The Archeology Survey of India (ASI) will soon start excavations to find Buddhist stupas of Pala dynasty believed to be existing near the ruins of the ancient Vikrashila university in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, an ASI official said on Friday.
"We have asked the administration to send a photograph and details of the site after which a team will be send there for excavation," Director of ASI (Bihar) Atul Verma said.
Verma said the decision had been taken after he had received a call from Bhagalpur district magistrate office about possible existence of the stupas. The possibility of existence of the stupas came to light when a farmer of Paharia tola, about one km away from the ruins of Vikramshila university, felt some hard substance under the soil where he was working on Thursday.
On seeing through a hole with the help of a torch he saw some hard structures. Soon more villagers joined him and they informed the nearby ASI office. On reaching the spot, ASI officials confirmed possibility of existence of stupas inside. Soon, the area was barricaded with the help of the district administration.
Anurag Kumar, in-charge of ASI Vikramshila Museum, expressed possibility of existence of nine stupas of the Pala period there. Located 44 km east of Bhagalpur, the university of Vikramsila, ranks next to Nalanda, was established by King Dharampal of Bengal (783-820) at the end of the 8th century.
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