Travel News, March, 2007

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Bihar to renovate archaeological sites
by Ajay Kumar

          Patna (Bihar): With a view to reviving tourism, the Bihar Government is planning to develop two important archaeological and heritage sites in the state. Of the sites, a granary built by the British colonial rulers in the 18th century and a 80-pillared hall believed to have been the capital of King Ashok, are being taken up first for sprucing up. The 'Golghar' or the round granary built by the British to fall back on in times of famines and floods is situated at the top of a raised ground. The round structure with 140 steps on its winding stairway reaches out to the skies and offers a most panoramic view of Patna with the river flowing by. "The building of 'Golghar' is quite intact and even then its conservation is afoot by the Archaeological Survey of India. It has a park at its foothills that needs to be worked upon. We wish to develop the empty ground with a light and sound show and also with landscaping. It is imminent that by the end of the fiscal year 2007-08, we will complete the entire plan of sprucing up the park around the heritage site," said Nand Kishore, Tourism Minister. Captain John Garstin, an engineer employed by the East India Company built the granary in 1786 after a famine. The massive structure is 29 metres high and the walls are 3.6 metres wide at the base.

          Another monument that lies buried under sand deposits is a palace of King Ashok. The sand was used to cushion the ancient and delicate structure from further ruin as authorities plan to excavate it, which includes a water body. Greek traveller Megasthenes in his accounts describes the palace with 80-pillars in stone as a colossal structure. "We are getting evidences here in archaeological excavations back from 150 BC to 600 AD. This site was excavated by eminent scholars in 1950s and now we have got the remains of the 80 pillared halls. That 80 pillared hall is supposed to have been the capital of King Ashok," said P. K. Mishra, Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India . The structure has also thrown up remains of a hospital called 'Arogyashala' written in Brahmi script that was used in the Mauryan times. It means a care home for nursing the sick and also as a resort for people to rejuvenate. The area boasted of a park in the ancient times that had medicinal plants. The excavations have brought to light the history of the period from almost millennia in time. The pillars with the magic of Mauryan polish continue to impress architects even today.
-March 12,  2007