Excavated Buddhist Vihara of Sirpur (Chattisgarh, India).

These are photographs of excavated sculptures from a buried Buddhist vihara in Sirpur.  One of the photographs shows a semi oval stone structure on the ground, which was where the horses of the visitors were probably tied before they entered the vihara.  The vihara is dated to about 7th century C.E.  Sirpur is an ancient place and its name finds mention in the travel books of the Chinese of that time.  The city Sirpur fell on the ancient trade route.  Large monasteries were usually found close to trade routes probably to facilitate donations from wealthy traders passing by.