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1. Pataliputra
Dr. Virag Sontakke

2. Introduction
• Capital of Magadha
• Soon become the Capital of ancient India
• Ajatsatru’s successor Uday, transferred the Capital from Rajagriha to
Pataliputra
• Capital during the Period of Nanda dynasty
• During the period of Maurya it became the center of whole Indian
subcontinent
• After the fall of Mauryan 100 CE, Mitra dynasty ruled from Pataliputra
(Inscriptions & coins of Indragnimitra & Brahmamitra)
• Kushana ruled subsequently (43 Kushana copper coins found in
Kumrahar by Spooner in 1913)
• In 1955, gold amulets, TC figurines found in Kumrahar and Pataliputra
excavations

4. Location of the site
• On the confluence of river Son with
Ganga
• Before capital place was known as
Pataligrama
• It was a trade center during 600 BCE
• In 600 BCE; Patligrama act as crossing
point for Ganga in the route from
Rajagriha to Sravasti and Kasi, Mathura,
Takshashila, Tamralipti

7. • During 600 BCE it was small town
• In 500 BCE became a Capital of Magadha
• Remained Capital till Mauryan Period
• Expansion of site witnessed during Mauryan period
• Big structures and fortifications were erected
• A big and beautiful palace was situated amidst the capital town
• Pataliputra identified as biggest cities of Indian subcontinent
Pataliputra upto Maurya Period

8. Pataliputra during Gupta Period
• Prominent place during Gupta period
• Became a Capital
• It was flourishing center as reported by Fa-Hien (Faxian) 399-412
CE
• He explain his journey in a book “ A record of Buddhist Kingdoms
(Foguo Ji)
• Fa-Hien lived in Pataliputra for three years
• Fa-Hien : two monasteries (Hinyan & Mahayan)
• In Kumrahar monastic structure datable to Gupta period were
recovered in excavations
• Arogyavihara was found
• These monastic structure were decorated with flying gandharvas
and images of Buddha in niches

9. Literary references of Pataliputra
• Mahabhashya of Patanjali
• Arthashatra of Kautilya
• Indica of Megasthenese
• Chinese Travelers
• Fa-Hian: Visited Pataliputra stayed 3 years
• Pali Texts: Mahaparinibban Sutta
• Jain Text: Jain sangiti was held in Pataliputra
• Other Foreign Accounts
• Later texts

10. Literary references
• Mahaparinibbana-Sutta: During his final journey from Nalanda
to Kushinara, the Buddha reached Pataligama.
• Buddha met two Brahmana ministers of King Ajatasatru named
Sunidha and Vassakara in Pataligama
• Therigatha mentions this city as Kusumapura
• Hiuen-Tsang has also mentioned this name of the city.
• Buddhaghosha: Presence of a monastery during the time of the
Buddha here known as Kukkutarama
• During the time of Asoka, a monastery was constructed was
known as Asokarama Vihara where the Third Buddhist Council
was organized

11. Pataliputra According to Megasthenes
• He called : Palibothra
• Pataliputra situated on the bank of Ganga
• Size: 80 stadia (15 km.) in length and 15 stadia in breadth (3 km)
• Shape: Parallelogram
• Surrounded by wooden wall (massive timber palisades)
• Pierced with loopholes for the discharge of arrows
• Had ditch in front for defense
• Ditch also received sewage of the city
• The wall crowned with 570 towers and 64 gates
• He further informs that the royal palace of Chandragupta excelled in
splendour and magnificence the palaces of Susa and Ecbatana.
• This city is most distinguished in all India

12. Megasthenes: Royal Palace
• Royal Palace of Chandragupta was entirely made of timber
• Royal Palace was beautiful and magnificent like Susa and
Ecbatana
• The Pillars of the palace were decorated with golden and silver
birds
• Palace was situated at the heart of the city
• The palace was surrounded by parks, pasture grounds and
shady grooves where peacocks were domesticated

13. Megasthenes: Administration of Patliputra
• A commission consisting 30 men
• Six committees consisting five members each
1. Industrial art and Artisans
2. Entertainment of Foreigners
3. Maintain the record of Birth and death
4. Trade and commerce
5. Looked into the manufactured articles
6. Tax on the price of sold articles

14. Pataliputra According to Arrian
•Uncountable cities in India
•The greatest city of India is Palimbotha
•It is situated in the confluence of Erannoboas (Son)
and the Ganga
•Arrian matches with Megastehnes

