Vaishya Tekri, Ujjain: Mauryan Stupa May Be Re-excavated
Why in the news
Vaishya Tekri, a mound in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, is back in focus because fresh excavation is being prepared more than 90 years after the first dig. It may be an unusually large Mauryan-era stupa.
Key facts
- First excavated in 1938-39.
- Estimated size: about 350 feet in diameter and at least 100 feet high.
- Comparison: the Great Stupa at Sanchi is 54 feet high.
- Construction: a rammed local soil core with brick facing; some bricks are over 22 inches long.
- Dating: a punch-marked coin and a cast Avanti coin point to the Mauryan period, about the 3rd century BCE.
Next steps
The state government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) are preparing new excavation. The district administration has proposed acquiring surrounding land for about Rs 40 crore, and ASI has estimated roughly three years for meaningful excavation. Archaeologists stress that the size claims need modern confirmation. A link with Ashoka, who is traditionally said to have governed Ujjain, is not conclusively proved.
Exam angle
- Ujjain was ancient Avanti’s centre and a Mauryan regional base.
- Sanchi’s Great Stupa is the benchmark for Mauryan-era stupas.
- Avanti coins are a dating clue for Mauryan sites.