Excavation to resume in ancient Vadnagar

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is set to resume excavations in the historical town of Vadnagar, the native place of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the government agency in its previous excavations found important findings linking the place with Europe through West Asia.

Recent excavations at Vadnagar have brought to light a Buddhist Monastery 
belonging to the 2nd-7th century AD [Credit: ASI]

ASI superintendent Dr Madhulika Samanta will supervise the excavation works at Vadnagar, once a thriving business and spiritual centre where Budhdhism flourished.

The Prime Minister’s elder brother Somabhai Modi will be present during a function the ASI is organising to resume excavations. Mehsana Collector Lochan Sehra and local BJP MLA of the area Naran Patel will be the chief guests at the event to kick start the excavation. “Last year’s excavations at Vadnagar have thrown new light on ancient trade and commerce that was in existence there as well as the nature of the ancient city.

West Asia links

The ASI was able to find links pointing to the relationship of Vadnagar and Europe through West Asia.

Further, the survey was able to get two C14 dates (radiocarbon dating) from the excavated localities, tracing the antiquity of the findings to the first century,” an ASI press statement said.

It is said that Vadnagar, once the capital of Gujarat during ancient times, was a huge centre of Buddhism, and noted Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited the place in 641 A.D. and recorded a monastery and other Buddhist establishments.

Source: The Hindu [December 08, 2015]