Ahichchhatra

Coordinates: 28°22′16″N 79°08′10″E / 28.371°N 79.136°E / 28.371; 79.136
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Ahichchhatra
One of the Shiva temple ruins at Ahichhatra .
Ahichchhatra is located in South Asia
Ahichchhatra
Ahichchhatra
Shown within South Asia
Ahichchhatra is located in Uttar Pradesh
Ahichchhatra
Ahichchhatra
Ahichchhatra (Uttar Pradesh)
LocationUttar Pradesh, India
Coordinates28°22′16″N 79°08′10″E / 28.371°N 79.136°E / 28.371; 79.136
TypeTemples
History
Foundedc. 1500 BCE
CulturesOchre Coloured Pottery culture, Black and red ware, Painted Grey Ware culture, Gupta Empire
National Museum, New Delhi.[1]

Ahichchhatra or Ahikhet (

Panchala, a northern Indian kingdom mentioned in the Mahabharata.[2]

A Most of the city was half a mile north-east of the modern village, with a large mound, popularly called the fort, two miles west of this. Several significant finds of sculpture, in both stone and (especially) terracotta of the early centuries CE, have been made at the site and are now in various museums. Excavations have uncovered nine strata, the lowest from before the 3rd century BCE and the latest from the 11th century CE.[3] Ashwatthama was the king of Ahichchhatra during Mahabharata time. The city appears to have reached its height during the period of the

Indian pottery at various periods, and in the early CE the temples were decorated with unusually large terracotta relief panels and sculptures, many of very high quality.[4]

Names

The word Ahi means snake or Naga in Sanskrit. Nagas were a group of ancient people who worshiped serpents. The word khsetra means region in Sanskrit. This implies that Ahi-kshetra was a region of Nagas.

Vividha Tirtha Kalpa, composed by Jain Acharya Jinaprabha Suri in the 14th century CE, mentions Samkhyāvatǐ as the earlier name of Ahichchhatra and describes two Jain temples dedicated to Parshvanatha in the area. Ahikshetra is mentioned as Shankavai Samkhyavati in Vividhatirthakalpa.[5]

History

According to Jain Tradition, the history of Ahichchhatra traditionally starts from the period of

Kevala Jnana (omniscience).[6]

Its history reaches back to late

Vedic times, at which time it was capital of the Panchala kingdom. The name is written Ahikshetras as well as Ahi-chhatra, but the local legend of Adi Raja and the Naga, who formed a canopy over his head, when asleep, shows that the later is the correct form. The fort is said to have been built by Adi Raja, an Ahir[7] whose future elevation sovereignty was foretold by Drona, when he found him sleeping under the guardianship of a serpent with expended hood. The fort is also called Adikot.[8]

Brahmi
, Panchala symbols.

The last independent ruler of Ahichatra was Achyuta Naga, who was defeated by Samudragupta, after which Panchala was annexed into the Gupta Empire.[9] The coins of Achyuta found from Ahichatra have a wheel of eight spokes on the reverse and the legend Achyu on the obverse.[10]

Archaeology

The site was briefly explored by Sir

vanvas
).

In the early Gupta period a section of the city set aside for pottery contained very large firing pits, some 10 or 12 feet deep.[14]

Jain tradition

Main article: Ahichchhatra Jain temples
A bronze currency of ½ karshapana of King Indramitra (ca 75-50 BC?) Of Ahichatra of Panchala. Obv: A inside a rectangle, a line of 3 symbols, under the name of the king. Rev: Indra standing on a pedestal without pillars. Dimensions: 15 mm. Weight: 4.18 g.
Coin of Achyuta, the last Panchala king, showing an 8-spoked wheel and the king's name: Achyu.
Ahichchhatra Jain temple

Ahichchhatra is believed to be the place where

Kevala Jnana (omniscience). The temples in Ahichchhatra are built to commemorate Parshvanatha attaining Kēvalajñāna kalyāṇaka.[15] This temple is dedicated to Parshvanatha and is major Jain pilgrimage center.[16][17] According to Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Ahichhatra Jain Temple witnessed over 4 lakh visitors in 2017.[18] Ahichhatra Jain Mela is the primary festival of this temple and is organized annually in March.[17]

Means of approach

From the Revati Bahoda Khera Station on Chandosi – Bareilly Line, vehicle of Kshetra and other vehicles are available. Road: - Buses are available from Delhi, Meerut, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kasganj & Badaun. Train: - Trains are available from Delhi, Bareilly, Agra, Moradabad, Aligarh to Revati Bahoda Khera Station and vehicles are all time available for Ramnagar from Revati Bahoda Khera Station. Airport: - Delhi 250 km

Nearby Places

Nainital – 180 km Hastinapur Atishaya Kshetra – 200 km Kampilji Atishaya Kshetra – 180 km Manglayatan (Aligarh) – 180 km Bareilly – 55 km

Sculpture from Ahichchhatra

  • 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha sculpture excavated from Ahichchhatra, 7th century BCE
  • Stone Buddha, c. 1st Century CE, Kushan Period
    Stone Buddha, c. 1st Century CE, Kushan Period
  • Sandstone Shiva, 3rd century
    Sandstone Shiva, 3rd century
  • Terracotta architectural panel with Goddess, Gupta period, 5th century
    Terracotta architectural panel with Goddess, Gupta period, 5th century
  • Gupta period terracotta Yamuna, pair to the Ganga above
    Gupta period terracotta Yamuna, pair to the Ganga above

Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ahichchhatra.
  1. ISBN 978-0-300-06217-5
    .
  2. ISBN 978-81-7335-498-4
    .
  3. ^ a b Kala, p. xv
  4. ^ Majumdar, 429-430
  5. ^ Subodh Kapoor 2002, p. 16.
  6. ^ "Brochure Ahicchatra" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  7. ISBN 978-81-7755-298-0
    .
  8. ^ Subodh Kapoor 2002, pp. 17–19.
  9. ^ Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). Political History of Ancient India, Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.473
  10. ^ Lahiri, B. (1974). Indigenous States of Northern India (Circa 200 B.C. to 320 A.D.) , Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.182
  11. ^ Lahiri, Bela (1972). Indigenous States of Northern India (Circa 200 B.C. to 320 A.D.), Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.170-88
  12. ^ "What Lies Beneath".
  13. ^ http://www.educationtimes.com/article/290/20130917201309171524062507304cdb3/What-Lies-Beneath.html What lies Beneath, B. R. Mani 2013
  14. ^ Majumdar, 430
  15. ^ UP tourism & Ahicchatra, p. 2.
  16. ^ Jain 2008, p. 64.
  17. ^ a b UP tourism & Uttar Pradesh: A to Z, p. 31.
  18. ^ UP tourism & Year-wise Tourist Statistics.

References

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