Pauni: ancient Buddhist stupa town on the Wainganga

Pauni is an ancient fortified town on the right bank of the Wainganga river in Bhandara district, Maharashtra, in the Vidarbha region. It is best known to travellers and archaeologists for excavated Buddhist stupa mounds, Satavahana-era carved stone railings (now partly in museums), and the earthen rampart and moat that still ring the old town. This guide covers what has actually been found here, how the site is dated, how to reach Pauni, and how to fit it into a wider Nagpur trip.

Pauni, in Bhandara district, Maharashtra, is an early-historic fortified town on the Wainganga that grew into a major Buddhist (Hinayana) centre. Excavations here uncovered brick-and-laterite stupa mounds in use from roughly the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, along with inscribed railings now held in museums.

About Pauni and quick facts

Pauni is an early-historic archaeological town, not a packaged tourist attraction. It lies in Pauni taluka of Bhandara district, Maharashtra, on the right bank of the Wainganga river, within the Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtra. The Wainganga is locally called the “south Ganga”, and the town is sometimes described in Maharashtra Tourism material as the “Kashi of Vidarbha” for its many temples.

Do not confuse this Pauni with the smaller Pauni (Rithi) village near Umred in Nagpur district, or with same-named villages elsewhere. The place of interest to heritage travellers is the taluka town and municipal council on the Wainganga, surrounded by its old moat and rampart.

According to oral tradition the name comes from a legendary King Pavan, and the old fort is called Pawan Raja Fort. Treat that origin as local legend rather than documented history. What is documented, through excavation, is a long occupation spanning the Mauryan, Shunga, Satavahana and Kshatrapa periods.

The Buddhist stupas and Satavahana railings

Pauni’s Buddhist stupas are low brick-and-laterite mounds, excavated in the 20th century, rather than standing domed monuments like Sanchi. Joint excavations in 1968-69 by S. B. Deo of Nagpur University and J. P. Joshi of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) exposed the stupa mounds; the results were published as Deo and Joshi’s Pauni Excavation (1969-70). Later work in 1994 by Amarendra Nath of the ASI studied the habitation area and ramparts.

The best-documented stupa stood on the mound now called Jagannath Tekdi, south of the town beside the Balasamudra water body, with a Jagannath temple built on top. According to the ASI, as reported in 2021, the stupa was built in phases: a first stupa about 38 m across was later encased and enlarged to roughly 41.2 m in diameter, with a 1.6 m-wide pradakshina patha (circumambulatory path). It was in use from about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE.

A second large stupa was excavated near Chandakapur, about 600 m south, on a mound also recorded as Suleman Tekdi. Reports give it a diameter of about 41.6 m and date it to roughly the 1st century BCE with later extension; unlike Jagannath Tekdi it reportedly lacked a railing, gateways and ambulatory path. A third mound, Hardulala-ki-Tekdi, has a basal diameter of about 30 m and yielded sandstone pillars and pottery.

The stupas were enclosed by a carved stone railing with four gateways, broadly in the tradition of Bharhut and Sanchi. According to excavation records the railing pillars and coping stones carried yaksha figures, a naga Mucalinda (the serpent sheltering the Buddha), devotees and motifs such as the chaitya-vriksha (sacred tree) and dharmachakra (wheel of law). Many bear short donative Brahmi inscriptions. Jataka narrative scenes, common at Bharhut, are reportedly almost absent here.

Several of these carved pieces have been moved for safekeeping. Museum records place a railing pillar showing the naga Mucalinda in the National Museum, New Delhi, and other railing pillars in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai. If you want to see Pauni’s finest carvings, those museums, rather than the open mounds, are where to look. On the ground the mounds today read as grassy rises with temple and excavation traces.

The earthen fort, rampart and inscriptions

Pauni’s defences are an earthen rampart and moat that enclose the old town on three sides, with the Wainganga forming the fourth. Excavation of the ramparts showed more than one building phase. Reports describe a massive lateritic rampart of the Mauryan period, with a broad moat outside it; the Balasamudra lake south of town survives as a relic of that moat. A brick fortification followed in the Satavahana-Kshatrapa period, and ashlar-masonry gateways of the late-medieval fort still stand.

