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S.R.S.D. Memorial Shiksha Shodh Sansthan, Agra, India UGC Sl. No. 64548 ANNALS OF ART, CULTURE & HUMANITIES A Peer Reviewed Refereed Research Journal ONLINE ISSN-2455-5843 Volume III, Issue I, Februray 2018, pp. 20-26 UGC Sl. No. 64548 Religious Co-existence Especially of Brahmanism and Buddhism at Thanesar (Kurukshetra) in Ancient period, on the basis of Literary and Archaeological evidence Manoj Kumar Research Scholar , Dept. of Ancient Indian History, Culture & Archaeology Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra,Haryana, India Abstract The present paper describes Co-existence of Religions especially of Brahmanism and Buddhism at Thanesar (Kurukshetra) in the Ancient period which is demonstrated on the basis of Literary and Archaeological sources. Thus, religion is an integral part of human life. It usually obeys the laws of inheritance as it is transferred on to the new generation from the prevailing one. However, time to time new religions and cults came into existence throughout the world and at many places, these cults and religions lived together peacefully (with harmony), but in some time, these had some discords. But, Thanesar has a very clear literary and archaeological confirmation of religious co-existence with harmony which was mainly between the Brahmanism and Buddhism. Though, with the passage of time, Vedic religion divided principally into five sects like Shaivism and Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Sun and Smartism even these sects may be lived together with sympathy and devotees of all these sects paid respect to all religious groups in the region. This aspect is presented by the ancient texts. thus, to confirm the literary sources for the co-existence of religion, archaeologist conducted the excavations and explorations in this region and several archaeological remains recovered from the region particularly from Buddhist Stupa- Thanesar have been investigated for the confirmation of Religious coexistence of Brahmanism and Buddhism. Key words: Religion, aecheologist, devotees, literary . Introduction Thanesar is an old and historic town on the banks of the now disappeared Vedic river Saraswati in Kurukshetra district of Haryana in northern India. This town is situated about 10 km west to NH-1 from Pipli. It is located, approximately 160 km north-west of Delhi, and 150 km from Chandigarh, the capital of Haryana. It is an old holy and historical town, where millions of people have been coming from times immemorial spurred by a religious motive and a burning faith in the sacredness of its soil.i This place is a witness to the great war of Mahabharata. AACH, Vol. III, Issue I, February 2018 ONLINE ISSN-2455-5843 According to the ancient religious literature, Thanesar is known as Takshaka and there is a reference to a lake named Saryanvati which is identified in Thanesar,ii as the present Sanihitasarovar. Though, during the period of the rise of 16 Mahajanapada, Thanesar was part of major Mahajanapada which was called Kuru Janapada in Jambudvipaiii. apart from these, the Buddhist work Yoginitantantra also makes several references about Kurukshetra.iv According To Buddhist literature, the city of Kurukshetra was visited by Gautam Buddha. It is mentioned in dipavamsa that Lord Buddha came on the land of Thanesar, and he received his alms on the Anotatt Lake (Ajusaghat).v The literature explains the place Thullakohita which was visited by the Buddha, D.C. Ahir identified this place as Thanesar.vi In the Mauryan time, Thanesar was the part of Magadha state and King Ashoka built a stupa in Thanesar in the memory of Buddha’s journey. Chinese traveler Xuanzang mentions this city as Sa-ta-ni-shi-fa-lovii in his work and Greek Geographer, Ptolmy mentions this city as Batan-Kaiseraviii. The name Sthanvisvara is derived from Sthana (abode) of Iswara (or Mahadeva) or from the junction of his name Sthaanu and Iswara or from Sthanu and Sar, a lake. Parbhakarvardhana, the father of Harashvardhana, was the king of the Vardhana dynasty and his capital at Sthaneshwra (Thanesar) after that in the early medieval period Thanesar was ruled by Pratihara and Tomarixdynasties. Archaeological remains to deliver the information that Sunga, Kushana, Gupta, Vardhana, Pre-Medival, and Medival period culture survived on this Place. Literary Evidence Thanesar has been a part of Kurukshetra since from the ancient time where the sacred and mighty river Saraswati was flowing. It has a religious significance right from the Vedic age. According to the literary sources, Lord Brahma created the universe (Srishti) on the land of Kurukshetra after a huge yajna at this place and rishi Vedvyasha compiled the Vedas on the bank of Saraswati River. Thus earlier the people of the region had a deep faith in the Vedic religion. Several literary examples regarding the existence of Vedic tradition came into the light in this region. However, Satpatha Brahman described Kurukshetra as a sacred place