3

Vadnagar Excavations: Discovery

of Ancient Buddhist Monastery
Yadubir Singh Rawat

V adnagar (23⁰ 47' N; 72⁰ 39' E) in Gujarat is one among the

ancient towns of western India. The town was known by
various names such as Anartapura, Anandapur,
Chamatkarpur, Skandpur, Nagaraka etc. during different
periods of its history. Literary sources and archaeological evidences
reveal that it was once an important centre of Sammitiya
Buddhists. Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsiang), visited it (o- nan- to- pu-lo =
Anandpur) around 641 CE. He records that ‘there are more than
1000 monks of the Sammitiya School or Little Vehicle in
10 monasteries’. He also records Vadanagar as a capital city which
has no king. Gujarat State’s Directorate of Archaeology excavated
the site from 2005 to 2012.
Vadnagar was, anciently, situated at a strategic location where two
major ancient trade routes crossed each other. One of them was
from central India to Sindh and to further northwest whiles the other

Former Director of Gujarat State Archaeology. Gandhi Nagar. Gujarat. Accredited
for excavations in the Vadnagar site at Mehsana district in Gujarat; and Dhaulavira,
the famous site of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
from the port towns on the Gujarat coast to Rajasthan and
north India. Therefore, it could have been a city of ample
opportunities until these routes remained vibrant. Traditionally,
Vadnagar was also known as one of the important land ports
(Sthal Pattan) of Gujarat. The present settlement is parched on the
high mound that has been formed due to gradual deposition of
cultural debris during the last 2300 to 2500 years of its uninterrupted
occupation. The Ancient fort wall is still visible on all sides of the
town, although, its complete height with the latest battlemented
parapet is available only at a few places. The highest area of the
present settlement appears to be near the ruins of the ancient citadel
known as Darbargadh. This area is about 25m high from the
surrounding ground level of the. The current layout plan of the town
is datable to the mid 19th century CE.
Recent excavation has yielded cultural remains beginning from pre-
Mauryan to recent period which are assignable to 4th - 3rd century
BCE to till date. The excavation revealed that the initial small
settlement was subsequently provided with an earthen rampart
around 3rd century BCE. However, a major change in the town
planning could take place around the beginning of the Common Era.
Now, a new era of development and growth in the life of its people
began with change in internal layout. It is evident by the excavated
remains of well-laid streets, lanes and profuse use of burnt bricks in
construction of houses as well as the fort wall. This planning lasted
without any major change, possibly till 12thcentury CE. During this
period from time to time the town remained under the sway of many
prominent ruling dynasties. In the 12th century CE, the Solanki ruler
Kumarpal (C. 1144-74 CE) under took major repairs of the fort wall
as one of his stone inscription fixed at the Arjuna Bari (Gate)
records.

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BUDDHIST REMAINS
The first evidence of Vinegar’s Buddhist association came to light
in the year 1992 in the form of a red sand stone image of a
Bodhisattva. An inscription on the image pedestal records that it was
brought for the Chaitya of Sammtiya. The image is a fine example
of Mathura art and seems to be was brought from there. Subsequent
excavation by Gujarat State Archaeology has firmly established that
Vadnagar was indeed an important centre of Buddhist’s activities.

PL.1. A wall with post holes (Mauryan period)

The Monastery
The most significant discovery at the site is a Buddhist monastery
(PL.2). Squire on plan, it measures about 14.04 m x 14.04 m in size.
At the north-western corner it was extended further west to construct
two additional chambers. This portion measured 1.00m NS and
2.35m EW. Due to this addition the east-west length of the northern
wall of the monastery measures 16.80m. One of the chambers of this
addition measuring about 3.35m in heights was found underlying the
original floor level of the monastery’s cells. The floor seems to be

Vadnagar Excavations Rawat, Y.S 45

supported on wooden beams which were fixed into a horizontal
recess in walls.
On plan the monastery was a quadrangle with an open square
courtyard in the middle surrounded by cells on all four sides. It is
evident that originally there were only nine cells. Except the southern
side which was provided with three cells, the other three sides had
two cells each. The cells on the northern side are of equal size and
each of them measured about 3.70m x 1.80m in length and breadth
respectively. The three cells on the southern side, starting from west,
have been measured 1.84m (EW) x 2.10m (NS), 2.50m (EW) x
2.10m (NS) and 2.10m x 2.10m respectively. The open courtyard
measured about 7.20m² in area. Interestingly, the middle portion of
the courtyard, measuring about 6m x 6m, was built as an
independent platform with burnt bricks. Thus a 60cm to 70cm wide
gap created between the walls of this platform and the monastery.
This gap was found filled with earth. It appears that this
was deliberately done as this area could have meant for the covered
veranda in front of the cells. Further this earth filled area could have
also facilitated speedy soakage of rain water during the monsoon
season. A small washing area at the south west corner of the court
yard was found connected to a covered out let drain which passed
out to west through a gap between the cells.
The construction arrangement of cells around the central courtyard
followed a swastika like pattern which provided easy access to the
cells located at corners. This arrangement is comparable to some
extant to the ground plans of a few Buddhist monasteries reported
from sites like Sanchi and Sirpur in central India and Taxila in
Pakistan. Its plan closely resembles with the plan of Devnimori
monastery that was excavated in early sixties of twentieth
century. This site is located about 80km east of Vadnagar. These
monasteries are datable from 1st century CE to 7th century CE.
The Vadnagar monastery was found provided with a narrow, about
1.80m wide, veranda on the front side on the north. Presence of post
holes on the front wall of this veranda indicate that its roof was
supported on wooden pillars. The provision of veranda seems to be