Pauni has also produced notable inscriptions. A memorial pillar inscribed with the name of Mahakshatrapa Kumara Rupiamma, dated to about the 2nd century CE, links the area to the Western Satraps (Saka rulers). A separate megalith inscribed with the name of a ruler, Bhagadatta, is reported to be held in the Nagpur Central Museum. Coins of the Satavahanas, including early Satakarni issues, and of the Western Satraps were found at the stupa sites, which scholars read as evidence that ancient Vidarbha lay within the Satavahana realm.

If you are not an archaeology enthusiast, the honest picture is this: Pauni rewards curiosity and context more than it rewards the camera. The rampart lines, the Balasamudra lake, the temple-topped mound and the museum carvings together tell the story of a trade-route town that was a Buddhist centre two thousand years ago.

Best time to visit Pauni

The best time to visit Pauni is winter, from October to February, when Vidarbha is cool and dry and walking the mounds and rampart is comfortable. Maharashtra Tourism advises that summer, March to May, is hot in this part of the state, so time any visit for early morning or late evening then. The monsoon, June to September, is green but can make rural approaches and field paths muddy.

How to reach Pauni

Reach Pauni most easily by road from Nagpur, the regional hub. Pauni lies on National Highway 247 and is connected by regular state-transport buses to Bhandara and Nagpur. The town has no airport and no convenient mainline station of its own, so most visitors drive or take a bus from Nagpur, roughly 82 km away by the airport’s own reckoning in Maharashtra Tourism material.

By air: The nearest airport is Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, about 82 km from Pauni (Maharashtra Tourism). Nagpur has wide domestic connectivity; confirm current flights before booking.

By rail: The nearest small station is Pauni Road (at Amgaon), on the Nagpur–Nagbhir narrow-gauge branch line, but services on this line are limited, so Nagpur Junction is the practical railhead for most travellers. Check live train status before relying on the branch line.

By road: Buses and taxis run from Nagpur and from the district headquarters at Bhandara. A taxi from Nagpur is the simplest way to combine Pauni with other sights in a single day. Distances below are approximate road figures; reconfirm with a live map before you travel.

Things to see in and around Pauni

Pauni’s sights cluster around the old town, the river and the stupa mounds, and most can be seen in half a day. The core is the Jagannath Tekdi mound and the Balasamudra lake beside it, the lines of the earthen rampart and moat, and the standing late-medieval fort gateways. Pauni is also a temple town, so expect many small shrines along the way.

For the carved railings themselves, plan a museum stop in Nagpur, New Delhi or Mumbai rather than expecting them on site. Nearby, Maharashtra Tourism lists Sindpuri Buddh Vihar (a Buddhist centre), the Indira Sagar Dam and the Balsamudra (Balasamudra) lake as easy additions. The Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, a notified sanctuary of the Maharashtra Forest Department spread across Pauni, Umred and Karhandla, lies within the wider area for those wanting a safari add-on.

How to plan your visit

Pauni works best as a day trip from Nagpur, optionally stretched to two days if you add a safari. A focused plan:

• Day trip from Nagpur: Drive out early (about 82 km), spend the morning at the Jagannath Tekdi mound, Balasamudra lake and the rampart and fort gateways, see a temple or two in town, and return to Nagpur by evening.
• Two days with wildlife: Pre-book a safari at the Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, do the sanctuary and Pauni’s heritage over two days, and stay in Nagpur or at a sanctuary-gate option.
• Heritage pairing: Combine Pauni with the museum carvings in Nagpur, and treat New Delhi or Mumbai as a separate chance to see Pauni’s National Museum and CSMVS pieces.

Because facilities on the mounds are minimal, keep expectations practical and carry your own water and snacks. For wider route planning across the state, see our Maharashtra travel guide.

Where to stay

Pauni itself has only basic accommodation, so most visitors base in Nagpur or Bhandara. Pauni is a small town with simple lodges and temple-town guesthouses rather than branded hotels; for comfort and choice, Nagpur is the better base and Bhandara a nearer, plainer option. The ₹ bands below are indicative planning estimates for 2026 and should be reconfirmed when you book.

