Shalban Vihara
The ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery in the Mainamati hills of Cumilla.
Photo: Yousuf enterprise / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
Cumilla district guideShalban Vihara
The ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery in the Mainamati hills of Cumilla. It is in Cumilla district, Chattogram Division.
About Shalban Vihara
Shalban Vihara is the best-known of the Buddhist ruins on the Lalmai–Mainamati ridge, about 8 km west of Cumilla town. It was a large square monastery with 115 cells for monks around a courtyard, a cross-shaped temple in the middle and a grand gateway on the north, much like Paharpur but smaller. It was in use from about the 7th or 8th century until the 12th.
The monastery is credited to Bhava Deva, a ruler of the early Deva dynasty, and was once known as Shalban Rajar Bari, the king's residence at Shalban, until excavations turned up terracotta seals and copper plates identifying it as a monastery. The ridge holds more than 50 ancient Buddhist sites, dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries.
Sources: Wikipedia: Shalban Vihara · facts checked Oct 7, 2026
About this place
- Type
- Heritage
- Location
- Cumilla
- Best time to visit
- No verified information yet
- Estimated costs
- No verified information yet
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BrahmanbariaFAQ
What is Shalban Vihara known for?
Shalban Vihara is the best-known of the Buddhist ruins on the Lalmai–Mainamati ridge, about 8 km west of Cumilla town. It was a large square monastery with 115 cells for monks around a courtyard, a cross-shaped temple in the middle and a grand gateway on the north, much like Paharpur but smaller. It was in use from about the 7th or 8th century until the 12th.
Where is Shalban Vihara?
Shalban Vihara is in Cumilla in Bangladesh.
What kind of place is Shalban Vihara?
It is a Heritage destination.
When is the best time to visit Shalban Vihara?
We don't have verified information on this yet, so no months are given.