THREAD - Sirpur, Chhattisgarh

1. On the banks of the Mahanadi River in Chhattisgarh lie the ruins of the magnificent and ancient city of Sirpur, which has monuments dating as far back as the 6th century CE.

2. The city, 80 kms from modern day Raipur, was once the capital of Sharbhapuriya & Panduvamshi Kings of the
Dakshina Kosala state.

3. What’s interesting is that, Sirpur was swallowed by the jungle and thus lost, to be very properly excavated only very recently, in the year 2000. Since the discovery of Sirpur is so recent, excavations are still underway.

4. But what has been discovered is so spectacular that you can only imagine what a flourishing city it must have been during its heyday.

5. EXCAVATIONS

12 Buddhist viharas (monasteries)
1 Jain vihara
Monolithic statues of Buddha and Mahavira
22 Shiva Temples
5 Vishnu Temples
An Ayurveda Treatment Centre
An Underground Granary Market
A Bath (Snan Kund) – (Picture in the right corner)

(1200-1500 years old)

6. According to researcher Geri Hockfield Malandra, who had done extensive work on the cave temples at Ellora, there are striking similarities between the artwork in Sirpur and Ellora caves, that may suggest a flow of ideas and artists between the two regions.

7. She also says that Sirpur was a significant bronze workshop,
and Buddhist bronze art excavated from here is among the “finest bronze sculptures” of that era.

8. What is known is that, Sirpur (Sripura, the city of Lakshmi) reached its golden age under the reign of
Somavamshi King Teevardeva (7th Century).
Chinese pilgrim, traveller and scholar Hiuen-Tsang visited Sirpur in 639 CE as a part of his travels across India.

9. He wrote that Sirpur’s inhabitants were tall, dark, and prosperous. He described the ruler as being Kshatriya and the presence of as many as 100 Buddhist monasteries inhabited by 10,000 Buddhist monks and more than 150 Hindu temples

10. An important feature of Sirpur was state of the art town planning, with well laid out streets, drainage and plumbing systems, as well as royal quarters, granaries, housing for priests & medical facilities.

11. The earliest dated Sirpur monument is the Lakshmana temple, dated to 595-605 CE. Above the sanctum door’s lintel are carvings that show a reclining Vishnu on Shesha (Anantasayana Vishnu) and a panel Krishna from Bhagavata Purana.

12. Just 100 meters south-east of this temple is the Rama temple. Although entirely in ruins, locals believe this was a
Ram-Lakshmana pair. Its foundation hints at it being built according to the star shaped Jagati pattern.

13. However, the largest temple complex in Sirpur is that of
Surang Tila, dated to the 7th century CE.
Fascinatingly, the temple is made of white stone and before excavation, locals used it as a soil mound with tunnels

14. Buddhist monuments include the Anand Prabha Vihara, a temple and a monastery built by Bhikshu Anand Prabhu with sponsorship from King Sivagupta Balarjuna. There is another Vihara, whose layout resembles as a Swastika.

15. The Tivradev Monastery, here shows both are Hindu and Buddhist themes. The Buddhist artwork such as Buddha statues are sculpted beside Hindu goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, and Panchatantra tales are depicted beside Kama and Mithuna scenes.

16. Sirpur also had one Jain basati, and a 9th century bronze image of the first Jain Tirthankara, Adinath, was found in the ruins.

IN PICTURE: Carvings of Gaja Lakshmi and Ganesha

17. IN PICTURE:
Ruins of Stupa

18. But why was this capital city abandoned? There are several theories. Some claim that a great earthquake struck the city and caused massive destruction.
Another posits catastrophic destruction after invasion of Alauddin Khilji (as the dynasty coins were found here)

19. However, the coins also pose a significant proof of trading activities between two kingdoms.
Another tale of flood in Mahanadi River that led to the extinction.

20. Sirpur is a great example of tolerance. The site shows extensive syncretism, where Buddhist and Jain monasteries intermingled with Shiva, Vishnu and Devi temples.
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Source: @LiveHIndia