Bharat Vaina village on the west bank of Bhadra river in Keshabpur Upazila on the Khulna-Jessore border. This village and area surrounded by rivers and green trees will take anyone’s mind away. But not just green trees and rivers, there is a more valuable place here for people who love to travel. Where travelers can also get a taste of Mahasthangarh. In the village of Bharat Vaina on the Khulna-Jessore border, there is antiquity about 1700 years old. Situated under a hundred-year-old huge banyan tree, this antiquity is known to the locals as Bharat Deul or Bharat Rajar Deul.

Renowned archaeologist Kashinath Dixit conducted a preliminary survey of the Bharat Vaina mound and the surrounding area in 1922-23. Subsequently, excavations were carried out by the Department of Archeology, Government of Bangladesh in 1974-75, 1996-2001, and most recently in 2016-17.

Archaeologists are still struggling to gather enough evidence before reaching the final conclusions about the location of the temple, which was built between the 7th and 9th centuries AD. Archaeologists believe that this cruciform temple is an important addition to the evolution of East Indian temple architecture after the 7th century AD. According to the terminology of temple architecture, they have identified such temples as omnipotent style. The land design of the central temples of Somapur, Mahavihara, Shalban Bihar, Avikramshila, and Mahavihara is similar to this temple. The architectural structure of this temple later influenced the Buddhist temple architecture of Southeast Asia. It is the only temple of its kind ever discovered in the southwestern delta region of Bangladesh.

According to the Department of Archeology, Kashinath Dixit conducted a survey of the mound in 1923 and commented that there was a five-century-old Buddhist temple beneath the mound and that it was probably one of the 30 Sangharams of Samatat described by Hiuen-Tsang. At that time he also gave some border pillars. Opportunistic people have looted all those valuable resources at different times. The ancient temple is said to have been built by an influential king named Bharat. The main temple is supposed to be located on 1-acre 29th-century land. Excavations around the site have uncovered parts of the wreckage, suggesting that the structure’s superstructure has been completely destroyed. The present visible part is probably the foundation or elevated platform of the ruined building. A sketch by the Department of Archeology shows that a total of 72 closed cells have been raised step by step. The walls of the top step of the mound are 9 feet wide. It has four square cells 6 feet 10 inches wide. The main room of the main building was built on this chamber.

The walls of the second stage are 3 feet wide, with 19 cells of different shapes. There are 16 cells in the third step of the 3 feet 9 inches wide wall. The fourth step of the 3 and a half feet wide wall has 19 closed cells. In the last step, there are 22 closed cells within 10 to 13 feet wide walls. Below that there is a circular path about 10 feet wide. There are four entrances around the main temple. Of these, seven cells have been seen so far. Considering the structure, it is believed that the eastern side was its main entrance. The bricks used in its construction measure 36 centimeters, 26 centimeters, and 6 centimeters. Such a large brick has not been seen to be used in any antiquities in this region.

In addition to the architectural ruins, a terracotta head of the Gupta period, a few fragments of terracotta hands and feet, a few earthen lamps, ornamental brick pieces, two pieces of brick with footprints and a small earthen pot have been collected, which are preserved in the Khulna Divisional Museum. (Collected)

How to go

First, you have to go to Khulna from Dhaka. Then you have to get off at Chuk Nagar bus stand in the middle of Khulna-Satkhira road. You can go to Bharat Vainar Deul by reserving a motor van or motorbike from the Chuknagar bus stand.

Cost per person

Dhaka> Khulna> Dhaka (Non-AC Bus) 450 × 2 = ৳ 900
Khulna> Chuk Nagar Bazar> Khulna 45 × 2 = ৳ 90
Chuknagar Bazar> Bharat Deul> Chuknagar Bazar
Motor Van Reserve Tk 80 (round trip)
Motorcycle: 100

Stay and eat

You can have lunch from the famous Abbas Hotel, which is famous for cooking the meat of Chui Jhal in Chuk Nagar Bazaar.
There is no arrangement to stay in Bharat Deul or Chuk Nagar market. If you want to stay the night, you have to stay in Khulna.