We all know about Great Pyramids of Ancient Egypt. How many of us know about Great Pyramid of Ancient India?
Bareilly, formerly known as Ahichhatra was mentioned in Mahabharata as capital of Draupada’s kingdom Panchala. It was later conquered by Arjuna and bestowed upon Drona. Drupada had to shift his capital to Kampilya in Southern Panchala. Ahicchatra was described as a great city
Excavations in Bareilly have uncovered a giant ancient temple in form of a large pyramid.Even the ruin is 22 meters in height( for comparison, Kaaba is 13 m) and there is a Linga on top. The site is 187 hectares. By comparison, London of Roman era was just 140 hectares
If the brick temple ruin is so massive even after its destruction by Jihadi invaders in 12th century , one could only imagine how gigantic the temple would have been in its heydays. Ahichhatra is probably the longest surviving site in India. Remains from earliest layers in 2000 BC include ochre colored pottery followed by Painted Grey Ware(PGW). The site survived for 3000 years until “iconoclastic tendencies” in 12th century destroyed it. Many Hindu sculptures have been found at the site They are now in Museums around the world. There is a sculpture of Ganga standing on Makara. Another is of Lord Shiva in what seems to be depiction of Kiratarjuniya scene.
When I posted this on twitter, I found to my utter surprise that even the residents of Bareilly do not know about the site. I really wonder why these monuments are never talked about and people are kept in ignorance about them.
Source: Archaeological survey of India (ASI), excavations carried out in Ahichhatra (1940-1950)
True Indology 