2405:201:A409:D189:AC6B:190F:61B1:4EB1 at 17:53, 9 June 2021

2021-06-09T17:53:23Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ekangar Sarai
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Ekangar
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Census town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Bihar
| pushpin_label_position = right
Printing Press = Shankar Auto Printers
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Bihar, India
| coordinates = {{coord|25|13|0|N|85|14|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Bihar]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Nalanda district|Nalanda]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = [[Municipal council]]
| | governing_body = [[Nagar Palika]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 55
| population_total = 6672
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2011"/>
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Magahi language|Magahi]], [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 801301
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 06111
| registration_plate =
| blank1_name_sec1 = Coastline
| blank1_info_sec1 = {{Convert|0|km|mi}}
| blank2_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank2_info_sec1 = [[Patna]], [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], [[Rajgir]], [[Bihar Sharif]]
| blank3_name_sec1 = Literacy
| blank3_info_sec1 = 80%
| blank4_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]]
| blank4_info_sec1 = Nalanda
| blank1_name_sec2 = [[Climate of India|Climate]]
| blank1_info_sec2 = [[Climatic regions of India|humid]] <small>([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]])</small>
| blank2_name_sec2 = Max. summer temperature
| blank2_info_sec2 = {{convert|47|°C|°F}}
| blank3_name_sec2 = Min. winter temperature
| blank3_info_sec2 = {{convert|4|°C|°F}}
| website =
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-BR]]
| footnotes =
}}

'''Ekangarsarai''' is a [[census town]] and corresponding [[community development block]] in [[Nalanda district]] of [[Bihar]] state, [[India]].

As of 2011, its population was 6,672.<ref name="Census 2011">{{cite web |title=Census of India 2011: Bihar District Census Handbook - Nalanda, Part A (Village and Town Directory) |pages=25–101, 528–567, 726–727, 784–800 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/BiharA.html |website=Census 2011 India|access-date=24 July 2020}}</ref>

== Geography ==
It is located at {{coord|25|13|0|N|85|14|0|E}} at an elevation of 55 m above MSL.<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/34/Ekangar_Sarai.html Map and weather of Ekangarsarai]</ref> This small city is very close to Rajgir pahari.

== Demographics ==
As of 2011, the [[sex ratio]] of the town of Ekangarsarai was 897 among the general population and 811 among 0-6 year olds. Members of [[scheduled castes]] made up 9.59% of the town's population, and members of [[scheduled tribes]] made up 0.19%. The [[literacy rate]] was 79.15% (86.56% among men and 71.01% among women), the highest in Nalanda district.<ref name="Census 2011"/>

== Archaeology ==
There are a number of archaeological sites in Ekangarsarai block, of which the most widely documented is the former Buddhist monastery of [[Telhara, Nalanda|Telhara]] (Telhāḍa), 4 km west of Ekangarsarai. Most of the extant sculptures found in the block have been stylistically dated to the [[Pala Empire|Pala]] period, in the 9th-13th centuries CE, and they represent a mixture of Buddhist and Brahmanic elements. Such a mixture, also noted at the ruins of [[Nalanda]], may represent a lingering of Buddhist elements even after Brahmanic Hinduism mostly replaced Buddhism in the region, or it may also represent a mixture of religious groups in the area.<ref name="Biswas Majumder">{{cite journal |last1=Biswas |first1=Pampa |last2=Majumder |first2=Shubha |title=Recent Archaeological Explorations in the Nālandā District of Bihar: Study on its Sculptural Heritage |journal=Pratnatattva Journal of the Dept. of Archaeology |date=2014 |volume=20 |url=https://www.academia.edu/12216427/Recent_Archaeological_Explorations_in_the_N%C4%81land%C4%81_District_of_Bihar_Study_on_its_Sculptural_Heritage |access-date=25 July 2020}}</ref>

=== Telhara ===
Chief among the archaeological sites in the block is the Buddhist monastery of [[Telhara, Nalanda|Telhara]] (Telhāḍa), 4 km west of Ekangarsarai. Mentioned by [[Xuanzang]] as ''Telādhākkā'', and also visited by [[Yijing (monk)|Yijing]], Telhara was a historically important settlement. It later formed a [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]]-era [[pargana]]. Most other archaeological sites in Ekangsarai block historically formed part of its [[catchment area]]. Excavations here began in 2009. A number of stone and bronze Buddhist sculptures from the [[Pala Empire|Pala]] and [[Sena dynasty|Sena]] periods have been found here, along with some Brahmanic icons.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

=== Mandhachh ===
12 km northwest of Telhara and 6 km northwest of Ekangarsarai. This site contains a 3 acre mound, known locally as a ''garh'', located on the southeast side of the village and bearing artifacts identified with the [[Northern Black Polished Ware]] culture, the [[BSW (Archaeological culture)|BSW]], [[Black and red ware culture]], and others, indicating an origin of at least the 1st-2nd centuries CE. Sculptural remains, often damaged or fragmentary, include depictions of [[Uma-Maheshvara]], of [[Vamana]], and of [[Ganesha]], all dated to the 9th-10th century CE based on style, as well as a panel depicting the [[Dashavatara]], the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, dating from the 11th-12th century based on style. There are comparatively few Buddhist sculptural remains here. West of the mound, in the center of the modern village, the current temple is built atop an older structural mound.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

Around half a kilometer west of the mound is an auxiliary site known as "Mahādev sthāna", where a few steles are placed on a medium-sized mound underneath a [[Ficus religiosa|pipal]] tree. Among them are one of Uma-Maheshvara dating stylistically to the 11th-12th century as well as one of Buddha that is now partially buried among the roots of the tree. At another auxiliary site, 500m south of the main mound, there is a heavily damaged black basalt stele depicting Vishnu (as [[Trivikrama]]), flanked by [[Lakshmi]] and [[Sarasvati]], as well as a kneeling [[Garuda]]. This stele, which stylistically dates to the 10th-12th centuries CE, is currently venerated as a [[murti]].<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

=== Ekangardih ===
9 km east of Telhara and 2 km east of Ekangarsarai. The archaeological site includes abandoned temple complex, now overgrown with vegetation, a low structural mound, and scattered sculptural and architectural remains. Additionally, a local temple complex known as "Jagdambā sthān", half a kilometer north of Ekangardih Mor on the left side of the Gaya-Bihar Sharif road, houses a number of Brahmanic as well as Buddhist sculptures, presently revered as murtis. Atnother find site was at Kundwapara, a small locality half a kilometer east of Ekangardih Mor, where there was a black basalt Buddhist stele, half buried in the ground and stylistically dated to the 11th-12th century, depicting important scenes from the Buddha's life. The various find sites at Ekangardih feature a mix of Buddhist and Brahmanic elements that are chronologically indistinguishable, indicating that the religions coexisted here at the time.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

=== Other sites ===
At [[Dhurgaon]], located 9 km northeast of Ekangarsarai, there is a 20-acre mound which is mostly covered by the present village. Remains found here include brick fragments, potsherds, and both Buddhist and Brahmanic sculptures depicting a crowned Buddha as well as Harihara and Ganesh. Another site is [[Dumari, Ekangarsarai|Dumari]], 2 km north of [[Nischalganj]], on the Bihar Sharif-Ekangarsarai road. A 3m tall mound, locally called a ''garh'', yielded potsherds and sculpture fragments.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

Excavations at [[Pilich, Ekangarsarai|Pilich]], 3 km north of [[Badi Math]], yielded an abundance of black stone sculptures. Oral tradition holds that this village's name is derived from "Pilindavacagrāma", after the Buddhist teacher [[Pilindavaccha]]. Additionally, Biswas and Majumder identified the village of [[Alama, Ekangarsarai|Alama]], located some 6 km north of Badi Math, with the ancient ''Armikagrāma''. Potsherds, sculptures, iron implements, and building remains.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

At [[Oap, Ekangarsarai|Oap]], 3 km west of Nischalganj, there is a 10m high mound covering an area of 1 acre, with remains from the [[Northern Black Polished Ware]] period, BRW, black ware, red ware, and grey ware, alongside sculptures, both Buddhist and Brahmanic.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

The site of [[Shankardih, Ekangarsarai|Shankardih]] is 5 km north of Badi Math, on the Bihar Sharif-Ekangarsarai road, and 2 km east of Pilich. There are large quantities of pottery from Northern Black Polished Ware, red ware, black ware, and grey ware. Structural remains cover a large area, although encroachment of modern settlement and cultivation has covered up some of the site.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

The village of [[Jamuawan, Ekangarsarai|Jamuawan]], 13 km southeast of Ekangarsarai, has a mound with an area 57 decimals, with Pala period sculptures as well as a slab inscription from the 12th-13th centuries CE. At Khirauti, 4 km north of Nischalganj, there is a mound 9m high and 1 acre large in the southern part of the village. Buddhist and Brahmanic sculptures.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

The site of [[Shibnagar, Ekangarsarai|Shibnagar]], located about 9 km east of Ekangarsarai, has a 6m tall mound yielding red ware and black ware. Most of the mound is covered by the current village. A temple complex known as "Mahādev sthān" houses some old sculptures.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

In the southeast of the village of [[Aungari, Ekangsarai|Aungari]], 5 km south of Ekangardih, is a temple complex called ''Aungārīdhām'', which possesses a number of old sculptures.<ref name="Biswas Majumder"/>

== Transport ==
[[National Highway 33 (India)|National Highway 33]] and State Highway 4 passes through Ekangarsarai.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://morth.nic.in/writereaddata/sublink2images/NH_StartEnding_Station8634854396.htm |title=Start and end points of National Highways |access-date=27 March 2009 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20090410062034/http://morth.nic.in/writereaddata/sublink2images/NH_StartEnding_Station8634854396.htm |archive-date=10 April 2009 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> Nearest airport is [[Patna Airport]] and [[Gaya International Airport]].

==Schools==

* Dev international public school
* St. Marie Academy
* R.L.World
* Rockford International School
* Delhi Public School, Ekangarsarai (coming soon){{when|date=March 2020}}
* S.S. Academy
* Vidya Jyoti School

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* [http://www.india9.com/i9show/Ekangarsarai-66459.htm About Ekangarsarai]
* [http://www.maplandia.com/india/bihar/nalanda/ekangar-sarai/ Satellite map of Ekangarsarai]

{{Nalanda district}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Nalanda district]]

Ekangarsarai - Revision history

2405:201:A409:D189:AC6B:190F:61B1:4EB1 at 17:53, 9 June 2021