of Agni, Indra, Som, and Makh, which were main Vedic divinities. In the later Vedic age this region was furnished by the Vaishnavism which is demonstrated by several literary works. Great War of Mahabharata fought in this region, where Lord Shree Krishna played a very vital role, who is known as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and he delivered the discourse of Bhagwad Geeta at this place. However, Brahamsarovra is also an ancient Tirtha in this city which belongs to the God Brahma as well as Shaivism also continued from the early period in this region, it,s reference is found in Mahabharata that Siva established a Sathnu tirtha, where he lived in anu formx. Thus Vamana-saro described that, on the base of the Sathnu tirtha, this city called Sathaneswarxi. However the literary sources indicate the influence of Buddhism on the people of Thanesar like Buddhist text mentions that Lord Buddha visited the land of Thanesarxii, when he was on his journey to north-western frontier provinces, now located in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Noteworthy, Ashoka the Mauryan ruler was the great follower of Buddha, who erected a Stupa at Religious Co-existence Especially of Brahmanism … 21 | P a g e AACH, Vol. III, Issue I, February 2018 ONLINE ISSN-2455-5843 Thanesar in the memory of Buddha. Hiuen-Tsang also described this stupa in his journey record, according to him stupa was situated in the north-west of Thanesar, "To the North-west of the city (Sthanesvara) 4 or 5 li is a stupa, about 300 feet high, which was built by Ashokaraja. The bricks are all of the yellowish red color, very bright and shining, within is a peak measure of the relics of Buddha. From the stupa is frequently emitted brilliant light and many spiritual prodigies exhibit themselves” xiii. But such kind of structure-remains could not found till now. However above-said references prove that Thanesar was the holy place for Buddhism. Hiuen Tsang‟s Si-Yu-Ki is yet another vital source of information about the Religious coexistence of Brahmanism and Buddhism in Thanesar. Hiuen -Tsang wrote as follows:- “There are three Samgharamas (monasteries) in this country with about 700 priests. They all study (practice or use) the little vehicle (Hinayana). There are some hundred Deva temples and sectaries of various kinds in great number”xiv. An attractive and very famous Vaishanav temple also existed in this city during the Tomar period which was called Chakra Swami. It was the example of Vaishnav cult continuity which was destroyed by Mahmud Gaznvi in 1014 ADxv. Often the early people worshipped „Surya‟ or Sun as their God throughout the world. Mostly Sun Shrine has the sacred tank and such kind of tanks mentioned in ancient literature at Kurukshetra and Aminxvi. All these above described literary references display the picture of religious Harmony in this region during the ancient era. Archaeological Evidences Archaeology & Museums Department of Haryana conducted the scientific clearance work from 2010 to 2013 at an archaeological mound which is situated in the South of Thanesar and North-West corner of Brahmsarovara in Kurukshetra University. During the archaeological coursework at this site good wealth of antiquity, pottery and structures remains were reported. The author conducted archaeological clearance work in 2012-13 under the overall direction of Dr. Ranvir Sashtri, Deputy Director of Department of Archaeology and Museums Haryana at this mound. The site first time was mentioned by Prof. U.V. Singh in 1976xviiand in the year 1995 State Archaeology & Museums Department conducted the scientific clearance work and found a missive baked bricks structure. According to the excavator, the recovered structure- remains looked like stupa of Vardhana period, and other antiquities and pottery of Sunga- Kushana period to late medieval period were reportedxviii. Religious Co-existence Especially of Brahmanism … 22 | P a g e AACH, Vol. III, Issue I, February 2018 ONLINE ISSN-2455-5843 During the latest archaeological coursework at the site, many specimens were recovered, which attested the literary evidence of the coexistence of Brahmanism and Buddhism during the ancient era in this region. The early example of Religious co-existence of Brahmanism and Buddhism was found from Kushana period. Deposit of this period yielded the remains of round shape baked bricks structure, in Scholars opinion, these are the remains of the stupa and unearthed structure is in very bad condition, because, it was destroyed by mud digger. A few courses of the foundation of stupa were uncovered. Only six courses were reported on the south- western side of round structure. It is containing bricks course in decreasing order from south- western side to north-eastern side and on north and east sides of the stupa, only the bricks butts were found, but no complete bricks were recovered in these sides. The bricks sizes which were used for constriction of the stupa are 35x22x5.5cm in the north-eastern side.