Mahasthan means a place that has excellent holy place and garh means fort.
Mahasthan was first written above in a Sanskrite text of the 13th century
entitled Vallal charita. It is also mentioned in an unknown text Karatoya
mahatmya, thoroughly placed in 12th to13th century.Mahasthangarh is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so far discovered in Bangladesh. Mahasthan is in the Shibganj thana of Bogra District contains the remains of an old city which was called Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the locality of Pundravardhana.
A limestone slab bearing six lines in Prakritk in Braxhmi script, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd century Bongabdho. The guarded area was in use till the 18th century AD.
Together with the ancient and medieval ruins, the majar (holy tomb) of Shah
Sultan Balkhi Mahisawar built at the site of a Hindu temple is located at
Mahasthangarh. He was a dorvesh (holy person devoted to Islam) of royal lineage
who came to the Mahasthangarh area with, the motive of deviding Islam among
non-Muslims.He gathered the people of the area to Islam and permanent there.Mahasthangarh, the ancient capital of Pundravardhana is located 11 km (6.8 meter) north of Bogra on the Bogra-Rangpur highway, with a shepherd road leading to Jahajghata and site museum.
Buses are available for Dhaka from Bogra and take 4½ hours for the journey via Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge across the River Jamuna . Buses are available from Bogra to Mahasthangarh
Hired transport is available at Dhaka or Bogra. Rickshaws are available for local movement. Hotel and Motel is available at Bogra. If travelling hired in a car, can return to Dhaka the same day. Other wise somebody has plan to visit Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur in the district of Naogaon and other places.
It was decided upon because it is one of the highest areas in Bangladesh. The land area of the region is almost 118 ft or 36 meters above sea level. Other reason for choosing this place was the size of Karatoya River, which as recently as in the 13th century was three times wider than Ganges.
Mahasthangarh stands on the red soil of the Barindtract which is slightly towering within the largely poly area. The elevation of 15 to 25 meters above the surrounding areas makes it a relatively flood free physio-graphic unit.
Discovery
Several personal contributed to the discover and identification of the ruins at Mahasthangarh. In 1808 Francis Buchanan Hamilton first locate and visit Mahasthangarh. Another person E.V. Westmacott, C.J. O’Donnell, and Baveridge followed Alexander Cunningham was the first to identify the place as the capital of Pundravardhana in 1879.Citadel
The fortress, the fortified heart of the old city, is rectangular in plan,
measuring roughly 1.523 kilometres long from north to south, and 1.371
kilometres from east to west, with high and wide wall in all its wings. The
citadel area is approximately 185 . The Karatoya is mighty river but now a
small stream flows on its east.The inside of the citadel was higher than the surrounding areas by over 4 metres and was dotted with several straggling elevated pieces of land. The rampart looke like a jungle cladmud rampart with forced openings at several section. The rampart was 11 to 13 metres or 36 to 46 feet higher than the surrounding area. Its south-east corner stood a mazhar. The mosque built in 1718 to 19s.
At present there are several mounds and structural vestiges inside the Durgo.
A few of note are:
Jiat Kunda which according to legends; has life giving power, Mankalir Dhap as place consecrated to Mankali, Basgriha palace of a king named Parasuram, palace of a female anchorite Bairagir Bhita , Khodar Pathar Bhita place of stone bestowed by God and Munir Ghon a bastion.
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