Unseen Bangladesh
Cumilla District · Chattogram Division · শালবন বিহার
Shalban Vihara travel guide
Ruins of a 7th–8th century Buddhist monastery; the Mainamati Museum is next door.
At a glance
- Built
- 7th–8th century (Deva dynasty)
- Area
- About 167 m × 167 m
- Cells
- 115 monks' cells
- Opening hours
- Closed Sunday, half day Monday
History and details
Of the roughly 50 archaeological sites scattered across the Lalmai-Mainamati hills, Shalban Vihara is the best known. According to a copper-plate inscription found in excavations, it was built by Bhavadeva, the fourth king of the Deva dynasty, and was once called the 'Bhavadeva Mahavihara'. As it was surrounded by sal forest (shalban), it later became Shalban Vihara.
The four sides of the square monastery hold 115 cells where monks lived, with a cross-shaped central temple in the middle. Excavations found terracotta plaques, bronze statues, coins, seals and copper plates — showing it was an important centre of Buddhist learning in its time.
The first artefacts were found during the Second World War, when the ground was dug for a military base; planned excavations began in 1955. These finds are kept in the Mainamati Museum next door.
Things to do
- Walk round the cells on all four sides of the monastery
- See the finds in the Mainamati Museum next door
- Take an afternoon walk on the BARD campus at Kotbari
- Buy Cumilla rasmalai
How to get to Shalban Vihara
At Kotbari; about 9 km by CNG from Cumilla town.
Cumilla is about 100 km from Dhaka; the journey takes 2–2.5 hours.
- 🚌 By bus: Tisha, Asia Line, Prince from Sayedabad; fare ৳250–400.
- 🚆 By train: Chattogram/Noakhali-bound trains from Kamalapur to Cumilla, fare ৳150–400.
Where to stay
- Mid-range hotels in Kotbari and town; the BARD guest house
What to eat
Rasmalai from Matribhandar (the most famous), khadi cloth
Good to know
- Closed Sunday, half day Monday
- The BARD campus at Kotbari is lovely too
More to see nearby
- Mainamati Museum (next door)
- Ananda Vihara and Kotila Mura (5 km)
- Mainamati War Cemetery (8 km)
- BARD campus (1 km)
More places to visit in Cumilla district
- Mainamati War Cemetery — A Second World War cemetery, green and peaceful.
- Mainamati Museum — Archaeological finds from the Mainamati area: statues, coins and terracotta plaques.
- Dharmasagar Dighi — A huge 15th-century pond in the middle of town; a place for an afternoon walk.