15. Pataliputra According to Aelien (170 CE)
• In the Indian royal palace where king lived is
magnificent and unmatched with Susa nor Ekbatana.
• Only Persians would prompt such comparison.
•There other wonders which I cant describe
• There are domesticated peacocks, pheasants, trees and
vegetables
•There are artificial ponds wherein fish are found in
plenty
• Book: Aelien on the Peculiarities of Animals

16. Ancient Susa

17. Palace of Dareios; c. 550 – 486 BCE

18. Similarly to how greek authors later described ecbatana

19. Ancient Persepolis

20. Literary Works
•Patanjali: 200 BCE
•According to the author of Mahabahsya
•The city was prosperous
•Citizens were more cultured than other cities like
Sankisa
•Kathasaritasagar: Important center of learning
•Kathasaritasagar: Scholars from Malwa & Kashmir
come to this place for higher studies
•Nagsen & Menander completed their higher studies at
Pataliputra

21. Chinese Travelers: Fa-Hian
•Fa-Hian: A great city
•Buildings of Ashoka period
•Palace is located in the midst of the city
•Piled up with stone
•Reared the wall and gates
•Executed with elegant carving and
sculpture which no human hands of this
world could accomplish

22. Chinese Travelers: Hiuen Tsang
• During Hiuen Tsang time city
lost its prosperity
• He mentions stupa, vihara and
buildings were in ruined
conditions
• The city only has 1000 houses
• He also saw one stupa in buried
condition, and Vihara
• Towards the S-E of old city ruins
of Kukkutarama Vihara of Asoka,
Amalaka stupa and a stupa

23. Pataliputra :Pre-Mauryan Structures
• Buddhaghosha mentions the
presence of a monastery
during the time of the Buddha
•This Vihara known as
Kukkutarama
• It was constructed by
Kukkuta Setthi.
• The reference of monastery
also found in Pali texts like
1. Anguttaranikaya &
2. Samyuktanikaya

24. Ashoka: Buddhist Structures
• According to the literary text Asoka constructed Asokarama
vihara at Pataliputra
• Here 3rd Buddhist Council held here
• He also constructed three stupa in Pataliputra
1. Enshrine Buddha’s relics
2. Commemorate his gift of an Amalaka fruit to Sangha
3. In the spot where Buddha had prophesied the prosperity of
the city
4. He also convened the third Buddhist council in the 17th
regional year
5. Pataliputra became prominent center of Buddhism

25. Archaeological History of Pataliputra
• The precise location of Pataliputra was uncertain
•In 1783 Major Rennell was first to identify the site
• in 1878 Beglar (Surveyor) identify the site adjacent to
modern Patna.
• Beglar assumed the material could have been washed
away by the flood
•1883, Sir Alexander Cunningham, explored the old city
of Patna and excavated Choti Pahari and Pancha Pahari.
• He found nothing but brick debris

27. Archaeological History of Pataliputra
• 1892, L.A. Waddell (IMS), discovered several structure on the basis of
itineraries of Chinese pilgrims
• L.A. Waddell, excavate the Bulandibag, Choti Pahadi, Tulsimandi,
Maharajkhand, Kumrahar, Rampur, Bahadurpur, Sandalpur and
Pirthipur.
• At Bulandibag, Tulsimandi, Maharajkhand he found remains of wooden
beams 45 to 50 cm in diameter
• Wooden beams arranged in a double rows at the depth of 3.6 m. from
surface
• At Kumrahar found a broken Asokan pillar
• In Rampur and Bahadurpur wooden planks placed one above the other
was exposed. A Wooden drain was also noticed

28. Archaeological History of Pataliputra
•1897, P.C. Mookherjee excavated the Lohanipur near
the ditch
• Mookherjee found the railings of the Stupa
•Also recovered fragments of Mauryan pillars and
capital 3 feet in diameter and a small shaft 8 feet.
• Mookherjee also reported the wooden palisades and a
wooden drain

29. Archaeological History of Pataliputra
• In 1912-13, D. B. Spooner excavated the area of Bulandibag and
Kumrahar
• He found wooden beams which were running parallel to each
other (length 350 ft)
• At Kumrahar Spooner exposed the Mauryan pillar hall
• He recovered 72 pillared hall
• The pillars were fixed on wooden platform and stone base
• He argues the Plan of Mauryan Palace was similar to palace of
Persepolis
• The funds of the excavations sponsored by Sir Ratan Tata

30. Archaeological History of Pataliputra
• To understand the wooden palisades as mentioned by
Megasthenes again site was excavated in 1926-27 in
Bulandibag area.
• 250 feet long wooden palisades exposed in the
excavation
• Two rows of stone pillars (12 ft height) also found
•Again the site was excavated from 1951 to 1955 by K.P.
Jaiswal Institute of Patna, under the direction of B.P.
Sinha and L.A. Narain.

