Buddhist Monastery of Jagjivanpur, Malda

Located in close proximity to the India-Bangladesh border in the Malda district of West Bengal, Jagjivanpur is a famous archaeological site where excavations have yielded the structural remains of Nandadirghi Vihar, a Buddhist monastery which was a leading centre of learning in 9th Century AD during the Pala rule.

This Buddhist monastery was built on the instruction of Pala king Mahendrapala who was the son of Devpala, the third ruler of the Pala dynasty. The Pala rulers were great patrons of Buddhism.

Jagjivanpur came to the forefront of conscious attention when a copper plate inscription of Mahendrapala Deva was discovered in 1987 here. The plate, which also confirmed the historicity of Mahendrapal Deva, states that he had granted a plot called Nandadirghik-odranga to his army chief for constructing a Buddhist monastery. Since then subsequent excavations have led to the findings of Nandadirghi Vihar.

How to reach Jagjivanpur

Air: Bagdogra airport near Siliguri in West Bengal is the nearest airport to Jagjivanpur.

Rail: The nearest railway station to Jagjivanpur is about 35 km away in Malda in West Bengal. Malda railway station is well-connected to major cities and places in India including New Delhi and Kolkata. Gour Express, Jan Satabdi Express and Intercity Express connect Malda town with Kolkata. From Malda you can take a taxi to reach Jagjivanpur which will take one hour. Buses are also available.

Road: Good motorable roads connect Jagjivanpur with all the major places including Kolkata which is 350km from the place.

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