WITH Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Nagpur Circle, undertaking a mega conservation project at the excavated site at Mansar, the ancient town has now come on international tourist map. The influx of foreign tourists to the place, situated about 45 kilometre from Nagpur, is set to rise as COVID-19 pandemic situation eases across the globe. Over 3,000 big and small artifacts were discovered by archaeologists during excavation between 1996 and 2008 from the site. In 2014, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had also asked the ASI to set up an on-site museum where these more than 2,300-year-old artifacts could be displayed so that the heritage site could be opened for visitors and also a tourist circuit could be created between Mansar, Ramtek and Nagpur.

 

 Facilities being created by ASI for tourists at Mansar site.

 

The High Court had taken up the issue after a public interest litigation (76/2013) was filed by Vidarbha Economic Development (VED) Council through activist Dinesh Naidu, advocate and former Shiv Sena MLA (Ramtek) Ashish Jaiswal. Subsequently, the ASI prepared the conservation plan. Accordingly, the National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCCL), a Government of India Enterprise, recently executed a part of the project, including construction of a cafeteria, cloakroom, toilet block, publication counter, ticket booking counter, parking facility, and a pathway to the excavated site, at Mansar. Foreign and domestic tourists are now being charged ticketing fee of Rs 250 and Rs 25 per head respectively for visiting the site. Experts are of the view that if the Central and State Governments allot more funds and further develop the area in and around Mansar from tourism point of view, the famous archaeological site has potential to get a ‘World Heritage’ tag by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and may generate employment opportunities for the youth in rural areas of the district. The ancient mounds excavated at the site were the capital -- Pravarapura or Pravareshvara -- of Vakataka king Pravarasena II dating back to the later part of 5th century AD. Initially, the excavations were carried out by Ancient Indian History, Culture & Archaeology Department of RTM Nagpur University. The site was also excavated by ASI in 1994-95. Later, large scale excavations were undertaken by Bodhisatva Nagarjun Smarak Sanstha Va Anusandhan Kendra between 1997 and 2004. Four cultural periods -- Maurya-Sunga (300 BC to 200 BC), Satvahana (200 BC to 250 AD), Gupta-Vakataka (275 AD to 550 AD) and Vishnukundin rule (550 AD to 624 AD) -- were revealed at the site in the excavations.

 

The Hidimba Tekdi at the site revealed a Buddhist stupa built with rammed earth and 38 raised courses, a box pattern brick stupa and an oblong Chaityagruha. A brick Shiva temple belonging to Vakataka period with an octagonal sanctum housing a black stone linga, was further provided with antarala and mandapa. The external garbhagriha’ had five radiating angles of the star. The jagati portion was made of mounded burnt bricks. A huge palace complex with large and small rooms surrounded by corridors was also exposed by archaeologists. It had a massive brick fortification wall on all four sides along with moat and a huge tank. The evidences of Kurmaciti (tortoise altar) and Syenaciti (eagle-shaped altar) were also discovered. The Syenaciti was built with the shape of two spread out wings and beak of an eagle along with the image of human sacrifice.

 

On Western side of the mound a row of brick-built 16 Shiva shrines were found. Only six of them, had Shivalingas, one each resting over a square pedestal with a pranala on the northern side. Archaeologists had also discovered different sculptures like Vaman, Shiva-Parvati with three eyes, a turbaned male head, Shiva-Parvati with bull, ekmukhalinga, a rare sculpture of Narsimha riding on Garuda and Kartikeya riding on a peacock, Lajja-Gauri and Kuber. Several Bramhi inscriptions on structural fragments, inscribed coins, pottery, beads, clay figurines, iron and copper objects were also found at the site. The most remarkable evidence found at the Mansar site was the seal dice of king Pravarsena and queen Prabhavati Gupta. The conservation work is being carried out under the supervision of Nandini Sahu, Regional Director (West), ASI, K R K Reddy, Superintending Archaeologist (In-Charge Nagpur Circle), ASI, and Milind Angaitkar, Senior Conservation Assistant, Nagpur Sub-Circle, ASI.