The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Archaeologists yesterday found an ancient brick-built structure with floor and artefacts under the basement of the main temple at the World Heritage site at Paharpur in Dinajpur, said officials of the Department of Archaeology.

Earlier, two brick-built structures of the Gupta dynasty were found during an excavation, they said.

Mohammad Shafiqul Alam, Director of Department of Archaeology, said the newly found structures were built in the pre-Pal period.

"Most probably the structure of the temple was built by followers of Jain religion," according to him.

Nahid Sultana, a member of the excavation team, said, "The 2.1-metre width brick-built structure crossed the basement of the main temple built by King Dharmapala in the eighth century."

The structure was found in the northeast corner of more than 1,200 years old main temple 'Somapura Maha Vihara,' which is locally known as Paharpur monastery.

Mohammad Mahabub-ul-Alam, Assistant Custodian of Paharpur Museum and excavation team member, said, "A huge number of potsherds have been found under the monastic cell number 21 of the Vihara."

Probably, these were used over 1,500 years ago. It is likely to be the first habitation in this area, he added. Local archaeologists believe that there was a Jain monastery at Paharpur but no trace of it now exists.

There has so far been no structural evidence of existence of Jain temples in Bangladesh. But Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang saw several Jain structures during his visit to Pundranagar in Bogra and adjacent areas in 639 to 645 AD, said Mahabub.