2020-10-01 Thu

Mahasthangarh is one of the earliest archaeological sites In Bangladesh. The site is located in Mahasthan village of Bogra district. An ancient city called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura was dug out which was an important city under the Maurya Empire.

The term ‘Mahasthan’ means fort. Mahasthan was first mentioned in a Sanskrit text of Vallalcharita in the 13th century.

Francis Buchanan Hamilton was the first to locate and visit Mahasthangarh in 1808. It was followed by other archaeologists such as C.J.O'Donnell, E.V.Westmacott, and Beveridge. Alexander Cunningham identified the place as the capital of Pundravardhana.

Besides the fortified area, other excavated mounds were Gobhindo Bhita, Khulnar Dhap, Mangalkot, Gokul Medh, Shkonder Dhap and Godaibari Dhap temples, Totaram Panditer Dhap monastery and Noropotir Dhap group of monasteries.

The excavated items also include numbers of inscriptions, coins, ceramics, sculptures and terracotta plaques.

Visit philamart to view and purchase variety of stamps from all over the world.

Image Courtesy: Stampsoftheworld.co.uk