LI - ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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FIRST CIRCULAR 21.11.2018 Jtafttan ArrljafoUjjjtral Sbarirtg B-17, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110016 [E-mail: iasnewdelhil967(a)grnail.con

1 FIRST CIRCULAR Jtafttan ArrljafoUjjjtral Sbarirtg B-17, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi [ iasnewdelhil967(a)grnail.coni; LI - ANNUAL CONFERENCE Host: Venue: Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar, Patna Cyan Bhawan, near Gandhi Maidan, Patna Dates: 6* - 8* February (Wednesday - Friday), 2019 Dear Member, We are happy to inform you that the 51st Annual Conference of the Indian Archaeological Society [IAS), 46th Annual Conference of the Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS) and 42nd Annual Conference of the History and Culture Society (HCS) in collaboration with the Directorate of Archaeology, Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar will be held at Patna from 6"1-8th February, Registration Fee :? 22QO/- (till 15th January, 2019} Accompanying per person : T 3000/- Beyond 15th January, 2019, delegates will have to make their own arrangements. Participants are requested to send the Registration Fee till 15th January, 2019 only by a Demand Draft in favour of "General Secretary, The Indian Archaeological Society," payable at any nationalized Bank at Delhi and send the same to the Indian Archaeological Society, B-17, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi (Participation Form attached). The theme of the seminar will be "The Archaeology of Magadha Region". (Concept Note attached). There will also be "Open Session", where one can present paper on the subject ~of his or her specialization. The abstract of their papers around 500 words limit which may contain references and up to 3 illustrations alongwith Participation Form be sent to Dr. Atul Kumar Verma, Organizing Secretary, Directorate of Archaeology, Department of Art, Culture & Youth, Room No. 329, 3rd Floor, New Secretariat, Vikas Bhawan, Patna , dtrectorarchaeologybiher@gmail.com (as attachment as well as hard copy). A copy of the same should be sent to the office of the Indian Archaeological Society at New Delhi. It is requested that Speakers taking part in the Seminar and Open Session must bring the copy of the article in the form of soft and hard copy for submission to organizers. ONLY THOSE MEMBERS WHO SEND THE REGISTRATION FEE AND ABSTRACT ON TIME (i.e. BEFORE 15th JANUARY, 2019) WILL FIND A PLACE IN THE CONFERENCE PROGRAMME. DELEGATES REGISTERING AFTER THIS DATE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN LODGING AND BOARDING ARRANGMENTS. 1

Members are requested to adhere to the time schedule specified above to enable: [a] the Organizing Secretary to know the exact number of participants well in advance for making lodging, boarding and,

2 Members are requested to adhere to the time schedule specified above to enable: [a] the Organizing Secretary to know the exact number of participants well in advance for making lodging, boarding and, other arrangements, and (b) to chalk out and print the programme for presentation of papers. Due to paucity of time, no member will be permitted to present more than one paper in the conference. In order to give adequate time to the members to present their papers, and to have discussion on them, we will strictly adhere to the printed programme. The weather in Patna in February will be pleasant, hence the delegates are requested to bring suitable clothing. We would appreciate your full co-operation to ensure a smooth, successful and productive Conference. A field trip is arranged for the participants to take them round the (1) Nalanda Mahavihara, (2) Rajgir and (3) Telhara, all in Nalanda district of Bihar by the Directorate of Archaeology, Govt. of Bihar on 9th February, Since computerized railway reservations are made at almost alt the major railway stations, you are requested to kindly book your return reservations at your end itself. Sh. O.P. Tandon Dr. K.N. Dikshit Dr. S. S. Biswas Chairman General Secretary Treasurer (M) (R) (M) (M) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Organizing Secretary : Dr. Atul Kumar Verma Director Directorate of Archaeology Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Govt. of Bihar M: , directorarchaeologybihar@gmail.com Organizing Academic Secretary : Coordinators: Dr. K.C. Nauriyal Excavation and Conservation Expert Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Govt. of Bihar M: kcnauriyal@gmail.com Dr. Fuhar Bali. M: Mr. Harsh Ranjan Kumar. M: Mr. Raja Ambedkar. M: Conference directorarchaeologybihar@gmail.com Kindly use the Conference for correspondence.

