The Brick Monasteries of Sirpur: 7th-Century Monastic Splendor on the Mahanadi

"In the seventh century, when the Chinese scholar Hiuen Tsang crossed the Mahanadi basin, he entered a cosmopolitan metropolis of learning where 10,000 Buddhist monks studied alongside Vedic scholars beneath towers of incandescent red terracotta."

The Lost Capital of Shripura

Situated along the eastern banks of the sacred Mahanadi river in Mahasamund district, the sleepy, verdant village of Sirpur conceals one of the largest and most astonishing archaeological excavation complexes in all of South Asia. Known in ancient inscriptions as Shripura ("City of Wealth and Auspiciousness"), this site was the royal capital of the Sarabhapuriya and later the Somavamshi kings between the fifth and eighth centuries CE.

At its zenith, Sirpur was far more than an administrative capital: it was a premier international pan-Asian university city rivaling Nalanda and Taxila, bridging religious philosophy, fine terracotta arts, metallurgy, and transnational commerce spanning the Silk Route and Southeast Asian maritime trade.

Hiuen Tsang's 639 CE Chronicles

When the celebrated Chinese Buddhist pilgrim and traveler Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) journeyed through the realm of Dakshina Kosala in 639 CE, he recorded his observations of Sirpur with profound admiration in his travelogue, Great Tang Records on the Western Regions:

• The Monastic Scale: He documented over 100 active Buddhist monasteries (Viharas) inhabited by more than 10,000 monks devoted to Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist scholarship.
• Ecumenical Harmony: Hiuen Tsang noted that Buddhist scholars lived in fraternal harmony alongside thousands of Shaivite, Vaishnavite, and Jain ascetics, supported by enlightened royal patrons who funded temples and monasteries regardless of theological affiliation.
• Nagarjuna’s Sanctuary: Local tradition and archaeological indicators suggest that the great Buddhist philosopher-monk Acharya Nagarjuna spent significant time teaching and meditating in Sirpur's riverside monasteries.

The Lakshmana Temple: India's Brick Masterpiece

Among Sirpur’s dozens of excavated monuments, the crown jewel is undoubtedly the Lakshmana Temple, erected around 625–650 CE by Queen Regent Vasata, daughter of King Suryavarman of Magadha, in memory of her late husband King Harshagupta.

While most northern Indian temples of this era were carved from sandstone or granite, the Lakshmana Temple was constructed almost entirely from high-fired red bricks. Its architectural brilliance lies in the fact that its detailed bas-reliefs—depicting Krishna Leela stories, avatars of Vishnu, celestial dancers, apsaras, and botanical vines—were intricately molded and carved directly onto the brick surfaces before or during the kilning process.

Despite devastating earthquakes in the 12th century and centuries of monsoon weathering, the soaring spire (shikhara) and sanctum sanctorum have remained standing for more than 1,400 years—a triumph of ancient Indian civil engineering and mortar chemistry.

Subterranean Viharas: Anandaprabhu Kutir & Swastika Vihara

Excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under renowned archaeologist Dr. A.K. Sharma unearthed extensive multi-room monastic universities:

• Anandaprabhu Kutir Vihara: Built by Bhikshu Anandaprabhu during the reign of King Mahashivagupta Balarjuna, this 14-room monastic complex features a central stone courtyard, living cells with stone beds, and an imposing six-foot statue of Gautama Buddha seated in the Bhumisparsha Mudra (Earth-witness gesture), flanked by Padmapani and Vajrapani.
• Swastika Vihara: Arranged in an auspicious cruciform swastika ground plan, this monastery housed esoteric Buddhist meditation chambers, subterranean granaries, and specialized copper-casting foundries where magnificent bronze statues were cast.
• Surang Tila: A majestic temple perched atop a steep pyramidal plinth of 32 stone steps, featuring four distinct sanctums dedicated to different Vedic deities, held together with ancient earthquake-resistant dry-masonry joints.

Experience the Sirpur Trail with Trips N Trippers

Trips N Trippers operates curated, expert-led heritage excursions to Sirpur from Raipur. Our guests explore the excavation grounds alongside licensed archaeological guides who decode ancient Brahmi inscriptions, identify hidden monastery vaults, and pair the historic excursion with an afternoon wildlife safari into the adjacent teak forests of Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary.