For nearly nine decades, one of Madhya Pradesh’s biggest archaeological mysteries has been hiding in plain sight under an enormous mound on the outskirts of Ujjain.
Tradition links Vaishya Tekri to the Mauryan period and to Ashoka, who is believed to have served as governor of Ujjain before becoming emperor. Some accounts connect the construction of a Buddhist monument here to Devi, Ashoka’s wife and the daughter of a wealthy merchant of Vidisha. The excavation was never taken to its logical conclusion.
Acquiring it for excavation and preservation is expected to cost approximately Rs 40 crore, and a proposal has been sent to the government.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has pushed for fresh exploration of the site, and the state government is working with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the possibility of a systematic excavation of Vaishya Tekri, a site that a British-era archaeological report described as containing “perhaps the biggest known” Buddhist stupa. Work was abandoned after a gas-related incident in which labourers working at the site fell unconscious, according to records from the period. Ujjain Divisional Commissioner Ashish Singh told NDTV that the entire land covering the site is privately owned. The administration, Singh said, is coordinating with both state and central archaeological authorities and will provide the necessary assistance if the excavation goes ahead.
