Telhara A Multilayered Archaeological and Historical Study

Tiladaka, presently known as Telhara, is an ancient settlement in Bihar, India, situated between the Sonaand Kattar rivers. Historically significant as a Buddhist monastic center, the site later underwent Hinduand Islamic adaptations, reflecting a layered cultural trajectory. This paper examines textual records,architectural remains, antiquarian reports, and recent archaeological excavations (2014 and 2021) toreconstruct Telhara’s historical importance. Drawing upon primary accounts from Hiuen Tsang (7thcentury A.D.), 19th-century antiquarians such as A. M. Broadley and Alexander Cunningham, and modernexcavations by the Archaeological Survey of India, the study highlights Telhara’s role in Buddhist learning,its architectural transformations, and the scholarly debates surrounding its identity. The findings revealTelhara’s pluralistic heritage, where Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic traditions overlapped rather thanreplaced one another. The rediscovery of Telhara as a Mahavihara predating Nalanda underscores itsimportance as a cornerstone of Bihar’s intellectual and religious history