A Most of the city was half a mile north-east of the modern village, with a large mound, popularly called the fort, two miles west of this. Several significant finds of sculpture, in both stone and (especially) terracotta of the early centuries CE, have been made at the site and are now in various museums. Excavations have uncovered nine strata, the lowest from before the 3rd century BCE and the latest from the 11th century CE.[3]Ashwatthama was the king of Ahichchhatra during Mahabharata time. The city appears to have reached its height during the period of the Gupta Empire. The region lacks sources of good stone and was a centre for making Indian pottery at various periods, and in the early CE the temples were decorated with unusually large terracotta relief panels and sculptures, many of very high quality.[4]
The word Ahi means snake or Naga in Sanskrit. Nagas were a group of ancient people who worshiped serpents. The word khsetra means region in Sanskrit. This implies that Ahi-kshetra was a region of Nagas.
Vividha Tirtha Kalpa, composed by Jain Acharya Jinaprabha Suri in the 14th century CE, mentions Samkhyāvatǐ as the earlier name of Ahichchhatra and describes two Jain temples dedicated to Parshvanatha in the area. Ahikshetra is mentioned as Shankavai Samkhyavati in Vividhatirthakalpa.[5]
History
According to Jain Tradition, the history of Ahichchhatra traditionally starts from the period of 1st Tirthankara Rishabhanatha. It was visited by all 24 Tirthankaras. Ahichchhatra is believed to be the place where Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankar of Jainism, attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience).[6]
Its history reaches back to late Vedic times, at which time it was capital of the Panchala kingdom. The name is written Ahikshetras as well as Ahi-chhatra, but the local legend of Adi Raja and the Naga, who formed a canopy over his head, when asleep, shows that the later is the correct form. The fort is said to have been built by Adi Raja, an Ahir[7] whose future elevation sovereignty was foretold by Drona, when he found him sleeping under the guardianship of a serpent with expended hood. The fort is also called Adikot.[8]
Coin of the Panchalas of Ahichhatra (75-50 BCE) ObvIndra seated facing on pedestal, holding bifurcated object. Rev. Idramitrasa in Brahmi, Panchala symbols.
The last independent ruler of Ahichatra was Achyuta Naga, who was defeated by Samudragupta, after which Panchala was annexed into the Gupta Empire.[9] The coins of Achyuta found from Ahichatra have a wheel of eight spokes on the reverse and the legend Achyu on the obverse.[10]
Archaeology
The site was briefly explored by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1871, and then excavated by the ASI from 1940 for "about five years".[3] The excavations found brick fortifications and continuity of occupation from a period before 600 BCE to 1100 CE.[11] During the first excavations in 1940–44, the Painted Gray Ware pottery were found at the earliest level. Ruins of this city could be identified from the remote sensing imagery of IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) satellites. The ruins reveal that the city had a triangular shape. Recent excavations in Ahichchhatra showed it was first inhabited by the middle of the second millennium BC with Ochre Coloured Pottery culture people, followed by Black and Red Ware culture. Around 1000 BC, it reached at least 40 hectares of area, making it one of the largest Painted Grey Ware culture sites. Evidence of construction of early fortifications were discovered around 1000 BC indicating first urban development.[12][13] Near Ahichchhatra, 2 km to its west there is a big pond which is said to trace its ancestry to the time of Mahabharata. The pond, located in the village of Jagannathpur is said to have been made by the pandavas at the time of their forest dwelling (vanvas).
In the early Gupta period a section of the city set aside for pottery contained very large firing pits, some 10 or 12 feet deep.[14]
A bronze currency of ½ karshapana of King Indramitra (ca 75-50 BC?) Of Ahichatra of Panchala. Obv: A inside a rectangle, a line of 3 symbols, under the name of the king. Rev: Indra standing on a pedestal without pillars. Dimensions: 15 mm. Weight: 4.18 g.
Coin of Achyuta, the last Panchala king, showing an 8-spoked wheel and the king's name: Achyu.
Ahichchhatra Jain temple
Ahichchhatra is believed to be the place where Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankar of Jainism, attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience). The temples in Ahichchhatra are built to commemorate Parshvanatha attaining Kēvalajñāna kalyāṇaka.[15] This temple is dedicated to Parshvanatha and is major Jain pilgrimage center.[16][17] According to Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Ahichhatra Jain Temple witnessed over 4 lakh visitors in 2017.[18] Ahichhatra Jain Mela is the primary festival of this temple and is organized annually in March.[17]
Means of approach
From the Revati Bahoda Khera Station on Chandosi – Bareilly Line, vehicle of Kshetra and other vehicles are available. Road: - Buses are available from Delhi, Meerut, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kasganj & Badaun. Train: - Trains are available from Delhi, Bareilly, Agra, Moradabad, Aligarh to Revati Bahoda Khera Station and vehicles are all time available for Ramnagar from Revati Bahoda Khera Station. Airport: - Delhi 250 km
Nearby Places
Nainital – 180 km Hastinapur Atishaya Kshetra – 200 km Kampilji Atishaya Kshetra – 180 km Manglayatan (Aligarh) – 180 km Bareilly – 55 km
Sculpture from Ahichchhatra
23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha sculpture excavated from Ahichchhatra, 7th century BCE
Stone Buddha, c. 1st Century CE, Kushan Period
Sandstone Shiva, 3rd century
Terracotta architectural panel with Goddess, Gupta period, 5th century
Gupta period terracotta Yamuna, pair to the Ganga above
Notes
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ahichchhatra.
