Telhara (formerly known as Telāḍhaka) was a Buddhist monastic establishment in Nalanda district of Bihar, India dating back to the 1st-century CE and active till at least the 12th-century CE.[1] It is notable as it has been mentioned in the travelogues of Chinese monks including Xuanzang.[2]
It has been mentioned as Teladhaka in the writings of the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang, who visited the place in the 7th century CE.[3] It is mentioned in an inscription found at Nālandā which mentions a temple restored by a man named Bālāditya, a Jyāvisa of Telāḍhaka who had emigrated from Kauśāmbī, in the eleventh year of Mahipala Deva. [4]
It has been also mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari as Tiladah, and is shown as one of the 46 mahals (administrative units) of the Bihar sarkar. Telhara was shown as a pargana in the maps prepared by the East India Company administration during 1842–45.[5]
The ruins of Telhara were mentioned in an 1872 letter by A. M. Broadley, the then Magistrate of Nalanda. Broadley noted that a large number of stone and metal images were often found during the digging of graves at the top of one of the mounds. Metal images found were melted down.[6] The State Government of Bihar started a new archaeological excavation of the site in December 2009. The work unearthed ancient pottery, antiques, and the remains of a three-storeyed structure mentioned by Hiuen Tsang. Evidence of prayer halls and residential cells in the monastery have been found. The excavation revealed the following chronological layers:[5]
A number of sculptures from the site had been moved to museums during the British Raj. The Indian Museum in Kolkata houses the Maitreya and the twelve-armed Avalokiteswar images from Telhara. A Pala sculpture from the site is present at the Rietberg Museum in Zürich. Telhara has a mosque, which is said to have been built with the materials carried from the ruins of the Buddhist monastery.[5] One pillar contained an inscription that mentions the place-name Telāḍhaka.
Remains of an ancient university (Mahavihara) on the site were unearthed in 2014.[7][8]
A small museum named Baladitya Museum has been established to store some of the artifacts found.
Referencesedit
^Sanyal, Rajat (2016). "Discovery of a Buddhist Monastery at Telhara". Monthly Bulletin of the Asiatic Society.
^Biswas, Pampa (2016). "Explored Sculptural Heritage of Telhara, District Nalanda, Bihar: A Recent Visit". Journal of the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums. 1: 167–183.
^Leoshko, Janice (1988). "Buddhist Images from Telhara, a Site in Eastern India". South Asian Studies. 4: 90–97. doi:10.1080/02666030.1988.9628371.
telhara, monastery, telhara, formerly, known, telāḍhaka, buddhist, monastic, establishment, nalanda, district, bihar, india, dating, back, century, active, till, least, 12th, century, notable, been, mentioned, travelogues, chinese, monks, including, xuanzang, . Telhara formerly known as Telaḍhaka was a Buddhist monastic establishment in Nalanda district of Bihar India dating back to the 1st century CE and active till at least the 12th century CE 1 It is notable as it has been mentioned in the travelogues of Chinese monks including Xuanzang 2 TelharaLocationTelhara Nalanda districtNearest cityBihar SharifCoordinates25 13 35 N 85 10 54 E 25 226334 N 85 181587 E 25 226334 85 181587Built1st century CEGoverning bodyArchaeological Survey of IndiaSite of TelharaShow map of IndiaTelhara monastery Bihar Show map of BiharHistory editIt has been mentioned as Teladhaka in the writings of the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang who visited the place in the 7th century CE 3 It is mentioned in an inscription found at Nalanda which mentions a temple restored by a man named Baladitya a Jyavisa of Telaḍhaka who had emigrated from Kausambi in the eleventh year of Mahipala Deva 4 It has been also mentioned in the Ain i Akbari as Tiladah and is shown as one of the 46 mahals administrative units of the Bihar sarkar Telhara was shown as a pargana in the maps prepared by the East India Company administration during 1842 45 5 The ruins of Telhara were mentioned in an 1872 letter by A M Broadley the then Magistrate of Nalanda Broadley noted that a large number of stone and metal images were often found during the digging of graves at the top of one of the mounds Metal images found were melted down 6 The State Government of Bihar started a new archaeological excavation of the site in December 2009 The work unearthed ancient pottery antiques and the remains of a three storeyed structure mentioned by Hiuen Tsang Evidence of prayer halls and residential cells in the monastery have been found The excavation revealed the following chronological layers 5 nbsp Bodhisattva Lokeshvara from Telhara new at Rietberg Museum Northern Black Polished Ware 3rd Century BCE Kushan 1st century CE Gupta 5th to 7th century CE Pala 7th century to 11th century CE A number of sculptures from the site had been moved to museums during the British Raj The Indian Museum in Kolkata houses the Maitreya and the twelve armed Avalokiteswar images from Telhara A Pala sculpture from the site is present at the Rietberg Museum in Zurich Telhara has a mosque which is said to have been built with the materials carried from the ruins of the Buddhist monastery 5 One pillar contained an inscription that mentions the place name Telaḍhaka Remains of an ancient university Mahavihara on the site were unearthed in 2014 7 8 A small museum named Baladitya Museum has been established to store some of the artifacts found References edit Sanyal Rajat 2016 Discovery of a Buddhist Monastery at Telhara Monthly Bulletin of the Asiatic Society Biswas Pampa 2016 Explored Sculptural Heritage of Telhara District Nalanda Bihar A Recent Visit Journal of the Directorate of Archaeology amp Museums 1 167 183 Leoshko Janice 1988 Buddhist Images from Telhara a Site in Eastern India South Asian Studies 4 90 97 doi 10 1080 02666030 1988 9628371 The Palas of Bengal R D BANERJI 1915 a b c Dr Atul Kumar Verma Telhara Nalanda Excavation A Brief Report PDF PDF Retrieved 2014 01 15 Explored Sculptural Heritage of Telhara District Nalanda Bihar A Recent Visit Pampa Biswas Puravritta Volume 1 2016 p 167 182 Another ancient university found in Nalanda Patna News Times of India The Times of India Telhara university Archived from the original on April 22 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Telhara monastery amp oldid 1204693462, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
