The cash strapped Archeological Survey of India is still doing excavations, this time in Chattisgarh state. The items discovered include
- a Buddha statue dating back to the 6th century
- various scriptures
- monasteries and nunneries
- a six foot statue of a lady with a missing hand and Greek like features
- the only depiction of bison fights
- a unique hollowed out cylinder with ?jali? work carved out of a single stone
Antique trove unearthed at Sirpur
The discoveries have been mentioned in the writings of Huen Tsang, who had visited Sirpur in the 7th century. The writings also reveal that there is a Bodh Stupa made by King Ashoka, 100 Bodh Vihars and 150 temples in Sirpur. These when excavated could reveal a city that could be four times biggert han Nalanda.
Huen Tsang, is a person we all have learned in our history books. He was the person running the Lonely Planet channel in the 7th century AD.
(Source Indian Archeology Mailing List on Yahoo)