Moghalmari Monastery

Moghalmari or Mogolmari is a village and an archaeological excavation site at Dantan PS in the district of Paschim Medinipur. The excavation of the site which began in 2002-03, led by a professor of Calcutta University has revealed the presence of a Buddhist monastery dated between 6th to 12th Century.Mogolmari has brought to light the largest Buddhist MONASTERY Complex in West Bengal. The MONASTERY has two structural phases. The earlier phase (6th – 7th Century AD) is characterized by the application of extensive time / stucco and decorative bricks in the construction. The later phase (11th to 12th Century AD) is represented by a tri-ratha structure to the west as a brick stupa inside the complex. Mogolmari is 40 km from Kharagpur on NH 60 and 1 km off the expressway in Dantan area. It has a unique artistic creation embellished with stucco work of Nalanda of Bihar and portly with the Raktammthika Mahavihar of Bengal. The discovery will definitely enrich the history of Bengal. The stucco work has been mode with Gypsum and lime. There are several stucco works of Lord Buddha in a different position on the entire wall of the Monastery. Forty-five (45) types of different decorative bricks have been used in constructions of the outer wall of the Monastery was 60′ X 60′. Thirty-eight types of bricks have been used at Nalanda Buddhist Monastery. Another round of excavations in 2012 revealed various stucco figures in the walls with votive tablets having a figure of Buddha as the central element, and flanked by Bodhisattas and Buddhist inscriptions. The excavation also revealed a pradikshana path in the eastern and southern part of the site. The structure was constructed during the Vajrayana phase of Buddhism, where deity worship started in Buddhism, which can be inferred from the presence of figures of deities in the walls including Jambala and Saraswati. The figurines and the artefacts shreds of evidence towards the influence of Gupta tradition of middle Ganga region.

Details of Tourist Place

• Block :Datan-I
• Name of Nearby Government Accommodation : IIT Kharagpur Guest House (Contact:03222-282834, 03222-282800) , Debra Pathasathi (Contact: 9609182443)
• Name and Contact no. of Nearest Police Station : Dantan police station, 03229-253236
• Name of nearest Railway station :NEKURSENI
• Name of nearest highway through which we can reach the tourist spot : NH 60
• BDO Contact No. :9434060611
• BMOH Contact No.:9733537371
• OC/IC PS Contact No. :9147888618

How to Reach: