Bulandi Bagh is an area within the archaeological site of

Pataliputra Pataliputra (IAST: ), adjacent to modern-day Patna, Bihar, was a city in ancient India, originally built by Magadha ruler Ajatashatru in 490 BCE, as a small fort () near the Ganges river.. Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliput ...

, located north of the railway station in the modern city of

Patna Patna (; , ISO 15919, ISO: ''Paṭanā''), historically known as Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, ...

. It is mainly known for the discovery of the monumental

Pataliputra capital The Pataliputra capital is a monumental rectangular capital with volutes and Classical Greek designs, that was discovered in the palace ruins of the ancient Mauryan Empire capital city of Pataliputra (modern Patna, Eastern India). It is dated t ...

, which was unearthed in 1895 by L.A. Waddell. Additionally, excavations at Bulandi Bagh revealed wooden palisades believed to have constituted the protective walls of ancient Pataliputra. It is widely speculated that Bulandi Bagh was once a part of the royal palace complex of the

Maurya dynasty The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary source ...

in Pataliputra. Pataliputra patna Bulandi Bagh location

Additional excavations were conducted in the area of Bulandi Bagh between 1912 and 1913 by American archaeologist David Brainard Spooner, who was working for the British Archaeological Survey of India. While Spooner primarily focused his efforts on the Kumrahar site to the south, he also made significant discoveries in Bulandi Bagh. These included the unearthing of a wooden palisade punch-marked coins, and

terracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...

figures such as the head of a smiling boy and a dancing figure, as well as a variety of beads and seals. In 1926–1927, J.A. Page and M. Ghosh for the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...

excavated the area again leading to the discovery of large wooden palisades (137 meters were excavated), also thought to be of the Mauryan period. It is thought that it is the palissade seen by

Megasthenes Megasthenes ( ; , died 290 BCE) was an ancient Greek historian, indologist, diplomat, ethnographer and explorer in the Hellenistic period. He described India in his book '' Indica'', which is now lost, but has been partially reconstructe ...

during his visit to Pataliputra.Archaeological Survey of India report

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

in his

Geographia The ''Geography'' (, , "Geographical Guidance"), also known by its Latin names as the ' and the ', is a gazetteer, an atlas, and a treatise on cartography, compiling the geographical knowledge of the 2nd-century Roman Empire. Originally wri ...

, quoting Megasthenes: According to

Arrian Arrian of Nicomedia (; Greek: ''Arrianos''; ; ) was a Greek historian, public servant, military commander, and philosopher of the Roman period. '' The Anabasis of Alexander'' by Arrian is considered the best source on the campaigns of ...

, also quoting Megasthenes: File:Pataliputra Palace capital by L A Waddell 1895.jpg, The

was excavated in Bulandi Bagh. File:Mauryan remains of wooden palissade at Bulandi Bagh site of Pataliputra ASIEC 1912-13.jpg, Mauryan remains of wooden palissade at the Bulandi Bagh site, 1912–13. File:Mauryan remains of a wooden palissade at Bulandi Bagh site of Pataliputra ASI 1926-27.jpg, Mauryan remains of a wooden palissade at Bulandi Bagh site, 1926–27. File:Bulandi Bagh female figure Sunga period.jpg, Female figure found at Bulandi Bagh, Sunga period.

References

Maurya Empire Patna Archaeological sites in Bihar Ancient Indian archaeological sites {{Bihar-geo-stub