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Location : Agroha, Haryana
Famous For : Seals, coins, and stone sculptures
How to Reach : Nearest bus stand is at Agroha. By rail, one can reach by Adampur Railway Station that lies nearest to the site. By air, one can arrive from the airport at Delhi.
It is a famous excavation town of the state that lies at a distance of twenty kilometers from Hisar. This prosperous city of Haryana was once a splendid kingdom of the ruler Agrasen. Situated near Agroha village, this splendid town came into sight during the excavations done in 1888-89. This place existed even before Kushan dynasty.
This town was known for its prosperity. Invaded many times by Greeks, Hunas and Yavana, the state fell apart and the inhabitants had to migrate to other places. These people were commonly known by the name of "Aggarwals" a community that still exists in parts of North India. The town was a well planned place. As earlier excavations were not able to explore it fully, the city was again dug in 1938-39 but the excavation had to be stopped during the Second World War. Haryana Government's Archeological Department restored the work in the late seventies. Under the guidance of eminent personalities like Acharya and Khatri, new findings came into light.
Major artifacts that have been recovered from the site include coins of silver and bronze, seals and stone statues. The coins come in different sizes and shapes. Various scripts have been written on these coins and indicate the dynasty or the period to which they belong. The inscriptions like "Yodhyanam Jaimantra" have been carved on some of the coins. Those which are made up of bronze have Prakrit inscriptions on them. These coins of Agroha belong to the dynasties like Gupta, Kushna, Roman, and Yodhaya.
The seals found at the sites are also adorned with inscriptions carrying words like" Sadhu Vridhasya", Madrsya", and "Pitradutt". In addition to them, archeologists have been successful in finding terracotta animals, masks and stone sculptures at the site area. Various implements of copper, shells, and utensils covered with red and black polish have also been found here in large numbers.
Recent researches have indicated that Agroha was inhabited by at least 5 cultural periods. A huge temple complex is the nearby attraction. This complex is blessed with the gracious presence of the deity Mahalaxmi. Its gold plated "kalash" is worth the admiration. A Shakti Sarover that lies near the temple complex is sprawled over a distance of four acres. It is considered a holy site of Hindus. |