3 The Indian Archaeological Society LI - ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2018 in collaboration with the Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar, Patna 6 th 8 th February (Wednesday - Friday), 2019 PARTICIPATION FORM 1. Name (in full) (IN BLOCK LETTERS) 2. Mailing Address. Phone (O) Fax 3. I am a Life Member of IAS/ ISPQS/ HCS Yes/No 4. I will present the following paper (Title) in Seminar/Open Session Jointly with. 5. I am sending my Registration Fee ( ) by demand draft drawn in favour of General Secretary, The Indian Archaeological Society payable at Delhi I am sending/have already sent the delegation fee of (Rupees three thousand hundred only) per accompanying person on their behalf also : (Full name and relationship) I am sending/will send one copy of the Abstract of my paper before Arrival date & time at Patna. Departure date & time from Patna. Mode of Travel by: Air/Train. Date: FOR OFFICE USE Serial Number: Date of Receipt: Signature 3

4 Concept Note for the Seminar of The Indian Archaeological Society on The Archaeology of Magadha region Tradition takes back the political excellence of Magadha to the time of the Mahabharata War, sometimes in the middle of the second millennium BCE, if not earlier when it was under the rule of Jarasandha. For understanding the extent of Magadha, Cunningham has shown its northern and southern areas adjoining the land of the Kikatas who were non-vedic ancient tribes of the region. Archaeological evidence from many of the excavated sites of the region suggests the beginning of culture in the neo-chalcolithic times. Evidence from Chirand, Taradih, Sonpur, Chechar, Maner, Oriup, Manjhi, Senuar etc. suggests cultural developments in Anga-Magadha area at least in the second millennium BCE. Rajgir was known in ancient times with different names, such as Vasumat in Ramayana, Barhadrathapura in Mahabharata and Puranas and Girivraja in Mahabharata, besides Kusagrapura in some Jaina and Buddhist texts. Girivraja was the most popular name of the capital city in Mahabharata. Recent excavations in and around Rajgir have further confirmed existence of the earlier cultures, making a bridge between tradition and archaeology. Buddhaghosha, a Pali commentator mentions two fortified parts of city inner and outer (antarnagara and bahirnagara), having 32 large and 64 smaller gates. The fortifications are still visible. The capital city Rajgir lost its status in the time of Udayin (c BCE) when the capital was shifted to Pataliputra. It is possible that many historical facts and genealogical details have been wrongly jumbled together and placed in false sequence. In spite of this, it is quite evident that there must have been more than 25 generation of rule if not of 33 generations between the Mahabharata War and the time of Buddha and Mahavira which could be placed towards the second half of the second millennium BCE. At a very early stage in the life of the city the natural defences were substantially reinforced by a fortification consisting of a high rubble wall running at the top of all the hills, with a circuit of about 25 miles and the natural gaps between the hills were utilised as gates in the fortification. Inside the valley were other defensive walls built in different periods. Such Cyclopean fortification walls have been found in ancient Greece (Mycenaean city and Tiryns) and placed in the later half of second millennium BCE ( BCE.). Habitational deposits from two of the recent excavations in the Rajgir area by the Excavation Branch, Patna of the Archaeological Survey of India have indicated the beginning of culture in the area in the middle of the second millennium BCE. In the same area is located Juafardih, excavated in where a rich deposit of 10.61m including the height of mud stupa belonging to the Period II (NBPW Period) having three phases, has 4 C14 dates as 857 BCE,1002 BCE, 1562 BCE and 1259 BCE, comparable 1

5 to early dates of NBPW from Ayodhya, Agiabir, Rajdhani, Gotihwa and Jhusi. The single C14 date from the cultural deposit of Pre-NBPW (Chalcolithic Period) is 1354 BCE which has been found to be consistent. Most of the area of the Middle Ganga Plain was covered in the Magadha empire which lasted for more than a thousand years. During Maurya and Gupta periods the empire had its spread over other parts of north and south India, but in other periods it had stretched for about 300 km from Himalayan foothills in the north and Vindhya-Kaimur ranges in the south. In the Post-Tertiary period its deep trough was filled up by the alluvium brought down through the rivers from the Himalayas. The fertile land and pockets of forests provided richness to the culture, from the days of early farming communities till the late historical times and helped in the growth of rich civilizations. The present seminar is being organised with the objective of a holistic approach in understanding the archaeological scenario of the Magadha region from Epi-Palaeolithic and Mesolithic cultures onwards noticed in the Vindhyan and Kaimur regions such as Baghaikhor, Lekhahia, Morhana Pahar, Lahariadih, Chopani Mando, Damdama etc. Many sites with rock art have been explored in the region. Sohgaura, Lahuradeva, Bhunadih, Chirand, Senuwar, Pan Ghorakatora and many others have provided evidence of Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures in the region. There is no dearth of historical sites in Magadha area. A need is felt to properly understand the archaeology of the region through latest researches carried out by different universities and institutions in India. K.N. Dikshit & B.R. Mani 2

Magadha and Mahabharata : Archaeological Indications from Rajgir Area. B.R.Mani

Magadha and Mahabharata : Archaeological Indications from Rajgir Area By B.R.Mani Magadha in Early Days Recent excavations in and around Rajgir have further confirmed existence of the earlier culture,