Relevance for UPSC: GS Paper I – Indian History (Ancient India, Archaeology, Culture)

In a major archaeological breakthrough, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed the remains of an ancient township dating back to the 2nd century BCE in the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. This finding significantly expands our understanding of early urbanisation and cultural exchange in India’s Northeast — a region often considered peripheral to the subcontinent’s ancient urban centres.

Key Features of the Site

• The site, located on elevated red loam and lateritic hills, shows evidence of fortified ramparts, bastions, and a moat, indicating advanced urban defence planning.
  
• Archaeologists identified the first known stupa in Meghalaya — a three-tiered brick structure with 26 steps — suggesting an early Buddhist presence in the region.
  
• Excavations revealed nearly 20 brick temples with distinct architectural components such as garbhagriha (sanctum), antarala (vestibule), and mandapa (hall).
  
• The structures reflect a blend of Hindu and Buddhist architectural styles, suggesting religious coexistence and cultural synthesis.
  

Why the Discovery Matters

• The site pushes back the timeline of urban and religious development in Northeast India to as early as the 2nd century BCE.
  
• It highlights trade and cultural linkages between the Gangetic plains and Northeast India, showing that the region was not isolated but part of wider civilisational networks.
  
• The discovery underscores the importance of safeguarding such heritage under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and incorporating it into India’s National Heritage and Tourism initiatives.
  

Archaeological Significance

• Provides evidence of early town planning and multi-religious architecture.
  
• Indicates organized brick construction, showing a high level of technological and cultural sophistication.
  
• Reinforces that civilisational growth in India was not confined to one region but spread across diverse landscapes, including the Northeast.
  

UPSC Prelims Question

Consider the following statements regarding the Vadagokugiri site in Meghalaya:

1. It dates back to the 2nd century BCE.
   
2. It features a stupa and fortified structures.
   
3. It is located on the plains of the Brahmaputra valley.
   

Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 (c) 1 and 3 (d) 2 and 3

Answer: (b)

One-line Wrap:
The Meghalaya excavation reveals that the story of India’s ancient civilisation is far richer and wider — extending deep into the hills of the Northeast.