Somapura Mahavihara Historical Facts and Pictures

Paharpur village at Naogaon distirct, Somapura Mahavihara is an 8^th century Buddhist monastery.  Occupying an area of 11 hectares, this monastery is one of the largest and best known Buddhist monasteries in Indian subcontinent and also an important archaeological site in India.

Somapura Mahavihara

Somapura Mahavihara Pictures

Based on Tibetan sources, this monastery was part of the great five Mahaviharas, which was established during the ancient Pala period in Bengal. Scientific excavations discovered through the inscriptions on seals that Somapura Mahavihara was built by Dharampala, the second of the Pala kings.

Somapura Mahavihara Garden

Somapura Mahavihara Inside

Somapura Mahavihara Photos

Architecture and Structure

The structure of the complex is quadrangular, consisting 177 cells and a conventional Buddhist stupa at the center. The monastery comprises of a large number of shrines and stupas of different shapes and sizes along with terracotta plaques, inscriptions, ceramics, coins and stone sculptures. The monastery compound is dominated by a central temple that bears similarities with Buddhist temple architectural patterns of terraced structure with interposed chambers, cruciform basement and gradually declines to a pyramid-form.  The monastery compound also occupies an adjacent museum where a collection of statues of Hindu gods and deities are preserved.

Somapura Buddist Vihara

Somapura Mahavihara Buddhist Statue

Somapura Mahavihara Images

This Buddhist monastery has survived the invasion of Islam in South Asia and due to its rich cultural and historic values, it was selected in 1985 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.