Nitish Kumar seeks union government help for better upkeep of Kumhrar Park maintained by ASI

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday (January 2, 2026) asked the officials concerned to write to the Union government for development and upkeep of the Kumhrar park maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

He gave the instruction during the inspection of the park and the historical site located in Patna. During the inspection, the Chief Minister viewed the remains of pillars from the Magadha Empire period preserved in the Kumhrar Park complex.

The Chief Minister also viewed the Bulandibagh excavation, Kumhrar excavation, and the large hall with 80 pillars from the Mauryan period.

During the inspection, officials informed the Chief Minister that the Kumhrar Park complex is under the control of the Government of India and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). 

Several ancient and historical artifacts and structural remains have been found in previous excavations conducted here.

Mr. Kumar said that Kumhrar Park is a very historical and ancient site, associated with the Magadha Empire. Kumhrar Park is quite large, and a large number of people visit here.

Bihar CM asserted that the maintenance of the park complex and the exhibits should be improved. He added that students of history and people interested in history come here from different parts of the country and even from other countries to learn about this site, and keeping this in mind, the beautification of the park complex is necessary.

During the excavations of this archaeological site in 1912-15 and 1951-55, a massive hall (assembly hall) with 80 pillars from the Mauryan period was discovered. Its layout consists of 10 rows of pillars running east to west and 8 rows running north to south, with an approximate 15-foot gap between the pillars and rows. The assembly hall faces south.

Due to development activities around the archaeological site and a rise in the groundwater level, the ruins became submerged. Consequently, the existence of the pillars and other artifacts was threatened.

Considering the preservation and survival of the artifacts, and based on the recommendations of a high-level expert committee, the site was filled with soil and sand in 2005.

In ancient times, the modern city of Patna was known as Pataliputra. Currently, the excavated site of the 80-pillared hall has been covered, and only some pillar remnants are visible. The Pataliputra Gallery located here showcases the history of the ancient city, its art, architecture, and artifacts recovered from the excavations at Bulandibagh and Kumhrar sites.