The geophysical survey confirms that Ramgram (Panditpur) is the capital of the Koliya Republic

Bechu Gaud

Nawalparasi, 15 November

The current Geophysical Survey (Geophysics Survey) has confirmed that the capital of the ancient Koliya Republic is Ramgram Municipality Ward No. 18 Panditpur. In the past year, the Department of Archeology excavated based on estimates, while waiting for the scientific basis and confirmation, the report could not be made public, but the grounds for confirmation were found during the recent geological survey.

In the geophysical survey conducted by the technical team of UK Durham University in 6 days with the investment of the Department of Archaeology, it has started to be seen that there are archaeological objects in many places. Professor Dr. Mark participated in the geophysical survey on Thursday. It has been a very good achievement, he enthusiastically pointed towards the archaeological area. He believed that this area would become important for the world. He said that the survey report will be provided to the Archeology Department soon. The ground survey report will be on a scientific basis.

Archeology Officer Bhaskar Gyawali informed us that the scientific basis is now ready. At the initiative of the Department of Archeology, a re-survey has now been conducted in Panditpur, he said, in many places, there are thick walls that can be assumed to be the compound walls of the ancient capital. The Department of Archeology has also allocated a budget for the excavation, he added, as soon as possible, the excavation will be carried out at the walled place, and the full report of Panditpur, including the evidence, will be published in the book named 'Ancient Nepal' published by the Department of Archeology.

That publication is also made available to the Government of Nepal and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations that list the world heritage. 80 percent of the work to prove the capital of the ancient Kolya Republic has been completed. He said that by doing the rest of the work quickly, it will be easy to make Panditpur a world heritage site. Under the leadership of Archeologist Dr. Taranand Mishra, excavations were carried out by a team including Archeology Officer Gyawali for three consecutive years from the year 2070. But its report has not been published yet.

Even before that, in the year 2059, Shukrasagar Shrestha, the then archeologist, excavated with the help of local Narad Yadav and presented the basis that Panditpur is Devdaha, is the capital of the ancient Koliya Republic. He mentioned in his preliminary report that he also had the support of Dr. Kaushalendra Bahadur Srivastava, a local historian, and Buddhist scholar. After that, the Bhawanipur of Rupandehi was disputed by the locals claiming Devadah. But during the recent excavations in Devdah, archeological officials said that since no evidence was found before the thirteenth century, the place could not be the capital. Lately, during excavations in Panditpur, the capital of the Koliya Republic, contemporary archaeological objects of Tilaurakot of Kapilbastu were found, after which the archaeologists said that Panditpur was the capital of the Koliya Republic.

The postholes, wells, bricks, brown coins, etc., which were made at that time, are found in Tilaurakot. Kapilbastu, the capital of the Shakya kingdom, and Panditpur, the capital of the Kolya republic, have the same appearance, which establishes the relationship between the Koliya king and the Sakya king according to ancient history. Shakya prince Suddhodhana and Koli princess Mayadevi got married and Siddhartha Gautama was born as their child.

Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became Shakyamuni Buddha and conveyed the message of peace to the world. There is suffering, there is a cause of suffering, there is a remedy for suffering, and the method of remedy is obtained by practicing Vipassana meditation. That basis is now followed by Buddhist pilgrims all over the world as the path of Lord Buddha. Resident Narad Yadav said that the birthplace of the mother who gave birth to Siddhartha Gautam, who attained enlightenment and showed the world the way out of suffering, has now been found.

Panditpur has become known all over the world, he said, people from all over the world will come to the birthplace of the mother who gave birth to Lord Buddha. Tourism will develop in this area. Now, the capital of the ancient Koliya Republic and the Stupa where Lord Gautam Buddha's ashes are kept, built by the Koliya king, is located within Nepal through the same municipality and district, so it will be a very important heritage of Nepal. It has been claimed that the Stupa of Kapil Bastu belongs to India's Banarasiya.