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a local feature which appears to be continued in most of the Havelis
of Gujarat, built during 18th-19th century CE, invariably show this
feature. The entrance to the monastery was from north through a
porch provided on middle of the narrow veranda mentioned above.
The porch, rectangular in shape, measured 3.40m NS and 3.80m EW
and was found furnished with flights of steps from two opposite
direction one on east and other on west. The walls of veranda and the
entrance porch were provided with a moulded base. Burnt bricks
have been used for construction. The sizes of bricks measured 40-
44cm x 25-27cm x 6-7 cm in length, breadth and thickness
respectively. The average breadth of the walls of this construction is
72cm. The monastery appears to have been constructed around
beginning of c. 2nd –century CE.

PL.2. General View of the excavated Monastery

Photo by Y.S.Rawat
Architecturally, a 1.60m high plinth was another interesting feature
of the Vadnagar monastery on which it was built. The base of the
plinth was decorated exteriorly with a moulded band. Due to this
elevation the threshold level of the entrance of the monastery

Vadnagar Excavations Rawat, Y.S 47

automatically rose to the same height from the surrounding ground
level. However, this height of the plinth was utilized for providing a
cellar underneath the floor level of each of the cells of monastery
internally. The floor level and is attested by presence of a 10cm deep
about 10cm high horizontal recess in every wall at this level,
externally as well as internally. It seems that at this level a
wooden floor supported on wooden beams was provided.
Interestingly, the recess oriented in east-west direction is one brick
course higher than the recess oriented in north-south direction in the
walls which indicates that the lower recess was meant for the beams
and the upper one for the planks. A series of square/rectangular
holes through the wall is found at the top of these recesses in each
wall. The holes do not follow a regular pattern but are provided after
some interval. This arrangement of recesses and holes appears to be
made for the laying of the wooden floors.
The extant height of one of the walls has been measured 3.30m
excluding the foundation. Stratigraphical position of the building
suggested that it was built around 2nd century CE after the two major
initial periods at the site. A1.41m deep foundation trench was found
cut into the preceding deposit to build this massive structure. All the
cells exposed so far have been found badly robbed for bricks as a
result no entrance was found. The exteriors of walls have been found
perfectly finished and smooth but the interiors are not so good.
Excavation revealed that the upper deposit in this area had been very
badly disturbed due to regular human activities and erosion in
subsequent periods.
VOTIVE STUPAS
Two types of small stupas, one square and another circular on plan,
have been uncovered outside near the north eastern corner of the
monastery. Their sizes indicate that they are the votive stupas. The
elevation of the stupa with square plan reveals that this votive
stupa was erected in a terraced fashion i.e., square platforms in
diminishing dimension raised one over another and the topmost
surmounted by a semi circular solid dome known as ‘anda’.

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This type of stupa at Vadnagar consists of three diminishing terraces.
The top most terrace was surmounted by the ‘anda’ made of
moulded bricks. At present only the circular base of it is remaining.
The extant height of the stupa measures 1.25m. The elevation shows
that the lowermost terrace consists of four courses, the middle one
of ten while only two courses are extant of the topmost terrace. The
exposed plan shows that the lowest terrace would be 6.15m2, the
middle one 4.75m2 and the topmost 2.95m2 in area. The available
circular base of the ‘anda’ measures 2.0m in diameter.

Fig.1. Elevation of a Vadnagar Votive Stupa

The sizes of burnt bricks used in construction have been measured

38cm x 26cm x 7cm; 39cm x 25cm x6cm; 37cm x25cm x7cm; and
40cm x 26cm x 7cm. It appears that during 6th - 7th century CE the
dome of this stupa was encased by providing a squire plinth with
temple like moldings.
Two circular stupa have also been found during the excavation, one
underlying the western portion of the aforesaid square stupa is