^Harle, James C. (January 1994). The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent. Yale University Press. p. 117. ISBN978-0-300-06217-5.
^Malik, Dr Malti (2016). History of India. New Saraswati House India Pvt Ltd. pp. 51–54. ISBN978-81-7335-498-4.
ahichchhatra, ahikhet, sanskrit, अह, छत, romanized, ahicchatra, ahikshetra, sanskrit, अह, romanized, ahikṣetra, near, modern, ramnagar, village, aonla, tehsil, bareilly, district, uttar, pradesh, india, ancient, capital, northern, panchala, northern, indian, k. Ahichchhatra or Ahikhet Sanskrit अह च छत र romanized Ahicchatra or Ahikshetra Sanskrit अह क ष त र romanized Ahikṣetra near the modern Ramnagar village in Aonla tehsil Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh India was the ancient capital of Northern Panchala a northern Indian kingdom mentioned in the Mahabharata 2 AhichchhatraOne of the large mounds at Ahichchhatra AhichchhatraShown within South AsiaShow map of South AsiaAhichchhatraAhichchhatra Uttar Pradesh Show map of Uttar PradeshLocationUttar Pradesh IndiaCoordinates28 22 16 N 79 08 10 E 28 371 N 79 136 E 28 371 79 136TypeTemplesHistoryFoundedc 1500 BCECulturesOchre Coloured Pottery culture Black and red ware Painted Grey Ware culture Gupta EmpireGupta terracotta of the personified Ganges 5th 6th century CE National Museum New Delhi 1 A Most of the city was half a mile north east of the modern village with a large mound popularly called the fort two miles west of this Several significant finds of sculpture in both stone and especially terracotta of the early centuries CE have been made at the site and are now in various museums Excavations have uncovered nine strata the lowest from before the 3rd century BCE and the latest from the 11th century CE 3 Ashwatthama was the king of Ahichchhatra during Mahabharata time The city appears to have reached its height during the period of the Gupta Empire The region lacks sources of good stone and was a centre for making Indian pottery at various periods and in the early CE the temples were decorated with unusually large terracotta relief panels and sculptures many of very high quality 4 Contents 1 Names 2 History 3 Archaeology 4 Jain tradition 5 Means of approach 6 Nearby Places 7 Sculpture from Ahichchhatra 8 Notes 9 ReferencesNames EditThe word Ahi means snake or Naga in Sanskrit Nagas were a group of ancient people who worshiped serpents The word khsetra means region in Sanskrit This implies that Ahi kshetra was a region of Nagas Vividha Tirtha Kalpa composed by Jain Acharya Jinaprabha Suri in the 14th century CE mentions Samkhyavatǐ as the earlier name of Ahichchhatra and describes two Jain temples dedicated to Parshvanatha in the area Ahikshetra is mentioned as Shankavai Samkhyavati in Vividhatirthakalpa 5 History EditAccording to Jain Tradition the history of Ahichchhatra traditionally starts from the period of 1st Tirthankara Rishabhanatha It was visited by all 24 Tirthankaras Ahichchhatra is believed to be the place where Parshvanatha the 23rd Tirthankar of Jainism attained Kevala Jnana omniscience 6 Its history reaches back to late Vedic times at which time it was capital of the Panchala kingdom The name is written Ahikshetras as well as Ahi chhatra but the local legend of Adi Raja and the Naga who formed a canopy over his head when asleep shows that the later is the correct form The fort is said to have been built by Adi Raja an Ahir 7 whose future elevation sovereignty was foretold by Drona when he found him sleeping under the guardianship of a serpent with expended hood The fort is also called Adikot 8 Coin of the Panchalas of Ahichhatra 75 50 BCE Obv Indra seated facing on pedestal holding bifurcated object Rev Idramitrasa in Brahmi Panchala symbols The last independent ruler of Ahichatra was Achyuta Naga who was defeated by Samudragupta after which Panchala was annexed into the Gupta Empire 9 The coins of Achyuta found from Ahichatra have a wheel of eight spokes on the reverse and the legend Achyu on the obverse 10 Archaeology EditThe site was briefly explored by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1871 and then excavated by the ASI from 1940 for about five years 3 The excavations found brick fortifications and continuity of occupation from a period before 600 BCE to 1100 CE 11 During the first excavations in 1940 44 the Painted Gray Ware pottery were found at the earliest level Ruins of this city could be identified from the remote sensing imagery of IRS Indian Remote Sensing satellites The ruins reveal that the city had a triangular shape Recent excavations in Ahichchhatra showed it