History has always been a boring subject for many students especially those who do not want to get lost in remembering dates ,wars and genealogical trees.In fact i found that the subject in itself is not boring but the way it is taught in our schools has made it uninteresting.Stories are always liked by the children right from the pari katha to chanda mama ki kahanis.Children have always got a reason to sleep: they are told stories.These stories ,the paris,rakshas,prince and princesses,jadugars have always enriched their dreams.History if taught like stories will not only facilitate learning among the students but also the others .Afterall who doesnt wants to know about the past.If people knew the past and learned from it they would have not repeated the same errors.Anyways on my visit to Sirpur ,as there was annual mela there on mahashivratri,i got surprised by the findings of the archeological excavations there.History of Sirpur which was actually sripur, is the story of one Mahashivgupta Balarjuna a somvanshi king .He was so proficient in using arms (bow and arrow) in his childhood that he earned the titile of Bala-arjuna.His father was Harshagupta and mother Vasata.He was a great king and secular in his religious beliefs.His mother Vasata after becoming widow constructed a temple for god Hari the LaxmanaTemple.Thus his parents were vaishnavites he himself being shaivite Mahashivgupta didnt hesitate to donate for building many buddhist monasteries.HeinTsang describes that there were 100 monasteries,70 temples and 1000 monks living in them at Sirpur.In fact Sirpur was one of the greaty buddhist learning centres of ancient time.The monks of mahayana sect used to come from far flung areas to learn.monasteries wre buit from bricks and inscription refer to a monk named Anand Prabhu,on whose name a monastery was named.On watching the architecture of the excavated sites one cant remain unamazed by the architectural knowledge and mastery of those who had built these buildings.Well structured designs,intricate carvings of pillars well designed drainage,lavish pools etc.
Sripur was very prosperous kingdom at the time of Mahashivgupta ,the sripur dynasty used to call themselves Kesari(lion) but after him or his old age.Sharabhpuria rules captured Sripur and Mahashivgupta's son Mahabhavagupta.Unfortunate Mahabhavagupta had to run with his family and walk along the mahanadi and conquer Kalinga from trikalinga dynasty and settle at katak(cuttak).
Sripur was very prosperous kingdom at the time of Mahashivgupta ,the sripur dynasty used to call themselves Kesari(lion) but after him or his old age.Sharabhpuria rules captured Sripur and Mahashivgupta's son Mahabhavagupta.Unfortunate Mahabhavagupta had to run with his family and walk along the mahanadi and conquer Kalinga from trikalinga dynasty and settle at katak(cuttak).
