to early historical literary sources, the area in and around Dantan formed either part of the Suhma territory or an extension of the geographical orbit of the trading port of Tamralipta. From the 7th century cE it came to be known as Dandabhukti, a major provincial administrative division under the rule of Sasanka (604-624 CE). Epigraphic evidence from this region suggests that the area formed part of the Dandabhukti mandala in the 11th century under the control of the Kamboja ruler Nayapala (1030-55 CE). The territory around Dantan has often been taken to have constituted a part of the early medieval (6th-7th centuries CE) geopolitical unit called Dakshina Rarh and has been equated with 7th-century Dandabhukti. The prosperity of the region in that period in terms of both polity and culture is unquestionable in the light of consistent discoveries of epigraphic and artefactual remains here from time to time.
The archaeological remains of Moghalmari represent the most extensive evidence of early medieval culture in the region. It may be pointed out here in this connection that the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang who visited Bengal in 638 CE immediately after Sasanka's reign, has referred to the existence of four kingdoms in Bengal- Pundravardhana (northern Bengal) with 20 monasteries and 3,000 monks; Samatata (southeastern Bangladesh) with 30 monasteries and 2,000 monks; Tamralipta (modern Tamluk and adjoining areas) with 10 monasteries and 1,000 monks; and Karnasuvarna (Murshidabad) with 10 monasteries and 2,000 monks. In the context of this observation by the Chinese pilgrim, Debala Mitra (1980, p. 238) in her famous book Buddhist Monuments says: "It is a great regret that the vestiges of not a single establishment have so far been identified at modern Tamluk." The present discovery of a monastic complex at Moghalmari is therefore a significant landmark in the history of Bengal and vindicates the pilgrim's observation for the first time. In fact, the monastic complex at Moghalmari did not grow in isolation. Both literary and archaeological evidences indicate that the site was in the close vicinity of a trade route connecting Tamralipta with other Buddhist monuments beyond the Suvarnarekha--Jayrampur, Basta, Khiching, Baleswar, Pushpagiri (Lalitgiri) of Orissa or Oddra, as well as Nalanda and Bodhgaya of ancient Magadha. The prosperity of the Moghalmari monastic complex during the 5th/6th century CE was no doubt a result of its proximity to this trade route.
Excavations at Moghalmari :
The village of Moghalmari was selected for excavation in 2003-04 by the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta. (1) Before undertaking the excavation programme, different parts of both Purva (East) and Paschim (West) Medinipur were explored extensively to understand the potential of the area. These explorations yielded a large number of archaeological materials including inscribed Buddhist and Brahmanical stone sculptures, an inscribed terracotta seal (figure 2), different varieties of pottery of the 6th-7th centuries, and a Sultanate coin dated to 1473-74. After intensive explorations at various localities of Moghalmari village, two sectors (designated as MGM1 and MGM2) were selected. In 2006-07 more extensive excavations were carried out and one more sector, MGM3, was identified as a potential area. The major objectives of excavation at Moghalmari were:
a. To expose the structural remains at MGM1 in order to ascertain its character in totality.
b. To identify, if possible, the remains from Moghalmari with those of early medieval Dandabhukti.
c. To establish the cultural sequence of the site and correlate its different components in order to comprehensively demonstrate the settlement pattern.
MGM1 represents a large structural mound (80 x 80 metres) with bricks strewn all over its surface. Locally called Sakhisener Dhibi or Sashisener Dhibi (the mound of Sakhisena/Sashisena), this mound is the largest of its kind not only at Moghalmari but in the whole of the neighbouring region. MGM2 is a habitation site within the modern settlement area of the village to its north. It is associated with five circular brick bases of stupas (votive?) and has evidence of pottery scattered all over the surface. MGM3 is located about 200 metres south and southeast of MGM2 and again represents a habitation. The layout of excavations at MGM1 was depicted in horizontal plan after Sir Mortimer Wheeler. Since one of the basic objectives of excavation was to expose the buried structure of MGM1, we divided the mound into 144 grids or trenches covering a total area of 5,184 square metres. Each trench measures 6 x 6 metres. In 2003-04, altogether 14 trenches, nine in the western part of the mound and five in the southern part, were taken up for excavation covering a total area of 504 square metres. The trenches were partially or fully exposed at different levels according to requirements.
