Mainamati, Cumilla, Bangladesh

 Mayanamati, Cumilla, Bangladesh

 Mainamati is a historical place located in Comilla, Bangladesh. The oldest civilization in the Lalmai region discovered so far is the Mainamati site. The ruins that can be seen in the Mainamati area today are actually the remains of an ancient city and Buddhist monastery. According to archaeologists, it is the ruins of an ancient city called Jayakarmantabsaka.

Shalban Vihar is one of the major archaeological sites excavated at Mainamati in Comilla. The location of this monastery is in the middle of Lalmai hill near Bard in Kotbari. This Vihar was named Shalban Vihar as there was once a dense forest of Shal-Gazari around the Vihar. Its adjacent village is called Shalbanpur. There is still a small forest there. This monastery is similar to Paharpur Buddhist monastery but smaller in size.

It is believed that Sribhavadeva, the fourth king of the Deva Dynasty, built this Buddhist temple between the end of the 7th century and the beginning of the 8th century. Six construction and reconstruction phases of Shalban Vihar are known. It is estimated that the central temple was built in the third phase during the 8th century AD and the vihara was completely renovated. The fourth and fifth phases of construction and renovation were completed in the ninth-tenth centuries. It is square in shape. Each arm of Shalban Bihar is 167.7 meters long. The walls of Bihar on four sides are five meters thick. The rooms are built on four sides of the walls of Bihar. There was only one way in or out of Bihar. This path or door is right in the middle of the north block. Each room has a 1.5 meter wide wall between them. Right in the middle of the Bihar Angan was the central temple.

There is a hall in the southeast corner next to the entrance outside the bihar. It is believed that the hall built on four sides walls and four huge round pillars in front was the dining room of the monks. The size of the hall is 10 meters by 20 meters. There is a wide brick road around the hall. Archaeological excavations have yielded eight copperplate inscriptions, around 400 gold and silver coins, numerous terracotta plaques, seals, bronze and clay figurines from the ruins of the vihara. These bear the signature of the ancient archaeological heritage of Bangladesh.

A large number of tourists visit this place every day. 114 km from Dhaka. Mainamati is located far away and it is possible to reach Mainamati in just 2 hours from Chittagong.

How to reach:

By Bus:

1.         Upakule Royal
            Komolapur Bus stand
            Contact: 01981-002 932, 01981-002 942

2.         Tisha
            Sayedabad
            Contact: 01731-217 322

3.         BRTC
            Komolapur Bus stand
            Contact: 01770-493 775

4.         Prime Service
            Hatchel Road
            Contact: 02-9554496

Where to stay:

1.         Ashik Residential Resthouse
            Address: 186 Nazrul Avenue, Comilla
            Contact: 68781

2.         Hotel Abedin
            Address: Station Road, Comilla
            Contact: 76014

3.         Hotel Noorjahan
            Address: Dhaka-Chittagong Road, Comilla
            Contact: 68737

4.         Hotel Sonali
            Address: Kandirpar Circle, Comilla
            Contact: 63188