Vaishya Tekri Stupa

Source: Indian Express

GS I: Indian Heritage and Culture

Why in the News?

The Madhya Pradesh government has renewed efforts to excavate and restore Vaishya Tekri, an ancient mound in Ujjain believed to contain the remains of a large Mauryan-era stupa.

News in Brief

• The site was first excavated in 1938–39 by the Archaeological Department of the erstwhile Gwalior State.
• The renewed excavation is significant because the old excavation report described the monument as an exceptionally large stupa, estimated at around 350 feet in diameter and more than 100 feet high, potentially much larger than the famous 54-foot-high Sanchi Stupa.
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has proposed fresh excavation, while the district administration has initiated steps to acquire about 40 acres of surrounding land for the project.

Key Highlights 

• The excavation report described Vaishya Tekri as a “huge stupa”.
• Diameter: approximately 350 feet
• Height: more than 100 feet
• By comparison, the Sanchi Stupa is approximately 54 feet high.
• However, the present mound’s original form has been substantially lost, making it difficult to establish the exact original plan and elevation.

Unusual Construction Technology

• The construction technique was one of the most striking findings.
• The core consisted of locally available blackish murum, a gravelly/earth material, which was heavily rammed.
• The exterior was covered with brick masonry laid in mud mortar.
• The bricks were exceptionally large:
  • One variety measured about 22¼ × 18¼ × 3¾ inches.
  • Another measured about 22¼ × 15¼ × 3¼ inches.
• The engineering technique indicates sophisticated knowledge of large-scale structural construction during the period.

Bowl-shaped Base

• The base of the stupa had an unusual bowl-like form.
• Its sloping sides helped resist the oblique outward thrust generated by the enormous mass above.
• The masonry gradually narrowed towards the top.
• This demonstrates adaptation of structural design to the challenges of constructing a very large solid monument.

Evidence of a Moat

• Excavators found that large quantities of murum used for the core had been taken from the surrounding area.
• The excavated area subsequently formed a regular square moat around the stupa.
• A gap on the western side indicated a possible passage across the moat.
• The report suggested that this may have been an access route for worshippers approaching from the city, which was situated in that direction.

Evidence of Antiquity

• The size and dimensions of the bricks indicated a Mauryan-period structure, around the 3rd century BCE.
• This interpretation was further supported by:
  • A punch-marked coin
  • A cast Avanti coin
• The finds provide archaeological evidence connecting the site with the wider historical and economic landscape of ancient Ujjain.

Connection with Ashoka

• Ujjain was an important urban centre during the Mauryan period.
• Ashoka is traditionally associated with Ujjain, having reportedly served as its governor before becoming emperor.
• According to ASI, the name Vaishya Tekri is linked to the tradition that Ashoka’s queen came from the Vaishya/merchant community.
• Ashoka is widely associated with the construction and expansion of Buddhist stupas across the Mauryan Empire.
• However, archaeologists have not established conclusively that Vaishya Tekri was built by Ashoka.
• Therefore this stupa could be possibly Mauryan and potentially associated with Ashokan-era Buddhist activity, but direct attribution remains unproven.

Historical Significance of the Site 

• Ujjain was an important city in ancient India and a major centre in the Avanti region.
• Its location connected northern and western India with important trade and cultural routes.
• Its association with Ashoka gives the site additional significance for understanding the spread of Buddhism and Mauryan state influence.

Buddhist Heritage

• Stupas served as important Buddhist commemorative and religious monuments.
• Their construction and expansion under the Mauryas demonstrate the interaction between,
  • State patronage
  • Religion
  • Architecture
  • Urban centres
  • Long-distance cultural networks

Archaeological Engineering

• Vaishya Tekri is important not merely because of its size but because it may provide evidence of,
  • Large-scale construction techniques
  • Use of locally available materials
  • Load-bearing and thrust-management techniques
  • Brick-making technology
  • Monumental architecture during the Mauryan period.

Key Takeaways

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding Vaishya Tekri:

1. It is located in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
2. The 1938–39 excavation report described it as a large stupa potentially dating to the Mauryan period.
3. Archaeological evidence has conclusively established that the stupa was built by Emperor Ashoka.
4. The excavation reported the use of rammed murum as the core and brick masonry as the exterior.
   Which of the statements given above are correct?
   (a) 1, 2 and 4 only
   (b) 1 and 3 only
   (c) 2, 3 and 4 only
   (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
   Answer: (a)

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