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In the last quarter of 19^th century A.D. J.D.M. Beglar and Alexander Cunningham made systematic and extensive explorations and brought to light hidden remains of Sirpur. But till their time, it was mainly famous for its wideranging ruined art鈥揳rchitectural remains including the Laksmana temple, Rama temple, Gandharvesvara temple (rebuilt in Bhonsale period in 18^th century A.D. by using old materials) and Surang tila (excavated in 2008-9). Sirpur鈥檚 association with Buddhism came to be known, when Cunningham found a massive Buddha-head made of sand stone as early as 1881-82. He concluded that 鈥楤uddhism in Sripur was ultimately buried, and possibly cautiously rooted out by the complete spoil of all its temples and statues.鈥�

鈥楢 major and sudden discovery that could have changed total scenario about Buddhism at Sirpur lost its actual value due to lack of proper reporting鈥�. The hoard of bronze images was found in 1939 during destruction of some sites by local people. The total number was reported to be sixty in 1945^[1]. Of those, two remained in the possession of one Muni Kant Sagar, one sent to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai; Central Museum of Raipur obtained four. The icons included Buddha in different mudras, Bodhisattvas and various gods and goddesses of Buddhist pantheon and only two metal images were of first Jaina Tirthankara.

The second phase began in 1953 when M.G. Dixit^[2] started excavation at Sirpur. 鈥楴ew episode of archaeology was set in motion at Sirpur鈥�. His excavations at many sites revealed artifacts assignable to pre-5^th century A.D. The credit of bringing out three Buddhist monasteries (Viharas) viz., the extant Ananda Prabha Kuti and Svastika, and a ruined one now conserved by A.K. Sharma, goes to Dixit. On the basis of a coin of the Sarabhapuriya king Prasannamatra, Dixit has considered that the antiquity of Sripura may be traced from 5^th century A.D. Dixit has also found stone sculptures and metal icons. He has suggested three periods of occupation鈥揚eriod I may be assigned from early time to the last quarter of 5^th century A.D. as indicated by the gold coin of Prasannamatra. Phase II may be said to cover the period from 6^th-8^th century A.D. This period, to which our investigation relates to, witnessed large scale of structural activities鈥搈ajority of Siva, Laksmana and Ra ma temples, Buddhist monasteries and the palace as well as incison of both copper plate and lithic inscriptions. Phase III covered the period from 11th century A.D. and after which witnessed the rule of the Kalacuri dynasty of Ratanpur (Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh) branch. Structures of the period were made by re-use of materials of earlier periods.

A new and remarkable phase started after about half a century of Dixit鈥檚 work. From 1999 till date excavations have been going on in a massive scale. During the decade 1999-2009, a large number of Siva temples, nine Buddhist monasteries (two have been discovered by M.G. Dixit in 1953-56) and seven by A.K. Sharma^[3] during 1999-2007, two Jaina monasteries, one palace-complex, layout of a planned township with shops, streets roads and residences (see Ch 2); sculptures of stone, icons of metals, coins, implements of various descriptions of different metals (see Ch 3); inscriptions both on copper plates and stone (see Ch 4) have also 鈥榚nriched cultural history of Daksina-Kosala鈥�. Of all the discoveries made during the current phase under A.K. Sharma the latest ones worthy of mention are Stupa, a large temple complex at Surang Tila -a mound at an end of the village and a hoard of eighty-seven bronze images and ritual objects鈥搘hich are, in fact, spectacular discoveries.

It has been reported by A.K. Sharma^[4] that scientific exploration has brought to light 184 mounds spread over the length and breadth of Sripura. Of those, 25 have been excavated during 2000-鈥�7 which revealed nine Siva temples, a Trinity temple, four Buddhist monasteries, a palace, a Chieftain鈥檚 residence, six priests鈥� houses. Thereafter, from 2007 till date鈥搕he grandest excavation is made on the Surang Tila which revealed a sprawling temple complex with five Siva temples on a high altar, besides other temples in the same compound. A number of lithic inscriptions have been found there also. Besides, structural traces of a planned township have come out. The latest major discovery is the Buddhist Stupa,^16a assigned to the time of Asoka, with renovations carried on it in subsequent times.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Sripura (Hindi), p. 50, Srivastava, M.C., 1984, Bhopal.

[2]:

IAR, 1954-55, 24; 1955-6, 26.

[3]:

Special Report N. 1, Puramanthan No. 5; Buddhist Bronzes from Sirpur, 2010.

[4]:

Special Report No. 1, p. 3. 16a. Puramanthan, op. cit., pp. 1-10.