Shalban Vihara

Shalban vihara in Mainamati, Comilla, Bangladesh is one of the best known Buddhist viharas in the Indian Subcontinent and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the country. At the end of the 8th century, King Shri Bhavadeva made the "Salban Bihar" in this place. The digging started from 80th decades. Many archaeological elements were found here. Most of them are kept in the Mainamati Museum now.EtymologyOriginally, the monastery was called Bhavadev Bihar after the king, but today the Shalban name comes from a grove of Shal trees.HistoryBefore 1200 years ago the King Bhava Deva, the fourth ruler of the Early-Deva dynasty built that place on 168 square meters of ground. It was the royal palace for the early Buddhist students. This site, previously called Shalban Rajar Bari, came out after archaeological excavation as a Buddhist monastery and hence termed as Salban vihara from the terracotta seals and copper plates discovered. Its original name is supposed to have been Bhava Deva Mahavihara after the 4th king of the early Deva dynasty which ruled this region from the mid-7th to mid-8th centuries AD. It was built in or on the outskirts of Devaparvata, the Samatata capital bordering the Lalambi forest.GeographyAbout eight kilometres west of Comilla town, lies a range of low hills known as the Mainamati-Lalmai range which is dotted with more than 50 ancient Buddhist settlements dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries. Almost at middle is the Salvan Vihara of 115 cells built around a spacious courtyard with a cruciform temple in the centre. About 5 kilometres north of Shalvan Vihara is Kutila Mura, which is a picturesque relic of a unique Buddhist establishment.