Mainamati in Comilla: The Seat of Lost Dynasties

It is called the Seat of Lost Dynasties. About 8 km to the west of Comilla town, situated 114 km southeast of Dhaka, lies a range of low hills known as the Mainamati-Lalmai ridge, which was an extensive centre of Buddhist culture. On the slopes or these hills lie scattered a treasure of information about the early Buddist civilization (7^th-12^th Century AD.). At Salban in the middle or the ridge, excavations have laid bare a large Buddhist Vihara (monastery) with an imposing central shrine. It has revealed valuable information about the rule of the Chandra and Deva dynasties which Flourished here from the 7^th to the 12^th century AD. The whole range of hillocks runs for about 18 km and is studded with more than 50 sites. A site museum houses the archaeological finds which included terra cotta plaques, bronze statues and caskets, coins, jewellery, utensils, utensils, pottery and votive stupas embossed with Buddhist inscriptions.