Brahmi MSS discovery in Kathmandu?

[Guest guest]

Yesterday this was reported in the Nepalese press, about the Chabhel Stupa,

east of KTM proper just before reaching Bauddha (Bodhnath).

 

The Chabel/Carumati stupa is supposed to have been built by Asoka's

daughter Carumati:

 

see pict. today at : http://www.nepalnews.com.np/ and check for text,

under "OTHER HEADLINES"

 

-

" Charumati stupa renovation

 

Chabahil locals have formed a committee to

restore the crumbling Charumati Stupa, which had developed cracks because of

heavy vehicular traffic on the nearby road.

 

The fourth-century stupa has relics dating

from the Lichhavi period .....

.....

Priceless ancient artefacts, coins, and

manuscripts have been found during the renovation work, and archaeologists

say more

could be found if the whole stupa could

have been rebuilt. It has also been discovered that Charumati, like the

rest of

Kathmandu Valley shrines, have been revered

by both Hindus and Buddhists. Hindu deities like Bishnu and Narayan have

been

found among the Buddhist relics.

 

"We are looking at the coins and the

manuscripts, but it will need more study before we can date them with

accuracy," says

Prakash Darnal from the Department of

Archaeology who is involved in the renovation work. The manuscripts are

said to be in

the ancient Brahmi script. nepalnews.com rh

Jan.20 "

--------------------

 

However, my friends in Kathmandu tell me:

 

*archaeologists say that NO manuscripts were found, and only an inscribed

brick was found : "clearly a fake".

Further, a small copper plate inscription that still is under

investigation. No pics yet.

 

Another false alarm, unfortuately, just as the one about early Tamil

inscriptions, recently.

Not to speak of other "discoveries" :-)

 

Cheers! MW

============================================================

Michael Witzel

Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University

2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA

 

ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)

home page: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm