In the dense forests of North Bengal, researchers have excavated a 9th-century Buddhist temple complex attributed to the Pala Dynasty. The most striking feature of the discovery is a series of narrative reliefs carved from rare blue-schist stone, depicting scenes from the Jataka tales. These carvings exhibit a level of detail and artistic finesse that rivals the well-known masterpieces of Nalanda and Vikramshila, pointing to a previously unknown regional center of Buddhist learning.
The complex includes a central stupa surrounded by smaller votive shrines and a residential vihara for monks. Inscriptions found on the foundation stones mention a local chieftain who served as a patron, providing new insights into the decentralized power structures of the Pala Empire. The West Bengal State Archaeology Department has proposed a major conservation project to stabilize the stone structures and protect the delicate reliefs from the humid forest environment.