Sirpur- Town Planning and Architecture –

Raipur Tourist Information in depth - Why come to Sirpur Raipur -Introduction: Sirpur (Lal-2l ° 25'N, Long 82° II'E) in district Mahasamund of Chattisgarh state, India, a small village on the right bank of Mahanadi was once a large town of considerable importance. In fifth-eigth centuries A.D. Sirpur was the capital of Sarabhapuriyas and Panduvamsis of South Kosla. It's ancient name was 'Sripura'. As it contained a great number of dwelling houses, for all classes, king's palace, numerous temples and was situated in a forested country it was called 'pura', i.e.Sripura.

The position of Sirpur is at the top of all international famed historical places of South Kosal ie, present Chhattisgarh. Sirpur, located at the bank of Mahanadi river.

Urban development and city planning which developed during Harappan Period, the example of which are great cities like Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Lothal, Kalibangan, Rupar, Dholavira, etc., survived during Early Historical period and later on in Dakshin Kosala (Chhattisgarh), the outstanding examples of which are Sirpur, Malhar, Ratanpur etc. Out of these, so far, only Sirpur has been excavated on a large scale, giving a glimpse of city planning and architecture.

Somavamshi king Nannadeva's son Teevardeva (grand son of Indrabal) captured Dakshin Kosala after defeaing Sarbhapuriya king Mahapravar-raj as at this time we get Teevardeva's inscription from Sirpur and adjoining areas, in which Teevardeva has been described as ruler of entire Kosala (middle of 6th century A.D.). At this time Sirpur was at its Golden Era and reached the peak of glory. It is during this period that art, architecture, iconography and literature freely grew and Sirpur's . fame spread to far off places. Probably it is due to this fame, Chinese traveller Huen- T'sang visited Sirpur in 639 A.D. He wrote that the inhabitants were tall, dark and prosperous. The king was Kshatriya and very benevolent. He discovered here as many as hundred Buddhist monasteries, inhabited by about-lOOO monks, belonging to the Mahayana sect, and more than 150 temples.

The Buddhist association of Sirpur, suspected as early" as 1881-82 by Cunnigham on the basis of the find of colossal head of Buddha and partly confirmed by the discovery of a complete inscribed image of Buddha in the first decade of the twentieth century and latest discovery of bronze images was borne out by the 'unearthing of two monasteries.

Mahasivagupta Balarjuna's Lakshman temple stone inscription says that his father Harshagupta was married to Suryavarma's daughter Vasata. Suryavarma was the son ofIshanvarma (551 A.D.) .

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