Harikela and the Ruins at Mainamati
By Dinesh Chandra Bhattacharya
Summary
Harikela and the Ruins at Mainamati is an article that attempts to identify the location of the ancient kingdom of Harikela, celebrated in Chinese accounts as a major seat of Buddhist learning in eastern India. Drawing on the travel records of Hiuen Tsang and I‑tsing, epigraphic evidence such as the Rampal and Dhulla plates and inscriptions of kings like Trailokyacandra, and modern archaeological observations, the author argues that the ruins at Mainamati near Tippera (modern Comilla, Bangladesh) correspond to the lost university of Harikela. The article reviews geographical references placing Harikela south of Tamralipti, east of Utkala and near the sea, examines the name’s etymology, and considers different identifications proposed by previous scholars. By analysing the distribution of coin finds, inscriptions, and Chinese descriptions, it rejects alternatives and supports locating Harikela in southern Tippera. Descriptions of the Mainamati mounds, stupas, and viharas—spread over eight bighas of land and associated with Buddhist tradition—strengthen this conclusion. The article thus combines textual scholarship with field archaeology to illuminate a forgotten centre of learning.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that the ancient kingdom of Harikela probably lay in southern Tippera, where the extensive ruins at Mainamati represent the remnants of a once‑renowned Buddhist university. By correlating Chinese travel narratives with epigraphic and archaeological evidence, the study narrows the kingdom’s location and underscores the need for further excavation to uncover its history. It also demonstrates the value of integrating textual and material sources to reconstruct lost geographies.