A hidden archaeological treasure, situated in Pillak-Pathar of Pillak-Jolaibari region at southern part of Tripura is going to divulge untold stories of past civilization mingled with Hindu and Buddhist culture and civilizations. By repeated excavations, though not extensive enough, huge numbers of coins, terracotta works sculptural icons of god and goddesses of Hindu - Buddhists style and brick structures have been unearthed from this site. It is a wonder that the sculptures mostly belonging to the Brahminical cult representing divinities like the Surya, Vishnu, Durga, Ganesh etc. along with Buddhist pantheons were found at a place of tribal dominated land locked territory.

According to some archaeologists and scholars, the place which is 76 km away from Agartala, the capital city of Tripura is likely to uncover an obscure chapter of history and civilization if excavation is made in extensive mood. Thanks, the Govt. of India has recently declared Pilak a tourism and cultural hub of Tripura as a Buddhist site. The hub will work as a centre to project art and cultural heritage of the area. The decision will certainly see to getting off the excavation and exposure of the site to the desired level, for the Centre has also decided to have this site linked with improved infrastructure, documentation centre, handicrafts emporium and other facilities to familiarize rich cultural heritage.

Tripura is one of those strategically located areas, wherein diverse civilizations met in the past. Lying at the crossroads of Bengal and Assam, the region was connected by Burma (now Myanmar) via land routes through Gomati, Surma and Kacher Valleys, Lusai hills and Manipur at one hand and via Chittagong and Arakan on the other. Perhaps through the later route in the eleventh century the Kingdom of Pattikera and Burma shared a great relationship. Pillak was an important port in the said historic triangle. The Burmese Chronicles contain many references to Pattikera kingdom. According to those, the kingdom of Anoratha of eleventh century was bounded on the West by the Pattikera and

probably both the kingdom had matrimonial relations. Although the city of Pattikera cannot be identified, it must have been situated within the district of Tripura (modern Comilla district of Bangldesh) for an important place near Mainamati hills is still known as Patikera, a Pargana which had been under the administration of Tripura before the partition of India. Tripura’s link appears to have been effected via Chittagong and Arakan in the later period and Govinda Manikya (1661 -1667), the then king of Tripura kingdom who is said to have taken shelter in the Arakan coast due to political turmoil in his motherland, used the said route, suggested by an observation of Captain T.H.Lewin. It is also believed that when colonists and traders of the South East Asia or Buddhist missionaries came from the said region via sea route to visit Buddh-Gaya and other sacred placesof India they had to pass from or to Bengal through land route via Tripura. Being situated in such a crossroad of different cultural waves Tripura experienced a preliminary blending of Bengal and South East Asian art on its soil.

Pillak Pathar, popularly known as Pillak consists of six mounds, namely, Shyamsunder Tilla, Debbari, Thakurani Tilla, Balir Pathar, Basudeb Bari and Sagar Dhepa. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which has begun excavation works there, felt that a good number of Stupa, structures and remains spread in and around all those low laying mounds. In a recent excavation a concrete structure made of bricks and limestone and a 10- feet-height icon of Surya, a Hindu god has been unearthed. According to ASI this is the tallest image amongst other Surya images found in the country. The ASI observes that Shyamsundartilla was a Buddha Stupa of tenth century where excavation work has already undergone half of the course. This apart, more statues and antic articles are expected to be unearthed from the site as ASI has recently heightened its works there.

In absence of any documental evidence it could not be established for sure that the archaeological treasure of Pillak belonged to which century. However, most acceptably these remains have been attributed to the early phase of Tripura’s history of sculpture i.e. 7th – 8th century. It is also said that the Gupta art form when penetrated the eastern region had its marks left on Tripura. Considering this claim, Mahisasurmardini may be termed as evidence of this concept, so far the aesthetical form and contents are concerned. These characteristics added to local ones have given a unique nature to the image. Similarly, Sun-god (Surya) found in the area speaks for another variation of Surya images attributed to the Gupta art form. Its akinness also to the Sun-god of Mrohung (Arakan) inclines the date towards 7th – 8th century. For other specimens of Gupta art the images of the Ganesha and Devi Durga may be taken into account. In addition, trends of post Gupta art are also visible on several icons found here.

As traits of existence of Buddhism in the past is evident from the icons one may wonder to the fact that characteristics of Hindu-Buddha style of artcrafts which is also the characteristic of Gupta school of art, have been found in the image of Vishnu or Aba- lokitesewara. This image stands on a crudely executed pedestal of lotus. The style of work as is observed in the iconography, resemble to these found in Mianamati sculpture and Srihatta (both now in Bangladesh) sculptures. And, terracotta works resemble with those of Paharpur of Bangladesh. That in turn holds the very conception that the earliest Buddhist cultural centre, Samatat of the then Bengal had a close contact with and cultural influence on Pillak region.
The sculptures of Buddha and Abalokiteshwera recovered from Pillak - Jolaibari region come in line with the inscribed Lokanath found in Srihatta in Bangladesh. For all these, the region has been described to have been a Buddhist pilgrimage.
Whatever may be the reason behind such a place emersing into obscurity in the later period there is no denying that it had been a seat of great artistic assimilation. Some scholars hold that the region was abandoned after forage by the enemy. However to bring this site to the limelight as an important tourist destination and archaeological treasure house Tripura Govt. hold Pillak festival in the month of January every year. Also with Pillak already coming into the attention of tourists and patronization of the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India the blurred chapter of an ancient cultural centre and history is likely to reveal.