Portions of India’s oldest Cyclopean Wall in Rajgir have collapsed following heavy rainfall in Bihar, raising concerns over the preservation of the 2,600-year-old structure, which is being considered for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Two sections of the wall, including a 20-foot-long and 12-foot-wide portion, crumbled near Banganga last Friday after incessant downpours in Nalanda. An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team visited the site on Monday following the cessation of the rain.
“The Cyclopean Wall has subsided at two places due to continuous rain in the area. Villagers also reported a lightning strike in the vicinity,” an ASI official informed The Magadh Today. “We will assess the damage, prepare an estimate, and repair this invaluable structure as soon as possible. The smaller portion of the wall might have collapsed due to the removal of a few stones,” the official added.
Calls and messages to the ASI’s Patna circle superintendent, Goutami Bhattacharya, went unanswered.
Constructed around 2,600 years ago, the Cyclopean Wall is among the world’s oldest protective masonry structures, predating the Great Wall of China. Built without mortar, the wall stretches 45 km with heights ranging from 3 ft to 15 ft and widths between 12 ft and 14 ft, encircling Rajgriha (Rajgir), the ancient capital of the Magadh Empire, to protect it from invasions. According to Buddhist texts, the fortification had at least 24 gates with bastions and watchtowers.
Maintained by the ASI since around 1905, the wall underwent major repair in 1944 under then-ASI Director-General Mortimer Wheeler, with several minor repairs over the years.
“This is the oldest example of defensive architecture. It is amazing because it was constructed using stones weighing from a few kilograms to up to one tonne, protecting the entire city and its inhabitants,” said Shanker Sharma, a professor of ancient Indian history at Magadh University and a former ASI officer. “There are similar structures in Europe and South America, some possibly predating the Cyclopean Wall, but none as extensive or well-constructed.”
Named for its use of large stones without mortar, the Cyclopean Wall of Rajgir is akin to the “Frontiers of the Roman Empire,” which was built in the 2nd century AD and included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1987.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been urging the Centre since 2017 to get the Cyclopean Wall included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The state art, culture, and youth department sent a proposal to the ASI in 2019, which was amended in 2021 based on ASI feedback and resubmitted.
The wall’s condition has deteriorated over the years, with sections broken and vandalized. Unauthorized constructions, such as a temple and a gurdwara, have also contributed to the damage. Conservation efforts are hampered by resource and manpower shortages, as well as challenges posed by the state forest department’s objections to clearing vegetation.
Vikas Ahlawat, the divisional forest officer of Nalanda, did not respond to calls from this newspaper.
