AGARTALA, Nov 1 (TIWN): With the aim to develop Tripura into a tourist hub in the coming days and to attract tourist from different part of the country state government has taken an initiative to develop the newly discovered architecture of the Mauryan period at Bishalgarh.

Reportedly, to develop the newly discovered artefacts of the Mauryan period as a tourist spot the state government sought intervention of Archaeological Survey of India regarding the discovery of historical artefacts in Kasba under Bishalgarh RD block.

Addressing a letter to Union Cultural Minister (Independent Charge) Mahesh Sharma, state ICA minister Bhanu Lal Saha stated that recently while working in a pond some MGNREGA workers have discovered some historical items in Kasba under Bishalgarh block. Besides, Minister Saha also sought inspection of antique items apart surveillance of the area.

District Magistrate (Sepahijala) informed the Guwahati office of Archaeological Survey of India seeking necessary measures. Accordingly, the officials of Guwahati office of Archaeological Survey of India visited the state and made an inspection on September 04 last.

However, the preliminary inspection revealed that   the historical artefacts belonged to Mauryan period.

It is to be mentioned here that The foundation of the Maurya Empire in 321 B.C. by Chandragupta Maurya was a unique event in history. Particularly in view of the fact that it was found shortly after Alexander’s victorious campaigns in North-West India during 327 B.C. – 325 B.C.

There is no unanimity with regard to the ancestry of the Mauryas. The Puranas describe them as Sudras and up righteous probably due to the fact that the Mauryas were mostly patrons of heterodox sects.

Chandragupta Maurya succeeded to the Nanda throne in 321 B.C. after dethroning the last Nanda ruler (Dhanananda) at the age of 25. He was the protege of the Brahmin Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, who was his guide and mentor both in acquiring the throne and in keeping it.

The Buddhist works (e.g. Mahavamsa and Mahavamshatika) have attempted to link the Mauryan dynasty with the tribe of the Sakyas to which the Buddha belonged. In the Divyavadana, Bindusara, the son of Chandragupta, is described as Kshatriya Murdabhishikta or annointed Kshatriya.