How archaeology may put Ujjain on the global tourist map

Vaishya Tekri is a protected archaeological mound in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Archaeologists believe it contains a Buddhist stupa dating to the Mauryan period. Excavating the mound matters because it could reveal a major monument and additional evidence about Ujjain’s early history.

Earlier excavations by the princely state of Gwalior found large bricks, smaller stupas, and 32 skeletons. Superintendent Archaeologist M.B. Garde estimated the main stupa’s base at about 350 feet and its height at 100 feet. That would make it taller than Sanchi’s 54-foot stupa.

The site was identified as important around 90 years ago, but excavation has not yet fully taken place. Madhya Pradesh has now asked the Union culture ministry for help. About 15 hectares of surrounding private land may need acquisition, estimated at Rs 40 crore. Discoveries could strengthen Ujjain’s international heritage appeal.

The suspected stupa at Vaishya Tekri could be exceptionally large. Earlier Gwalior state excavations estimated its base at around 350 feet and its height at 100 feet. These figures come from findings made about 90 years ago, before a new excavation can test the structure more fully.

Sanchi’s stupa reaches 54 feet at its highest point. On the reported measurements, Vaishya Tekri’s stupa would be 46 feet taller. Its base would also be described as broad, measuring roughly 350 feet. However, historian Nayanjot Lahiri cautions that size should not be the only comparison. Vaishya Tekri may lack Sanchi’s stone splendour.

The scale still gives the mound major archaeological importance. A fresh excavation could confirm the stupa’s dimensions, identify its design, and uncover associated remains. The results could help Ujjain attract visitors interested in Buddhist history and ancient architecture.

Several clues connect the structure beneath Vaishya Tekri with the Mauryan period. Earlier excavations found large bricks, which historian Nayanjot Lahiri says suggest a Mauryan-era structure. The site also dates to the time when Ashoka was governor of Avanti, whose capital was Ujjain.

Buddhist sources place Ashoka’s governorship before he became emperor of Magadh. The article uses this historical association to date the stupa safely to around the 3rd century BCE. Ashoka’s wife, Devi, came from nearby Vidisha and may have helped build the Ujjain stupa, as she did at Sanchi.

These clues work together rather than standing alone. Material evidence comes from the bricks and earlier excavations. Historical records and Buddhist traditions provide a possible time and political setting. A new excavation could test this dating by examining the monument, nearby remains, and any materials found in their archaeological layers.

Ashoka was a ruler who later became emperor of Magadh. Before that, Buddhist sources say he was appointed governor of Avanti. Ujjain served as Avanti’s capital, so Ashoka had a direct political connection with the city before his imperial reign.

That connection helps archaeologists date Vaishya Tekri’s suspected stupa. The mound is associated with Ashoka’s period, and the structure is therefore considered likely to belong to around the 3rd century BCE. The article also links the site to Devi, Ashoka’s wife and the daughter of a merchant from Vidisha. She may have supported construction at Ujjain, as she did at Sanchi.

The name Vaishya Tekri is connected with the business community Devi came from. These historical links do not replace excavation evidence, but they provide context for why a Buddhist monument may have been built there. They also connect Ujjain with Vidisha and the wider Mauryan world.

A new excavation could reveal much more than the suspected main stupa. Earlier Gwalior state work found smaller stupas and the remains of 32 skeletons. The skeletons are now held in the Anthropological Survey of India museum in Kolkata. These discoveries show that the mound and its surroundings may contain varied evidence.

The wider area has already produced important finds from the Mauryan period and from even older eras. Excavating around Vaishya Tekri could therefore expose settlement remains, burial evidence, or additional religious structures. It may also clarify how the site developed before, during, and after the Mauryan period.

The possible discoveries matter because they can connect monuments with the people and communities who used the area. Shivkant Bajpai, the ASI’s Madhya Pradesh superintendent archaeologist, has highlighted the earlier finds. However, the article presents future results as possibilities. Only renewed excavation can establish what remains beneath the mound and surrounding land.

Ujjain is already a major religious destination because of the Mahakal and other temples. Uncovering a large Buddhist stupa would broaden that identity. The city could become known not only for Hindu pilgrimage but also as an important Buddhist heritage centre.

The proposed mechanism is tourism built around a visible, historically significant monument. The suspected stupa may be taller than Sanchi’s, a World Heritage site, and could offer links to Ashoka, Devi, Ujjain, Vidisha, and the Mauryan period. Those connections may interest Buddhist visitors from Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.

The change is not guaranteed. The site remains largely unexcavated, and private land around it may need to be acquired. The Madhya Pradesh government has requested central support, with acquisition estimated at Rs 40 crore. If excavation confirms the monument and makes it accessible, Ujjain could gain an international tourism profile similar to Sanchi.

Archaeologists date a site by comparing different kinds of evidence. Structures reveal a monument’s form and construction. Bricks can suggest a period when particular building practices were used. Surrounding remains, such as smaller stupas or skeletons, show how people occupied or used the area.

Historical records add another layer. At Vaishya Tekri, large bricks suggest a Mauryan structure. Buddhist sources place Ashoka as governor of Avanti, whose capital was Ujjain. That connection supports a date around the 3rd century BCE. Earlier excavations also found 32 skeletons and smaller stupas, broadening the site’s historical picture.

No single clue explains everything. Archaeologists compare the monument, materials, historical accounts, and nearby discoveries. They also use excavation to test earlier interpretations. In this case, renewed work could confirm the stupa’s date, reveal older settlement remains, and show how Ujjain’s religious and political importance developed over time.