Pilak Archaeological Sites

History

Tripura Tourism describes Pilak, 114 km from Agartala, as a treasure house of Buddhist and Hindu sculpture from the 8th–9th centuries, set beside the hilly Pilak Stream. Terracotta temple plaques and stone images are found across the site.

Huge stone images of Avalokiteshvara (9th century) and Narasimha (12th century) found here are now kept in the Government Museum at Agartala. Images of Ganesha, Durga and Surya can still be seen at Pilak, among them a Surya holding a lotus about 10 feet tall, along with terracotta figures of kinnaras. Two bronze Buddhas were found at nearby Rishyamukh.

The state page reads these finds as evidence of Buddhist rule followed by Hindu rule, and links Pilak with Mainamati and Paharpur in Bangladesh. The Archaeological Survey of India has excavated at Shyamsundar Tilla and Thakurani Tilla, and the Pilak Festival in December draws thousands of visitors.

Stories

Hindu and Buddhist Art Side by Side

Pilak is an archaeological site in the Santirbazar subdivision of South Tripura district. Images and structures from Buddhist and Hindu traditions have been found here since 1927, and the antiquities are dated to roughly the 8th to 12th centuries.

The area was part of the historic Samatata kingdom of Bengal. The Archaeological Survey of India excavated brick stupas here in the early 1960s and has maintained the site since 1999.

Narasimha, Avalokiteshvara and Marichi

Excavations at Pilak have yielded sculptures of Shiva, Surya and other Hindu deities alongside very large stone images of Avalokiteshvara and Narasimha, as well as many terracotta plaques. Pilak is often cited as an example of both faiths flourishing in one place.

An 8th to 9th century image of Marichi, venerated by Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists, is now installed in a Hindu temple known as Vasudev-badi, so it continues to receive worship today. Many finds are displayed at the Tripura Government Museum.

Good to know

8th–9th century Hindu and Buddhist sculptures on Tripura Tourism

114 km from Agartala; 62 km from Udaipur; 2 km from Jolaibari references

Open archaeological landscape beside Pilak Stream

Getting there

Road from Agartala (~114 km), Udaipur (~62 km), or Jolaibari (~2 km) per Tripura Tourism distances.