Historical background:
According to early historical literary sources, the area in and around Dantan formed either part of the Suhma territory or an extension of the geographical orbit of the trading port of Tamralipta. From the 7th century cE it came to be known as Dandabhukti, a major provincial administrative division under the rule of Sasanka (604-624 CE). Epigraphic evidence from this region suggests that the area formed part of the Dandabhukti mandala in the 11th century under the control of the Kamboja ruler Nayapala (1030-55 CE). The territory around Dantan has often been taken to have constituted a part of the early medieval (6th-7th centuries CE) geopolitical unit called Dakshina Rarh and has been equated with 7th-century Dandabhukti. The prosperity of the region in that period in terms of both polity and culture is unquestionable in the light of consistent discoveries of epigraphic and artefactual remains here from time to time.
The archaeological remains of Moghalmari represent the most extensive evidence of early medieval culture in the region. It may be pointed out here in this connection that the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang who visited Bengal in 638 CE immediately after Sasanka's reign, has referred to the existence of four kingdoms in Bengal- Pundravardhana (northern Bengal) with 20 monasteries and 3,000 monks; Samatata (southeastern Bangladesh) with 30 monasteries and 2,000 monks; Tamralipta (modern Tamluk and adjoining areas) with 10 monasteries and 1,000 monks; and Karnasuvarna (Murshidabad) with 10 monasteries and 2,000 monks. In the context of this observation by the Chinese pilgrim, Debala Mitra (1980, p. 238) in her famous book Buddhist Monuments says: "It is a great regret that the vestiges of not a single establishment have so far been identified at modern Tamluk." The present discovery of a monastic complex at Moghalmari is therefore a significant landmark in the history of Bengal and vindicates the pilgrim's observation for the first time. In fact, the monastic complex at Moghalmari did not grow in isolation. Both literary and archaeological evidences indicate that the site was in the close vicinity of a trade route connecting Tamralipta with other Buddhist monuments beyond the Suvarnarekha--Jayrampur, Basta, Khiching, Baleswar, Pushpagiri (Lalitgiri) of Orissa or Oddra, as well as Nalanda and Bodhgaya of ancient Magadha. The prosperity of the Moghalmari monastic complex during the 5th/6th century CE was no doubt a result of its proximity to this trade route.
Excavations at Moghalmari :
The village of Moghalmari was selected for excavation in 2003-04 by the Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta. (1) Before undertaking the excavation programme, different parts of both Purva (East) and Paschim (West) Medinipur were explored extensively to understand the potential of the area. These explorations yielded a large number of archaeological materials including inscribed Buddhist and Brahmanical stone sculptures, an inscribed terracotta seal (figure 2), different varieties of pottery of the 6th-7th centuries, and a Sultanate coin dated to 1473-74. After intensive explorations at various localities of Moghalmari village, two sectors (designated as MGM1 and MGM2) were selected. In 2006-07 more extensive excavations were carried out and one more sector, MGM3, was identified as a potential area. The major objectives of excavation at Moghalmari were:
a. To expose the structural remains at MGM1 in order to ascertain its character in totality.
b. To identify, if possible, the remains from Moghalmari with those of early medieval Dandabhukti.
c. To establish the cultural sequence of the site and correlate its different components in order to comprehensively demonstrate the settlement pattern.
MGM1 represents a large structural mound (80 x 80 metres) with bricks strewn all over its surface. Locally called Sakhisener Dhibi or Sashisener Dhibi (the mound of Sakhisena/Sashisena), this mound is the largest of its kind not only at Moghalmari but in the whole of the neighbouring region. MGM2 is a habitation site within the modern settlement area of the village to its north. It is associated with five circular brick bases of stupas (votive?) and has evidence of pottery scattered all over the surface. MGM3 is located about 200 metres south and southeast of MGM2 and again represents a habitation. The layout of excavations at MGM1 was depicted in horizontal plan after Sir Mortimer Wheeler. Since one of the basic objectives of excavation was to expose the buried structure of MGM1, we divided the mound into 144 grids or trenches covering a total area of 5,184 square metres. Each trench measures 6 x 6 metres. In 2003-04, altogether 14 trenches, nine in the western part of the mound and five in the southern part, were taken up for excavation covering a total area of 504 square metres. The trenches were partially or fully exposed at different levels according to requirements.
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