Mahasthangarh

Mahasthangarh

মহাস্থানগড়
Ramparts of the Mahasthangarh citadel
Shown within Bangladesh
Location	Mahasthan, Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh
Coordinates	24°57′40″N 89°20′34″E / 24.96111°N 89.34278°E / 24.96111; 89.34278Coordinates: 24°57′40″N 89°20′34″E / 24.96111°N 89.34278°E / 24.96111; 89.34278
Type	Settlement
History
Founded	Not later than 3rd century BC
Abandoned	18th century AD

Mahasthangarh (Bengali: মহাস্থানগড় Môhasthangôṛ) is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. A limestone slab bearing six lines in Prakrit in Brahmi script, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century BC. The fortified area was in use till the 18th century AD.

Together with the ancient and medieval ruins, the mazhar (holy tomb) of Shah Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar built at the site of a Hindu temple is located at Mahasthangarh. He was a dervish (holy person devoted to Islam) of royal lineage who came to the Mahasthangarh area, with the objective of spreading Islam among non-Muslims. He converted the people of the area to Islam and settled there.

Mahasthangarh was the capital of an ancient locality in eastern subcontinential area named Pundravardhana. According to the Ancient Indian mythology, there was a Pre Aryan civilization founded by a mythological prince named ‘Pundra’ who was the son of mythological demon king ‘Bali’. King Bali had five sons who founded five civilizations in eastern Indian region named Anga, Vanga, kalinga, Pundra and Sumha; which was thought to be named after them. But there are several theories regarding the word ‘Pundra’. It was a civilization free from Aryan culture. And it was a powerful, rich and sovereign kingdom during Alexander the Great’s invasion. Alexander didn’t invade in Pundravardhana. An ancient sculpture found in Pundravardhana containing texts saying that it was ruled under the Mouryan Empire when Asoka the Great was the empire. It was also a very important city during the Gupta, Sunga, Pala, Sena dynesties. It was a very important city of the Gupta Empire. During the 400 years long Pala period when the Buddhist civilization flourished in this region, the largest Buddhist monastery in the South of the Himalayas, “Somapura Mahavihara”, and also the Great Nalanda Mahavihara were not so far from this city. During the Sena period, it was a Hindu kingdom and was ruled by two brothers named Nol and Nil. Then a cursed Brahmin migrated here from South India named Rama/Porshurama. He helped those brothers to negotiate and became the king. Then a Dervish of royal lineage came into this area, with objective of spreading Islam among the non-Muslims. For converting too many people into Muslims he was opposed by the king and at last he had a war with the king. The king died and Islam was spread through all over the North-Bengal from Pundravardhana. During the Sultani and Nababi Period it lost its importance and an ancient city named Ghoraghot became more important. During this time, the current Bangladeshi city of Bogra was established few miles south from here. At the British Colonial period it became the heart of the great Fakir Sanyashi rebellion which lead the country to a great movement for the independence of the Indian sub-continent.