was first inhabited by the middle of the second millennium BC with Ochre Coloured Pottery culture people followed by Black and Red Ware culture Around 1000 BC it reached at least 40 hectares of area making it one of the largest Painted Grey Ware culture sites Evidence of construction of early fortifications were discovered around 1000 BC indicating first urban development 12 13 Near Ahichchhatra 2 km to its west there is a big pond which is said to trace its ancestry to the time of Mahabharata The pond located in the village of Jagannathpur is said to have been made by the pandavas at the time of their forest dwelling vanvas In the early Gupta period a section of the city set aside for pottery contained very large firing pits some 10 or 12 feet deep 14 Jain tradition EditMain article Ahichchhatra Jain temples A bronze currency of karshapana of King Indramitra ca 75 50 BC Of Ahichatra of Panchala Obv A inside a rectangle a line of 3 symbols under the name of the king Rev Indra standing on a pedestal without pillars Dimensions 15 mm Weight 4 18 g Coin of Achyuta the last Panchala king showing an 8 spoked wheel and the king s name Achyu Ahichchhatra Jain temple Ahichchhatra is believed to be the place where Parshvanatha the 23rd Tirthankar of Jainism attained Kevala Jnana omniscience The temples in Ahichchhatra are built to commemorate Parshvanatha attaining Kevalajnana kalyaṇaka 15 This temple is dedicated to Parshvanatha and is major Jain pilgrimage center 16 17 According to Uttar Pradesh Tourism Ahichhatra Jain Temple witnessed over 4 lakh visitors in 2017 18 Ahichhatra Jain Mela is the primary festival of this temple and is organized annually in March 17 Means of approach EditFrom the Revati Bahoda Khera Station on Chandosi Bareilly Line vehicle of Kshetra and other vehicles are available Road Buses are available from Delhi Meerut Aligarh Lucknow Kasganj amp Badaun Train Trains are available from Delhi Bareilly Agra Moradabad Aligarh to Revati Bahoda Khera Station and vehicles are all time available for Ramnagar from Revati Bahoda Khera Station Airport Delhi 250 kmNearby Places EditNainital 180 km Hastinapur Atishaya Kshetra 200 km Kampilji Atishaya Kshetra 180 km Manglayatan Aligarh 180 km Bareilly 55 kmSculpture from Ahichchhatra Edit 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha sculpture excavated from Ahichchhatra 7th century BCE Stone Buddha c 1st Century CE Kushan Period Sandstone Shiva 3rd century Terracotta architectural panel with Goddess Gupta period 5th century Gupta period terracotta Yamuna pair to the Ganga aboveNotes Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ahichchhatra Harle James C January 1994 The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent Yale University Press p 117 ISBN 978 0 300 06217 5 Malik Dr Malti 2016 History of India New Saraswati House India Pvt Ltd pp 51 54 ISBN 978 81 7335 498 4 a b Kala p xv Majumdar 429 430 Subodh Kapoor 2002 p 16 Brochure Ahicchatra dead link Kapoor Subodh 2002 Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography Cosmo Publications ISBN 978 81 7755 298 0 Subodh Kapoor 2002 pp 17 19 Raychaudhuri H C 1972 Political History of Ancient India Calcutta University of Calcutta p 473 Lahiri B 1974 Indigenous States of Northern India Circa 200 B C to 320 A D Calcutta University of Calcutta p 182 Lahiri Bela 1972 Indigenous States of Northern India Circa 200 B C to 320 A D Calcutta University of Calcutta pp 170 88 What Lies Beneath http www educationtimes com article 290 20130917201309171524062507304cdb3 What Lies Beneath html What lies Beneath B R Mani 2013 Majumdar 430 UP tourism amp Ahicchatra p 2 Jain 2008 p 64 a b UP tourism amp Uttar Pradesh A to Z p 31 UP tourism amp Year wise Tourist Statistics References EditKala Satish Chandra Terracottas in the Allahabad Museum p xv Abhinav Publications 1980 ISBN 0391022342 9780391022348 google books Kapoor Subodh ed 2002 Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography vol 1 Cosmo Publications ISBN 81 7755 298 8 Jain Lakshmi 2008 Dropout of Girl child in Schools Northern Book Centre ISBN 9788172112448 Majumdar Ramesh Chandra Vakataka Gupta Age Circa 200 550 A D 1986 Motilal Banarsidass Publ ISBN 8120800265 9788120800267 google books Uttar Pradesh Tourism Uttar Pradesh Tourism Uttar Pradesh A to Z PDF Uttar Pradesh Tourism Uttar Pradesh Tourism Year wise Tourist Statistics Uttar Pradesh Tourism Uttar Pradesh Tourism Ahicchatra PDF Uttar Pradesh Tourism India portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ahichchhatra amp oldid 1152367175, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
