Ancient kingdom of Kamrupa in Gauhati?

Is Guwahati the site where the ancient kingdom of Kamrupa existed? This and many more questions, which are still mired in controversy, could be answered more vividly when the archeologists excavate the entire Bhaitbari-Tikrikilla area in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district.
Hold your eyes as we take you to this remote archeological site that once shot into fame following excavation finding in 1992, but later on slipped into the back burner.

Wadagokgre is the site of an ancient civilization; believe to be cast out of the mighty majesty Bramaputra River in the fourth century AD or even earlier. The site is located in a small remote hamlet in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. The excavation so far have clearly demonstrated that this site was a sprawling township with Buddhism, Hinduism and amalgamation of the two being widely practiced in this area.

In 1992, AK Sharma of ASI, Nagpur excavated the site and unearthed the three temple sites – with numerous Shiva lingas – and a Buddhist Stupa.
But the prominent and the most impressive discovery of the site is this Octagonal Temple with eight miniature octagons, each having a Shiva Lings. The structure is of a more magnificient architecture, having eight square subsidiary shrines radiating from the eight arms of the main octagon. This is perhaps one of the unique discoveries during the excavation. The total plan of the temple is 13 m in width and .90 m in height.
"Further excavations are likely to reveal further remains of an earlier habitation, besides unravelling the historical antiquity of the plains-belt of the State of which very little is known from recorded history," Williamson Sangma Museum curator Dr. Julius Marak said.
The Township viewed to be well fortified, has a large number of tanks inside and on the other prestigious heights is located a number of burn bricks temple. This is another thrilling unexpected discovery, the site of a structure associated with Buddhism, which is commonly known as stupa. The stupa belongs to a category of stupa, which is structurally termed as mud stupa. However, nothing is definitely known at present about the history of the site including the era it flourished.

Scholars believe that nearly 20 temple sites which have been there might have been palatial complexes and habitational areas for the population of the town. "Government will tie up with ASI North East circle to carry out further excavations of the entire Bhaitbari site, which is about 20 sq km" Dr. Marak said.
The archaeological findings which have yet to be adequately unraveled and carbon-dated are reported to be of considerable antiquity. The finds are of artifacts, which reveal the existence of planned places of worship with exquisitely designed masonry oil lamps.

In Williamson Sangma museum, Shillong deities of Ganesh, Parvati, Kubera and Yaksha have been preserved. The terracotta tiles and their stylistic taste and the existence of the stupa in Bhaitbari has forced the scholars somehow to conclude that this ancient fortified city may be contemporaneous to the reign of Harsha Vardhana, i.e., to the first half of the 7th Centry A.D.

The sites still stand as a challenge for those historians and scholars who have the will and courage to dig out its historic truth for the knowledge of the present and the benefit of the future. The site has not been properly promoted hence very few devotees, tourist and scholars visit this area. It demands an immediate attention, recognition, publicity and research.

It is only after the excavation of the 'inhabited' or 'residential' area can anything concrete be said about the history of the place.

Baital Deula Temple, Bhubaneshwar

Mahishasur Mardini panel, Baital Deula Temple, Bhubaneshwar.

 

Trimurti Hindu Temple in Laos 5 th century

Trimurti at Vat Phou temple, Laos
Dated: 5th century CE
Wat Phou was initially associated with the city of Shresthapura, which lay on the bank of the Mekong dir...ectly east of
mount Lingaparvata (now called Phu Kao). By the latter part of the 5th century the city was already the capital of a
kingdom which texts and inscriptions connect with both Chenla and Champa , and the first structure on the mountain was constructed around this time. The mountain gained spiritual importance from the linga -shaped protuberance on its summit; the mountain itself was therefore considered the home of Shiva , and the river as representing the ocean or the Ganges River. The temple was naturally dedicated to Shiva, while the water from the spring which emerges directly behind the temple was considered sacred.
The Temple Complex of Vat Phou bears exceptional testimony to the cultures of south-east Asia, and in particular to the Khmer Empire which dominated the region in the 10th–14th centuries. The Vat Phou complex is an outstanding example of the integration of symbolic landscape of great spiritual significance to its natural surroundings. Contrived to express the Hindu version of the relationship between nature and humanity, Vat Phou exhibits a remarkable complex of monuments and other structures over an extensive area between river and mountain, some of outstanding architecture, many containing great works of art, and all expressing intense religious conviction and commitment

 

Kantaji (Kantanagar) Temple Dinajpur Bangladesh

Ornate terracota carving at ancient Kantaji (Kantanagar) Temple Dinajpur Bangladesh

 

MAHABALIPURAM ROCK TEMPLE

MAHABALIPURAM ROCK TEMPLE ...... The Group of monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
Mahabalipuram (Tamil: மகாபலிபுரம்) ...also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is believed by some that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style.
The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of Dravidian architecture wherein Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They are constituted by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art.
 

Mahadev temple near Chalisgaon, Maharashtra

Little known intricately built Mahadev temple near Chalisgaon, Maharashtra
Dated: ~12 century CE or earlier

 

Ancient cave painting Pachmarhi(Madhya Pradesh)

Ancient cave painting depicted fight between Vyala(feline creature) and swordman,Pachmarhi(Madhya Pradesh)
Dating of these paintings is uncertain.
It is unfortunate that these beautiful ancient painting are constantly under threat due to poor maintenance and chiefly because of lack of sensitivity towards historical monuments shown by visitors.