Report of a Tour through the Bengal Provinces/Bishanpur Tandwa

by Joseph David Freedone Melik Beglar

BISHANPUR TANDWA.

Of the statues at Bishanpur carried off from this valley, the principal ones are a fine statue of Buddha of large size seated,

and two smaller ones, one of Padma Pâni, as shown by the lotus symbol, and the other with a symbol which looks like a stem of Indian-corn.

These three statues are among the finest in Magadha and well deserving of preservation; they are in black basalt, and the execution and design are both good.

On a small bas-relief representing a figure seated cross-legged in Buddha fashion is inscribed Ye Dharmma Râsi Maha Kasyapa; this statue is clearly therefore one, of the venerable president of the first synod, and is the only one I have seen or heard of, of one of Buddha's disciples. The existence of this statue is a proof that in the later days of Buddhism the great disciples of Buddha may have come in for a share of the devotions of the Buddhist congregation.

The great statue of Buddha stood on a pedestal, which is now placed near it, the statue itself being set on the ground; the pedestal is inscribed in Kutila characters with the usual Buddhist formula.

A small inscribed female figure of Akshobhya is among the collection; the inscription is mutilated; the terminal letters are perfectly distinct.

The chaityas represented in these sculptures are in height twice the width of base, exclusive of the umbrella on top, which consists of seven diminishing discs, measuring in the aggregate height one diameter of the base of the chaitya, the total height to the top of the umbrella being three diameters.

There are numerous other statues, many Buddhist, but a few also Brahmanical. Of these last, the principal one is a fragment of Ganeça, but greatly inferior to the Buddhist sculptures in execution and design.

To the south-east of and just outside the village is a high rocky eminence which must once have been crowned by buildings, as the remains of floors and foundations yet exist; they were built of brick, as shown by the existing remains and by the numerous brickbats strewn about; tradition says it was a garh built by a Rajput Raja named Sobh Nâth, after whom the eminence is named Sobhnâthia.

Regarding the ruins at Hasra in the Kol valley, tradition gives no information beyond this, that the ruins there are the remains of the palace and garh of the same Raja who built the temples of Punâwa; his name is variously given as Tiloknâth and as Banauti Raja.