32. Chronology of Pataliputra
•Period I: 600-150 BCE
•Period II: 150 BCE -500 CE
•Period III: 1700 CE

33. Plan of the 80-columns pillared hall
• The site Kumhrar identified as
palace of Maurya dynasty
• Here eighty stone pillars was
found
• The pillars are arranged in 8
rows of 10 pillars each.
• It is also called as “Assembly
hall of 80 pillars”.
• It is thought that the pillars
sustained a wooden roof
• No surrounding walls, making it
an open-air hall.
Mauryan Palace

36. Pillared Hall: According to Spooner
• Datable to Mauryan period
• 8 rows of 10 columns each
• Each situated 15 feet away from others
• The columned were monoliths and polished
• Diameter of column at the base was nearly 1 meter
• Height ranges upto 6-7 meters
• Made of Chunar Sandstones
• Erected without pedestals
• Without socket or hole
• Stand on wooden floor of the hall

37. Pillared Hall
• The hall has entry from south
• Perhaps a Poarch of four pillars at entrance
• Entire pillars were polished
• Had a shaft at the base and masons marks
• Ashy deposit found in excavation indicate the wooden flooring and
ceiling
• No tiles were found
• Ceiling was rested upon the pillars
• No walls enclosing the pillars were found
• Suggest the open pavilion
• The hall was burnt down and destroyed during Shunga Period

38. Fa-hieun views of Palace
• Royal palace
stand in midst of
the city
• Stand but in
ruined conditions
Fa-Hien at the ruins of Ashoka's
palace in Pataliputra in the 4th
century CE (artist impression)

39. Purpose of Hall?
• Hall of Audience?
• Assembly Hall?
• Throne Room of the Mauryas?
• Royal palace?

40. Royal Palace?
• No supportive evidence
• No remains of secular and administrative buildings adjacent
• No evidence of stone capitals
• Fa-Hiuen and Hiun-Tesang : Ashokan palace with pillars with
stone capitals
• S.P. Gupta: open pavilion of Chandragupta Maurya for
Spending leisure time: Music, dance
•

41. Assembly Hall?
• Asoka organized 3rd Buddhist council at Pataliputra
• Hall was approachable by canal and land
• B.P. Sinha: Assembly hall, Based on the Buddhist
literature
• Sanchi Depiction of vihara; Ajatshatru’s procession
• Panini: 500 members in the Rajyasabha of the of
Bindusara
• B.P. Sinha : Typical Indian traditions

42. Asokarama Vihara?
•Asoka constructed Asokarama Vihara in
Pataliptra
•A hall of conference
•A. Gosh: Venue of Buddhist council

43. Idea of Pillared hall
• Spooner: Similar to Persepolis, Iranian ideas
• J. Marshal: Agrees to Spooner
• V. Smith: Follows the view of Spooner
• M. Wheeler: Support Spooner
• Coomarswamy: Similar to Pillared hall of Achmenid Kings of
Persepolis
• N.R. Ray: “Impetus came from outside”
• Percy Brown: Use of mason marks suggest Persian influence
• B.P. Sinha: Indian origin transformation from wood to stone

45. Fortification: According to Megasthenes
•Surrounded by wooden wall (massive timber
palisades)
•Pierced with loopholes for the discharge of arrows
•Had ditch in front for defense
•Ditch size: 600 feet breadth and 30 cubits in depths
•Ditch also received sewage of the city
•The wall crowned with 570 towers and 64 gates

50. Drainage system
• The city has underground wooden drainage
• 40 ft long drainage remains has been found in excavations at
Bulandibag
• Drain was found 32 feet below from the present ground surface
• Size of the drain:
• Height: 6 ft 3 inch
• Breadth: 3 ft 6 inches
• Similar wooden drains were also found in Rampur and
Bahadurpur by Waddel

51. Concluding Remarks
• The Capital city of Ancient India
• Longest period (600 BCE to 600 CE) of time a prosperous town
• Center of political, religious, and economic history throw-out
the Gupta Period
• Structural activity: 600 BCE
• Causes of Decline:
• Mihirkula invasion (Hunas) according to the Hieun Tsiang
• Jaina scripture: Titihogali Painniya: counties raining for 17
days and nights brought devastated flood
• After Gupta site was re-habited in 1700 century CE.