Kanai Dhap

Kanai Dhap mound is located in village Bamanpara under Namuja union of bogra sadar upazila and on the western side of a large tank locally known as Bara Tara in the easternmost part of the village. The tank seems to be a part of a water body named Atonala that once joined with the Kalidaha Sagar. It is about 1.5 km to the west of mahasthan citadel. The site measures about 60m east to west and 100m north to south, and rises to a height of 5m from the surrounding fields. Its total area is about 0.6 hectare.

At present modern settlers and bamboo groves occupy it. It is littered with brickbats and ancient ceramics and due to human interference an old brick wall has been exposed. The sizes of the bricks are 26 ' 18 ' 5 cm and 18 ' 17 ' 5-6 cm. Local people have found a large number of terracotta plaques depicting various themes, such as mother and child, Ganesha, Laksmi, Kuber (?) and narrative scenes from the ramayana belonging to Gupta period. The other prominent finds from the site are inscribed terracotta seals bearing eastern Brahmi or proto-Bengali script. The site seems to contain a religious structure. [SS Mostafizur Rahman]