Nandadirghi Mahavihara: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia


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'''Nandadirghi''' was a Buddhist ''mahavihara'' in ancient and medieval [[Bengal]].{{sfn|Amar|2009|p=235}} Considered one of the centers of learning in ancient Bengal, it is located at [[Jagjivanpur]] village, {{convert|41|km|mi}} east of present-day [[Malda, West Bengal|Malda city]] by road. The almost square-style Mahaviharamahavihara, Nandadirghi, founded in the 9th century, a similar style was followed in other ''vihara''s of [[eastern India]], such as [[Lalitgiri]] in Odisha.

Nandadirghi was founded in the 9th century during the reign of the [[Pala Empire]]. The mahavihara continued to flourish with the patronage of the rulers of the Pala Empire.

== The Mahavihara ==

== Architecture ==

Nandadirghi Mahavihara is a Buddhist monastery complex. Located on the banks of the ancient Tongil River, it is considered one of the Buddhist-religious structures in Bengal.

=== Site and plan ===

The Nandadirghi is a combination of the open courtyard—the area surrounding the central building or monastery structure—and the courtyard planned at the center of the central structure. The open courtyard surrounding the central monastery structure was protected by a moat. The ''vihara'' is oriented towards the east, and the ''Vedi'' ([[altar]]) inside is also oriented towards the east and main entrance. The quadrangle of the structure has bastion-cum-cells, this type of ''vihara'' design can also be observed in [[Vikramashila Mahavihara|Vikramashila Mahavihara]]. All these cells had access initially, but were later closed.{{sfn|Ghosh|1997|pp=133–134}}

=== Features ===

==== Outer enclosure ====

Although its excavated ruins cover an area of ​​only 9432 square meters today, the Nandadirghi Mahavihara occupied a much larger area during the medieval period.<ref name="telegraphindia1">{{cite news |last1=Datta |first1=Rangan |title=The story of a ninth-century Buddhist ‘vihara’ in Malda |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/lifestyle/a-history-lesson-at-the-pala-dynastys-ninth-century-buddhist-complex-of-nandadirghi-vihara-in-malda-that-was-discovered-thanks-to-a-copper-plate/cid/1857983 |access-date=28 September 2024 |work=The Telegraph |date=28 March 2022}}</ref> The mahavihara complex was surrounded by a moat, the ditch of which is extant today. Most of the area of ​​the complex is used as human settlement and agricultural land.<ref name="banglapedia">{{cite web |last1=Sengupta |first1=Gautam |title=Jagjivanpur - Banglapedia |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Jagjivanpur |website=en.banglapedia.org |access-date=28 September 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==== Central structure ====

[[File:Nandadirghi 4.jpg|300px|thumb|left|The renovated central structure of the Mahavihar and the view tower standing next to it.]]

The Mahavihara structure stands on a raised terrace within the compound. It consists of chambers and ''vedi'' with ''varanda''s encircling a square courtyard. The structure has only one entrance, which is on the east side.{{sfn|Bhattacharya|2017|p=152}} The chambers are unequal in size, measurements of the largest chamber—4 meters by 4.10 meters.{{sfn|Bhattacharya|2017|p=151}}

[[File:Nandadirghi 6.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The circular structure or well, which is located in the north-east corner of the courtyard.]]

The Mahavihara structure is almost square, and consists of a tower chamber at each corner of the exterior and a square courtyard inside.{{sfn|Ghosh|1997|pp=132–134}} The courtyard was surrounded by paths adjacent to the [[Veranda|varanda]], which was constructed of [[tile|tiles]].{{sfn|Ghosh|1997|p=132}} At the north-east corner of the courtyard is a circular structure, which is assumed by researchers to be a well. There are two staircases on the eastern and western sides of the courtyard, the staircase on the western side being larger in size. The ''Veranda'' of [[Vihāra]] was 3 meters wide.

The main entrance faces the east, and the mahavihara has the ''vedi'' (altar) on the west. The entrance begins as a staircase on the outside, and is connected on the inside by two porchs—the front porch and the back porch. The porchs measure—10.20 meters in North-South and 3.50 meters in East-West. The front porch and the back porch were connected to each other by a 2 meter wide door.{{sfn|Bhattacharya|2017|p=152}}

== References ==

{{reflist|3}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{cite book |last1=Ghosh |first1=Pradyot |title=মালদহ জেলার পুরাকীর্তি |date=1997 |publisher=Directorate Of Archaeology And Museums, Information and Cultural Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal |location=Kolkata |page=129–137 |edition=1st |language=bn |chapter= সংযোজন - জগজ্জীবনপুর |type=Paperback}}

* {{cite journal |editor1-last=Bhattacharya |editor1-first=Ashok |editor2-last=Santra |editor2-first=Tarapada |editor3-last=Majumdar |editor3-first=Hemen |editor4-last=Mukhopadhyay |editor4-first=Sameer kumar |editor5-last=Bose |editor5-first=Debashis |editor6-last=Chowdhury |editor6-first=Indrajit |editor7-last=Mitra |editor7-first=Sumedh |editor8-last=Sengupta |editor8-first=Gautam |title=পুরাবৃত্ত ১ |journal=Purabritta |date=2017 |pages=145-160 |publisher=Directorate Of Archaeology And Museums, Information and Cultural Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal |location=Kolkata |language=bn}}

* {{cite web |last1=Amar |first1=Abhishek Singh |title=Contextualising the Navel of the Earth: The Emergence, Sustenance and Religious Transformation of Buddhism in the Bodhgaya Region (Circa. 300 BCE - 1200 CE) |url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/29300/1/10731395.pdf |access-date=29 September 2024 |date=2009}}

== External links ==

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[[Category:Ancient universities of the Indian subcontinent]]

[[Category:Defunct Buddhist monasteries]]