Vadnagar Excavations Rawat, Y.S 49

partially exposed whereas another circular stupa, lying to the north
of the square stupa, is fully exposed on plan. The latter measures
2.0m in diameter and only three lowest courses of it are remaining.
Stratigraphically, all these votive stupas seem to be built after the
construction of the monastery at a later date i.e. around 4th-5th
Century CE. Structurally, the circular stupa were followed by the
square one.
The finding of votive stupas and the monastery has reconfirmed that
during the early centuries of current era, there had been a strong
presence of Buddhists in Vadnagar. These findings suggest that
further excavation may bring to light a large complex with many
such votive stupas. These findings also corroborate the records of
Hiuen Tsiang who visited Anandpur, the present Vadnagar, in c.
640-641 CE.
Interestingly this Monastery is found located within the ancient
fortified area of the town, near the present days Ghaskol Gate area.
Usually, Monasteries are kept away from the settlement but in
Vadnagar it was right in the settlement. What could have been the
reason that is difficult to answer with certainty. However, the answer
can be found in the inscription that has been inscribed on the pedestal
of the Bodhisattva image recovered from Vadnagar in 1992. The
inscription was first interpreted by Mehta as a gift by Sammitiya
monks but recently Hinuber and Skilling (1915) has done the critical
review of the text and came to the conclusion that it was a gift by the
nun from Sastha Bhikuni sangh. The two lined inscription is
as follows.
Line 1: Sa(stha)tiya bhikuniye dana bodhisattva sagaya
cetyakrutiye
Line 2. Ace(r)yana mahasagh(i)kana pariyaha

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(“Gift of a Bodhisatva by the nun from S(v)a(m)stha(m)ta (??) for
her own cetiyakuti for the acquisition of the Mahasamahika
Teachers”).1
The inscription indicates that there was a nunnery which could have
been established with in the fortified town near one of the southern
gates of the city of Anandpur (Vadnagar).
ANTIQUITIES
Among the antiquities
of Buddhist interest
mention may be made
of a red sand
stone broken head of
Buddha, stylistically
datable to 2nd century
CE, a crescent shaped
grey stone tray
depicting the scene of a
monkey offering honey
to Buddha (Pl.3). Black
Polished Ware sherds
inscribed with Brahmi
legends like dev-shri-ri-
shi, sha-ka-sya and dha-
ma written in 2nd- 3rd
century style have also
been found from

PL.3. Depicting a Buddhist tale

1
Romanised, edited and translated by the author.

Vadnagar Excavations Rawat, Y.S 51

 PL.5. A fragmented head perhaps depicting a Buddhist tale
the monastery. Another rear object seems to be a terracotta replica
of a stupa (Pl.4), which shows a faceted drum surmounted by two
tier circular platform topped by the dome and squire harmika with a
hole to hold chhatravali. Minor antiquities, like a votive tablet with
foot impression, six petalled flowers, fragments of incense burners
and terracotta human head pendants of various types, some of them
with a dreadful face having a trident on its forehead could have been
used as cult objects (Pl.5), have een documented. A sand stone
human head sculpted in the Gandhara art style is also an
important finding. The monastery complex has also yielded a few

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valuable antiquities which show that they had a foreign origin or
influence. Mention may be made of an amphora like handled
jar, broken sherds of a large vessel known as ‘torpedo jar’ of
Mesopotamian origin (3rd -7th Century CE) and a terracotta plaque
with moldings of acanthus leaves and a head. In addition a
sealing with impression of a Roman coin belonging to Valentinian-I
(364-367 CE) has been found which interestingly depict a Brahmi
legend on its other side. These findings suggest that during early
centuries of current era Vadnagar was a city of cosmopolitan stature
and its prosperity attracted people from faraway places.

Refrences
Beal, Samuel. 1884. ‘SI-YU-KI’: Buddhist Records of the Western
World. London. p.268.
Gazetteer of India 1975. Gujarat State Gazetteers: District Mehsana.
Ahmedabad.
Majmudar, M.R. (Ed.) 1960. Historical and Cultural Chronology of
Gujarat. The M. S. University of Baroda, Baroda.

Vadnagar Excavations Rawat, Y.S 53

Mehta, R. N. and M. V. Joshi. 1995-96. ‘Vadnagarnu Sammatiya
Sangharam. Sambodhi. Vol. 20. L.D. Institute of Indology.
Ahmedabad. Pp. 123-127
Morey, M. S. 1985. History of Buddhism in Gujarat. Reprint, 2007.
Ahmedabad. Pp.99-101
Oskar VON HINUBER and Peter SKILLING 1916. An Inscribed
Bodhisatva from Vadnagar [3 figures]. ARIRIAB XIX (2016). The
International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology, Soka
University. Tokyo.
Rawat, Y.S. Recently found ancient Monastery and other Buddhist
Remains at Vadnagar and Tarnga in North Gujarat, India. Bujang
Valley and Early Civilizations in Southeast Asia. Pp209-242. (Ed).
Stephen Chia, Barbara Watson Andaya. Department of National
Heritage, Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture,
Malaysia.2011.
Subbarao. B and R. N. Mehta 1955. Excavation at Vadnagar. Journal
of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Vol. IV, No. I: pp.
20-35.

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