Story of Assam University Prof Dr. Ganesh Nandi’s discovery of 1500-year-old sculptures near Assam-Mizoram border, draws ASI attention

In a groundbreaking development, a professor from Assam University, Silchar, and his team have discovered sculptures and statues of 1,500-year-old origin in a remote village near the Assam-Mizoram border. The statues were found by Dr. Ganesh Nandi, Assistant Professor at Assam University, Silchar, and researcher Dr. Binoy Paul after they came across a photograph of them.

They informed that the sculptures were found in a remote village situated near the Gharmura region of Hailakandi district along the Assam-Mizoram border. According to Dr. Nandi, the statues and sculptures found there resemble those found in Unakoti and Pilak of the 8th and 9th centuries.

Speaking to Barak Bulletin, Dr. Nandi said that they had to trek through a dense forest adjacent to the Hailakandi district to reach the destination, crossing the Assam-Mizoram border. According to him, most of the inhabitants of the village are from the Reang tribe, and they worship Hindu deities.

“The moment we came across the photographs of those sculptures, we were surprised to see the depth of detailing in those stone works and the similarity they had with the sculptures found in the Unakoti and Pilak regions of Tripura,” said Dr. Nandi.

The professor also believes that the sculptures bear several damage marks, suggesting concerted efforts in the past to demolish these structures, indicating the possibility of more such sculptures buried within the ground.

Dr. Nandi mentioned that the artistic style of these sculptures draws heavily from the Gupta and Pala periods (750 – 1200 CE). Among the findings, one sculpture resembles Lord Buddha in dress and style but appears as a female structure. The other statue resembles Goddess Parvati, as informed by the professor.

“After interacting with the locals of the village, we came to know that they have been worshipping the stone statues as Hindu deities and performing pujas and rituals there for generations now. Although many other sculptures have been destroyed by various forces in the last few centuries, the inhabitants of this village have been making efforts to protect and preserve the ones still standing,” said Dr. Nandi.

This latest archaeological discovery by the team has drawn attention from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Dr. Alok Tripathi, Additional Director-General of ASI, informed us that a team of ASI officials from the Guwahati circle would visit the place soon to examine the findings of the team led by Dr. Nandi.

“We received the report from Dr. Nandi and his team, and soon a team of ASI officials would visit the place to examine the claim. It would be premature to say anything in advance now as everything depends on the facts and findings of the inspection team. Only after close examination can we come to any conclusion,” said Dr. Alok Tripathi.

Dr. Nandi mentioned that according to the Rajmala, which is the history of the Manikya kings of Tripura, ancient Cachar was then known as the Kingdom of Hidimba, and it was part of the Tripura Kingdom for a period. According to local folklore, Rai Kachak, who was the General of Maharaja Dhanya Manikya (1490 – 1515 CE), during his stay here to suppress some Reang rebels, performed Durga Puja at this hill.

Dr. Nandi is hopeful that the ASI inspection would uncover more mysteries surrounding this place and would also go on to rewrite the history of Barak Valley. “If our initial assumption comes true, then it would mean that Barak Valley and its vicinity had a flourishing civilization going back as far as the 8th or 9th century. And this is a significant development for the history of the entire Northeast region,” said the professor.