Vihara Architecture: Existential foothold of Somapura Mahavihara

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Lost in history, the ruin of Somapura Mahavihara was not recognized separated from it's birthplace, i.e. nature, for more than 700 years. Yet, within it's silent presence, it dominated the name of the region: Paharpur (land of hillock), regarding it's flat land topography. Discovered in 1919, the single largest Buddhist Vihara of ancient Bengal came into light, pronouncing the flourishing minute of Buddhist art and architecture - once dominant religious force of the subcontinent. The recovery of Somapura Mahavihara was not only from it's cradle of nature, but also from it's remarkable existence imprinted in the reign of Pala dynasty (750 - 1155 AD). This research aims at understanding the existential foothold of Somapura Mahavihara, in terms of it's territorial, functional, structural, social, cultural, religious and symbolic hierarchies -through analyzing the evolution process of Vihara Architecture. This understanding intends to combine the archaeological knowledge with comparative architectural analysis to identify the relationship of religious symbolism with functional rationalism, and the inseparable connotation of art, architecture and belief - as one complete entity.