Monuments of Bihar

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Monuments, like books, have tales to tell. An ancient Merit has tales to tell of the days long gone by, of people who walked this earth eons ago, and of times that were. Looking ese archaic structures -- temples, mosques, forts or palaces -- it is impossible not to' wonder about their days of glory, of men and women who swarmed their portals, of the chantings of mantras, prayers or war cries that filled the air in their heyday. They carry in their hearts the history of religions, cultures, kings and queens, generals and common men, ambitions, conspiracies, devotions, heartbreaks. battles, victories, defeats.

For the lover of monuments, Bihar is a virtual treasure trove. A lifetime would not suffice to know well enough the countless monuments scattered throughout Bihar. Within the last 3,000 years, Bihar has witnessed an incredible number of events and a procession of people who made history. Kingdoms have risen and fallen. Wars have been fought, won and lost. Great men like the Buddha and Mahavira, eminent saints belonging to the Vaishnav, Saiva, Jain, Sikh, Islam and other faiths have been born here and spread the light of knowledge and love. Nor has there been any lack of cruelty and clashes, destruction and pillage, the signs of which still remain. All those who rose to power tried to leave their signature by building palaces, temples and tombs, many of which have survived despite the vagaries of time and nature, compelling one to believe that where life is transitory, monuments, indeed, are immortal.

The materials used in building these ancient monuments, the stones and mortar, the motifs and style, all show the evolution of the collective psyche over the ages. The icons ensconced in the hearts of these monuments reveal the nature of their interaction with successive generations. Idols have been discovered in remote caves and crevices, on hilltops involving impossibly steep climbs, in inaccessible jungles and desolate places, leaving one to wonder how and why they came to be there. Idols belonging to different faiths have sometimes been found in the same monument. Different layers in the earth have sometimes told a tale of eviction of one faith and its replacement by another. Evidently, alongside devotion and faith, other motives had come into play, as they often do in history. Taking into account the available evidence, the monuments of Bihar tell a fascinating tale that strikes the imagination and whets the appetite for more. This book has been put together by the concerted effort of the Department of Youth, Art and Culture of the Government of Bihar and The Times Of India to gratify this urge of discovery.