Tripura Government Set To Develop A 1000-Year-Old Archaeological Site

Pilak, an over 1000-year-old archaeological site in Tripura, is set to woo more travellers as the state government has initiated steps to develop it as a historical tourism circuit with two other places. The place, nestled in Jolaibari, formed part of a chain of Hindu-Buddhist sites on the tri-junction of East Bengal (now Bangladesh), Tripura and Arakkan (Myanmar) region. As of now, approximately 200 people visit Pilak every day.

&ldquoIt is a famous tourist spot in Tripura&rsquos South District, which people from different parts of the country visit. We have created an archaeological tourist circuit, including Chhabimura and Udaipur in the Gomati district and Pilak in the South Tripura district. There is a package tour connecting the three sites&rdquo, T K Das, Director of the state tourism department, told PTI.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly was recently roped in as the brand ambassador for Tripura Tourism, and the initiative is expected to give a boost to the state&rsquos unexplored tourist destinations.

About the Circuit

The tourism circuit starts from Agartala and links Pilak with Udaipur, a temple town in the northeastern state where Tripureswari Kali temple, one of the 51 Shaktipiths, is situated. Bhubaneswari Kali temple, which is featured in Rabindranath Tagore&rsquos novel &lsquoRajarshi&rsquo, is also located at Udaipur.

It also covers Chhabimura, famous for its panels of rock carvings on the steep mountain wall on the bank of river Gomati.

At the Pilak site, which covers an area of three square kilometres in the Belonia subdivision, you can discover stone engravings of Hindu Gods carved in the Buddhist style. In addition, there are figurines of Shiva, Surya, Baishnabi, and Mahishasurmardini, as well as a Buddha statue, located at Shyam Sundar Tilla, Deb Bari, Thakurani Tilla, Balir Pathar, and Basudeb Bari. The site is spread across uplands and green valleys.

Research by the late Ratna Das, who had authored a book on Pilak, suggests that the place had emerged as a major Hindu-Buddhist site in the eighth century. Several rock-cut images and terracotta plaques lie scattered in the area, and the Archaeological Survey of India is the custodian of the site.

Attracting Buddhist Tourists

Executive engineer of the state Tourism department, Uttam Pal, said the state government has plans to develop the site for Buddhist tourists from South-East Asia and other places. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken over the site since 1999.

Pal said, &ldquoSince Pilak is declared an Archaeological site, no permanent structure can be built within 150 metres of it, but many facilities have been created for tourists outside the restricted zone. The footfall of visitors is remarkably good. The state government has built a tourist Bungalow at Jolaibari, near the site&rdquo.

A senior official of the ASI said a stupa was excavated at Sundari Tilla under the supervision of ASI Superintendent P Kumaran. Explaining its importance, the official said, &ldquoThis is a full-size Buddhist stupa built in the 11th century on the pattern of architecture during the reign of Palas of Bengal.&rdquo

Panna Lal Roy, a writer and historian, said, Pilak stands as an eloquent symbol of Hindu-Buddhist cultural affinity and the glorious cultural past of the state.

Depictions in Rock-Cut Cultures

The dominant style of the rock-cut images and the sculptures in Pilak depict the influence of the Palas and Guptas of Bengal, the Arakkans in Myanmar (formerly Burma), and the local style, Roy said.

&ldquoVarious images of Tantric Buddhist gods and goddesses are also found in the area. Buddha, Chunda (10th c), Avalokitesvara (8th -9th c), Marichi (9th c) made of stone and Tara, Avolokiteswar, Hariti (made of bronze). The style of Pilak sculptures was prevalent in Bengal during the 9th, 10th, and 11th centuries,&rdquo Dr Biswadip Nandi, a historian, wrote in his book &lsquoRock-cut and Sculptures of Tripura&rsquo.

&ldquoThe moulded terracotta plaques bear resemblance with moulded plaques recovered from Paharpur and Mainamati in Bangladesh&rdquo, Roy said.

According to a state government website, &ldquoit may be presumed that the extensive plains of Tripura were under the control of several dynasties who ruled in Eastern Bengal and Samatata in the ancient period. Some of them were Buddhists, and the others were Hindus. Most of these rulers had their capitals near this region. The ancient kingdom of Pattikera had its capital in the Comilla region, and Pilak is not very far from Comilla&rdquo.

The Tripura government received over Rs 1,600 crore in funds for developing the tourism sector for the next five years, state Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said in April.

This article is sourced with inputs from PTI. 

Cover Photo Credits 7G Studio / Shutterstock.com

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