Sompura Maha vihara (Pharpur) was a center of excellence

Pharpur is the Important Buddhist Monastery which identified a UNESCO World heritage site in 1985. It is located at Pharpur area, district Noagaon and country if Bangladesh. It was the most significant to the historian, scholar and Archaeologist as well as visitor of south East Asia. It is the another name we have found in Sanskrit Bengali as Somapura Mahavihara

It is the magnificent Buddhist architecture remains covering around 110,000 square miters. The Monastery consisting of 177 monastic cells was build a round a spacious courtyard with a traditional cruciform temple or stupa in the center. The outside walls of the Vihara with magnificent and meaningful ornamental terracotta plaques still present the influence of Jain, Buddha and Hindu religions. In the 9^th to 12^th centaury A.D. it was visited by numerous outside monks like Tibetan.

The earlier history of Bangladesh reveals that Buddhism received royal patronage from some important ruling dynasties like the great Pala rulers, the Chandras and the Deva Kings. Under their royal patronage numerous well-organized, self-contained monasteries sprang up all over the country.

The researchers, scholars and archeologist deeply studied in Pharpur artifacts, they seem that it was significant academic centre for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus similar.

Excavation was carried out many valuable Antiquities in different period as follows:

• Copperplates
• Image inscriptions made from terracotta
• gold and silver coins
• Large number of terracotta plaque
• Seals and Sealings made of clay
• A large number of sculptures made from stone, bronze and terracotta
• Beads made of stone and terracotta
• Ornaments made of gold, silver and bronze
• Pots which made from metal and earthenware
• Kitchen utensils like Pans and vases
• variety of other objects which uses of everyday life

Finally it may conclude on the basis of artifacts as well as literary evidence of Pharpur as;

It was understood from some seal and sealing that Somapura Maha vihara as built by the second Pala king Dharmapala (circa 781-821) of Pāla Dynasty. One upon a time it was a centre point of culture and education of different dynasty specially Pala and Sen of the historic people of South East Asia. The Nalanda inscription of Vipulashrimitra records that the vihara was ruined by fire by Varman rulers. In the 12^th century A.D the vihara was decline of Sena Dynasty. It was finally abandoned in 13th century, when Muslim occupation was started on that area.

Sompur Bihar at Paharpur is about 270 km by road from Dhaka. It will take about 4 hours to reach Paharpur by public transport. You may night hold at Parjatan Hotel near Mahastangar only half an hour jonurney from Bogra.