Pillars of our past reveal excavated legacy

An explorer searching for ancient heritage in the region around Varanasi would have a hard time. The city has witnessed so many transformations that traces of the ancient have become obscure. But if a traveller were to look carefully, glimpses of the past pop up in unusual places. One such place is the Sampurnananda Sanskrit Vishavidyala, inside Varanasi.

While the design of the institution’s building is magnificent, only the persistent explorer reaches the back of the complex. Here stands a

tall pillar

, one of the few ancient elements of heritage in a city that is timeless. Standing about 30 feet high, the pillar is sometimes mistaken by ignorant visitors as an obelisk erected in the memory of a fallen British soldier. They couldn’t be more wrong!

Never mind the British, the pillar is a relic of the ancient Gupta period and carries an inscription of a ruler called Shishupal. And, if that were not enough, it has a second inscription, in a script that resembles shells, dating to the 6th century CE. A third inscription was added, albeit more recently and on a

stone plaque

. It reveals that the pillar doesn’t belong in its current location. It was brought here from Prahladpur, in neighbouring

Ghazipur

district. As per the plaque, the shift was on the orders of James Thomson, Lt Gov of the North-East Provinces, and was completed when the pillar was re-erected here in May 1854 by a George Atkinson, who was probably an officer in the Bengal Sappers.

Finding this pillar encourages an explorer to follow the trail to Ghazipur. Here, in a verdant setting close to the mighty

Ganga

, stands what appears to be a cousin of the pillar in the Varanasi institute. This is an archaeological site called Lathiya, in proximity to Zamania village. The area was explored by Alexander Cunningham who felt Zamania was named after Khan Zaman, a governor of Jaunpur during Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign. But it is not the Mughals we are chasing here, but the

Guptas

.

The pillar at the Lathiya site is a single column of sandstone, standing about 27 feet high, held to the ground by four

upright stones

at its base. Excavations made a decade ago have shown the existence of a wall around the base to support these stones. The excavation report reveals fascinating details. The top of the pillar had a bell-shaped capital surmounted by eight lions – all broken now – facing eight different directions. This capital was crowned by twin Garudas, standing back to back and lying on lotus leaves. All this was surmised by archaeologists basis broken remains found lying near the pillar.

Also, found in the excavation were many artefacts, almost 400, including terracotta, stone, copper, glass, bone, shell and iron objects. Notable among these were a copperring cum seal and terracotta seals bearing Gupta-period Brahmi script of the late 4th or early 5th centuries CE. Remains of four brick temples of the Gupta period have also been found. Adding an even older dimension to the site are remains dating to the 3rd to 1st centuries BCE, from the Maurya and Sunga periods. Unfortunately, this magnificent site has also suffered damage. The District Gazetteer of Ghazipur reveals that many bricks were taken away by locals and used in the construction of their houses. One can but imagine the place in its prime.

From Lathiya, the trail leads further to another Ghazipur site. Bhitari is perhaps the most interesting of the excavated sites in this region. In the middle of a sizeable complex that was probably a temple dedicated to Vishnu stands yet another pillar. This one carries on it a lengthy, 19-line inscription which talks of the deeds of the 5th century CE Gupta ruler Skandagupta. The highlight is the narration of his military victory over the invading hordes of the Hunas. Historical accounts hold that the invading force was probably numerically superior to the Gupta forces led by Skandagupta, making the latter’s defeat of the Hunas even more remarkable. While a full narration of this ruler’s deeds will need another story, the fact remains that the pillars reveal the true excavated legacy of the region.