Duration: | 1 Day(s) - 0 Night(s) |
Tour Category: | Full Day Tours |
Shalvan Vihara (Monastery)
This Buddhist Vihara (monastery) is located in between the Lamai-Mainamati hill range. The length of each wing of the monastery is 550 ft. and there are in total 115 monk cells in its four wings. The Buddhist monks dwelt in those cells. In the middle of it, there lies a large and wide entrance and the main temple with a cruciform shape is on the open terrace.
The main monastery was founded by the 4th ruler Bhava Deva of the Deva dynasty in about the eighth century. It was the then institute for religious practice and acquiring learning. This great monastery, made of a mixture of lime and brick-dust of thin brick, appears to be a fort from the outside. Innumerable archeological artifacts have been discovered from the excavation of Shalban Vihara. Of those discoveries, there are 8 copperplate inscriptions, 18 gold and 350 silver coins, gold ornaments, statues of various sizes and shapes, baked clay blades, seals, and daily-use goods.