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Madhya Pradesh Begins Fresh Vaishya Tekri Excavation in Ujjain
The Madhya Pradesh government, with archaeological experts, initiates fresh excavations at Vaishya Tekri in Ujjain. The excavation is currently undertaken to revive and refine the study of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka through structural and landscape-level investigation.
Fresh Excavation at Vaishya Tekri:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Central mound measurements | The central mound at Vaishya Tekri measures roughly 350 feet at its base and nearly 100 feet in height. |
| Comparison cited in the report | The central mound is described as significantly larger than the Great Stupa at Sanchi, which is cited as about 54 feet in height. |
| Earlier excavation and authority | Earlier excavation in 1938-39 is conducted by the Archaeology Department of the erstwhile Gwalior State. |
| Earlier findings | The site yields large-sized Mauryan bricks, punch-marked coins, and a cast Avanti coin. |
| Engineering technique and foundation | The core comprises rammed blackish murum faced with brick masonry, and it is built upon a bowl-shaped foundation to resist outward structural thrust. |
| Surrounding landscape features | The surrounding landscape comprises a square moat created by quarrying construction materials, and evidence of a western processional pathway for worshippers coming from ancient Ujjayini. |
| Bindusara-Ashoka administrative link | Emperor Bindusara appoints Ashoka as the viceroy (Kumara) of Avanti with his administrative headquarters at Ujjain around 282 BCE. |
| Epigraphic support cited | Ashokan Rock Edicts explicitly mention a Kumara stationed at Ujjayini, confirming an administrative presence before Ashoka seizes the Mauryan throne. |
| Devi linkage and local name | While traveling from Pataliputra to Ujjain, Ashoka stops at Vidisha and marries Vedisadevi (Devi), the daughter of a prominent local merchant (Vaishya), and the mound’s local name “Vaishya Tekri” stems from Devi’s merchant lineage. |
| Individuals linked to Theravada spread | Devi and Ashoka’s children, Mahinda and Sanghamitta, are stated to play a pivotal role in propagating Theravada Buddhism to Sri Lanka. |
| Vaishya Tekri vs. Kumhar (Kumbhar) Tekri | Vaishya Tekri comprises the primary and larger mound traditionally linked to Devi and Buddhist monastic activity, while Kumhar (Kumbhar) Tekri comprises a smaller nearby mound identified in local traditions and historical records. |
| Xuanzang’s travelogue reference (7th century) | Xuanzang (Hsuan-tsang) notes that a stupa near Ujjain marks the site of a “hellish prison” or “hell” built by King Ashoka. |
| Kumhar Tekri archaeological finding | Archaeological digs at Kumhar Tekri reveal a 3rd-century BCE burial-cum-cremation ground, stated to match Xuanzang’s observations. |
| Excavation focus: stratigraphic sequence | The excavation provides for establishing exact construction phases and differentiating Mauryan core structures from later Sunga or Satavahana renovations. |
| Excavation focus: monastic landscape mapping | The excavation authorises mapping surrounding structures such as viharas (monasteries), votive stupas, and residential quarters, rather than treating the stupa as an isolated monument. |
| Excavation focus: urban dynamics cited | The excavation provides for insights into trade networks along the Shipra River connecting Ujjain with coastal ports like Bharuch (Broach) and Sopara. |