(ORDO NEWS) — For the first time since 1938, Indian archaeologists have surveyed the territory of the Bandhavgarh nature reserve in the state of Madhya Pradesh and discovered dozens of ancient buildings.
The protected area is home to a population of tigers that are under state protection, according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
During the search, scientists managed to find 26 Buddhist temples, the same number of caves, two monasteries, 46 sculptures, 24 inscriptions, 19 water structures and two votive stupas (Buddhist structures).
Experts have dated the structures to the second to fifth centuries of our era, that is, they are about 1500 years old. Coins from the Mughal era and the Sharqi dynasty from the Jaunpur Sultanate were also found in the ruins.
Scientists noted that the discovery of Buddhist sanctuaries came as a surprise to them, since the main religion in this area was Hinduism.
They don’t know yet who built the temples. But their presence indicates the religious tolerance of the ancient dynasties.
The researchers also noticed inscriptions related to the cities of Mathura and Kaushambi. Interestingly, they still exist, but are located in another state (Uttar Pradesh). Obviously, there were extensive trade relations between them.
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