AngDesh - History & Developement of Ang Pradesh / ang Desh (present Bhagalpur), Its Language Angika, Art & Culture, Literature, Tourism and other aspects.

Sultanganj is a town in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, 109 km away from Babadham. It is situated close to the Ganges.

HISTORY

During the rule of the Mauryas, Guptas and Palas many works of art and architecture were raised at Sultanganj. The area has yielded ancient relicks like stupas, seals, coins, terracotta and Hindu and Buddha images. Many carvings can still be seen in the Sultanganj hills. A number of small images along with a copper image of Lord Buddha about seven feet high were excavated here. A Buddha image found in Sultanganj is now in Birmingham Museum.

It is said that in ancient times Sultanganj being the abode of the sage Jahnu, was a very famous place. Being the Ashram of a sage, it must have been a popular seat of learning and students must have received learning and erudition under the guidance of the learned sage.
Through various vicissitudes Sultanganj continued in importance in the later centuries.

A large number of antiquities covered from krishnagarh at Sultanganj have been preserved in Patna Museum. They indicate a very high standard of Hindu religiosity and culture. The fact that some of the images and other antiquities are Buddhistic reiterates that the area was very important from Buddhistic point of view as well. Most of the antiquities have been identified with the medieval period.

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TOURIST PLACES

AJGAIBINATH TEMPLE
This ancient temple of Lord Shiva on top of hill at the bed of Uttariyini River Ganga at Sultangunj attracts several lakhs of pilgrims who take water from here on Kanwar to Deoghar. it is to be remembered that Ajgaivinath temple is one of the three famous Shiva temples in Bihar & Jharkhand, the two other being Basukinath and Baidyanath temples.

Sultanganj is conspicuous for two great rocks of granite, one of which on the river bank is crowned by Musalman mosque. The second and larger one is occupied by a temple of Ghaibinath Siva, and is a place of great holiness in the eyes of Hindus. The river here impinges on a stone cliff and this is believed to be the scene of the love of River Nymph and Lord Shiva.

Close to Sultanganj railway station are extensive remains of Buddhist monasteries, where a number of figures have been exhumed, and nearby is a fine old Stupa.

The tradition runs that a devotee or sanyasi named Harinath, who had forsaken the pleasures of the world, dwelt here at one time. He used to make pilgrimages to the shrine of Baidyanath at Babadham until, at last, God informed him in a dream that he would have no further occasion to go so far, as on his return to this island rock he would find an image there to which he may address his prayers. He found the promised idol awaiting him at Sultanganj and founding a convent of devotees. He became its first mahant. Almost everyone who comes to bathe at Sultanganj visits the place, and carries up a vessel of water to pour over the image.

The hill that contained the Ashram of Jahnu Muni is still existing in the mid stream of the Ganga and at present the famous Shiva temple of Ajgaivinath is situated at its summit. The origin of the temple is shrouded in mystery. According to the legend lord Shiva took here a bow known as Ajgav and so the place came to be known as Ajgaivinath. It is commonly said that Kalapahar failed to demolish Ajgaivinath temple but he could destroy the Parvati temple on the neighbouring hill and built a mosque there. Formerly, this hill must have been bigger and spacious. The high floods and the constant strong currents of the Ganga must have worn away the decaying granite rocks of the hill. he present village Jahangira to the west of Sultangang still keeps alive the memory of the Ashram of Jahnu Muni. The name of Jahangira appears to be the distorted form of Jahnugiri (the hill of Jahnu) or Jahnu griha (the abode of Jahnu).

HOW TO GET THERE

Rail :
Sultanganj is well connected by Rail, Which is a Major station on Patna-Bhagalpur rail line
of Eastern Railway

Road :
Calcutta 473 kms, Giridih 212 kms, Patna 281 kms, Dumka 167 kms, Madhupur 157 kms, Shimultala 153 kms, Deoghar 100 kms etc.

Bus :
Long distance buses connect Sultanganj with Bhagalpur, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Tatanagar,
Gaya etc.

Local Transport :
Scooters, Cycle Ricksaws are available, Tanga, Tamtam

MISCELLANEOUS

Shopping Centres :
Bihar State Handloom Emporium;

Conducted Tours :
Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar operates local sight-seeing tour during season.

SPECIAL REPORT (Curtsey : Birmingham Museum & Art Gallary, UK)

The Sultanganj Buddha Gallery

This gallery is devoted to celebrating the sculptural heritage of Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, three great religions that originated in India. Complementing the Sultanganj Buddha are other objects from Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery's collections as well as from the internationally renowned collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum. The magnificent copper statue of the Buddha which is the centrepiece of this gallery, is among the most significant objects in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Dated between 500 to 700 AD it is the largest metal figure of its kind in the world, How the Sultanganj Buddha came to Birmingham. The Sultanganj Buddha was discovered during railway construction in the North Indian town of Sultanganj in 1862. Needing ballast for their line, engineers noticed an immense brick mound. Excavation showed it to be a Buddhist monastery containing many valuable artefacts. The Buddha, however, only narrowly avoided the melting pot, thanks to the interest of Birmingham metal manufacturer Mr Samuel Thornton who, on hearing of the discovery, paid £200 to have it transported to Birmingham. In 1867 the Sultanganj Buddha was put on exhibition in the Museum. The Sultanganj Buddha in detail. The Sultanganj Buddha is 2.3m high and 1m at its widest point and weighs about 500kgs. It was cast by the technique known as the 'lost wax' process, in which a solid core of clay is overlaid with wax. The sculptor models the fine details in the wax coating. The wax is covered with a liquid layering of clay and plaster which hardens to form a mould. When heat is applied the wax melts and molten metal is poured in. The finished statue is finally obtained by removing the outer casting when cool. The Sultanganj Buddha is a splendid example of the renowned Gupta sculptural style which itself had been shaped by European and Persian influences that came to India through the trade routes with Rome and West Asia. The Sultanganj Buddha conveys an image of calm and tranquillity and a spiritual detachment from the material world . The Buddha's sangathi (monastic robe) clings so closely to the body that it is almost invisible, but for a series of string-like folds, giving the figure a wet-looking appearance. The right hand is raised in abhayamudra (a gesture of reassurance or protection) while the left hand, with palm outward and held downwards indicates the granting of a favour.

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