________________ Homage to Vaisali Part Two Archaeological Remains at Vaisali BASARH Basarh [138] Village in the north-west corner of the Hajipur subdivision, situated 20 miles north-west of Hajipur in 250 59' N. [139] and 850 8' E. Population (1901) 3,527. Basarh has been identified with the ancient Vaisali, the capital of the powerful confederacy of the Lichchhavis. It was thrice visited by Buddha; it was the scene of the second great Buddhist Council; and it long remained a stronghold of Buddhism. Vaisali was equally sacred to the Jains as the birthplace of Buddha's contemporary and rival, Vardhamana Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. For a more detailed account of its history, see Chapter II. Little is now left to rocall its ancient greatness, the principal remains consisting of a huge mound known locally as the fort (garh) of Raja Visal : the close correspondence of the name of this eponymous local chieftain with the name of the city is obvious. The following. description of the remains, as they existed in 1871, is slightly condensed from General Cunningham's account :-"The remains consist of a large deserted fort, and a ruined brick stupa. The fort is a large brick-covered mound of earth, with round towers at the four corners; and the whole is surrounded by a ditch. Tho ruined ramparts along the edge, and four towers at the corners, are somewhat higher than the mass of the mound, which has a general elevation of from 6 to 8 feet above the country. The main entrance was in the middle of the south face, where there still exists a broad embankment across the ditch, as well as a passage through the rampart. In the northern face there was probably only a postern gate, as there is no passage through the rampart, and no trace of any embankment across the ditch, excepting the fact that the only dry part of the ditch is on this face. The only building within the fort is a small brick temple of modern date. "Outside the south-west angle of the fort, and about 1,000 feet distant, there is a ruined mound of solid brickwork, 23 feet 8 inches in height above the fields. The whole of the top has been levelled for the reception of Musalman tombs, of which the largest, ascribed to Mir Abdal, is said to be 500 years old. On the south edge of the mound there is a magnificent widespreading banyan tree, supported on numerous trunks, which shades the whole of the tombs. On the same side also a flight of