• Budget (indicative, reconfirm): simple lodges and guesthouses in Pauni or Bhandara, roughly ₹700–₹1,500 a night.
• Mid-range (indicative, reconfirm): business and mid-tier hotels in Nagpur, roughly ₹2,500–₹5,000 a night.
• Higher-end (indicative, reconfirm): upper-tier Nagpur hotels and sanctuary-gate lodges near Umred-Pauni-Karhandla, from about ₹6,000 upward.

Book safari lodges and sanctuary stays well ahead in winter, which is both the best season for Pauni and peak time for tiger tourism in the area.

Food to try in Vidarbha

Pauni sits in Vidarbha, a region known for robust, spicy food, so eat the way the region does rather than expecting dedicated tourist restaurants. In and around Nagpur you will find Saoji cuisine (a fiery Vidarbha style, traditionally mutton or chicken in a dark, peppery gravy), varhadi dishes, and everyday thalis of dal, roti, rice and local vegetables.

Look out for patodi rassa bhaji (gram-flour rolls in a spiced curry), zunka-bhakar (a thick gram-flour preparation with millet flatbread) and, in season, Nagpur oranges. In a small town like Pauni, carry water and snacks, and do your main meals in Nagpur or Bhandara where there is more choice.

Budget breakdown

A Pauni visit is inexpensive because it is usually a day trip, with transport the main cost. The table gives an indicative per-person planning estimate for a one-day trip from Nagpur in 2026; it assumes shared road transport and a simple lunch, and all figures should be reconfirmed before you travel.

Add roughly ₹1,500–₹6,000 or more per night if you stay over, and a separate sanctuary gate and vehicle fee if you add an Umred-Pauni-Karhandla safari; check the current forest-department tariff when you book.

Permits, photography and practical tips

No Inner Line Permit or special entry permit is needed to visit Pauni town or its archaeological mounds, which lie in a non-restricted area. One caveat worth knowing: the ASI’s Nagpur Circle reported in 2021 that it was acquiring the Jagannath Tekdi and Hardulala-ki-Tekdi mounds, which stand on private land, under the AMASR Act. Access to the mounds can therefore be informal and may change as conservation proceeds, so ask locally and reconfirm before you set out.

Ordinary photography of the open mounds, rampart and lake is unrestricted. Drone use near protected monuments and the wildlife sanctuary needs prior permission, so do not fly without clearing it first. Inside the museums that hold Pauni’s carvings, follow each museum’s own photography rules.

• Connectivity and money: Nagpur and Bhandara have reliable mobile networks, ATMs and UPI; in Pauni carry some cash, as small shops may not take cards.
• Health and safety: the nearest large hospitals are in Bhandara and Nagpur; carry any medicines you need. There is no altitude concern here.
• Heat: Vidarbha summers are severe, so in March–May carry water, a hat and sun protection and visit early.
• Solo women travellers: Pauni is a quiet temple town; usual small-town precautions apply, and a day trip from Nagpur with a booked taxi is the easiest, low-fuss option.
• Guides: there is no formal ticketed guide service on the mounds, so read up in advance and, for the carvings, plan the relevant museum visit.

Nearby places

Pauni pairs naturally with Nagpur’s city sights and with the wildlife and water bodies of eastern Vidarbha. The table lists easy add-ons; distances are approximate road figures to reconfirm live.

If you are planning a broader loop, Nagpur is the natural anchor; unlike the hill forts near Pune, Pauni is a low-key archaeological stop best treated as part of a Vidarbha itinerary.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Pauni and what is it known for?

Pauni is a taluka town in Bhandara district, Maharashtra, on the right bank of the Wainganga river in the Vidarbha region. It is known as an early-historic fortified town and Buddhist centre, with excavated stupa mounds, Satavahana-era carved railings now partly in museums, and an old earthen rampart and moat.

How old are the Buddhist stupas at Pauni?

Pauni’s main stupa was in use from about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, according to the ASI as reported in 2021. The Jagannath Tekdi stupa was built in phases, starting near 38 m across and later enlarged to roughly 41.2 m in diameter with a 1.6 m ambulatory path around it.

Where are the Pauni railings and sculptures now?

Some of Pauni’s carved railing pieces are in museums rather than on site. Museum records place a pillar showing the naga Mucalinda in the National Museum, New Delhi, and other railing pillars in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. To see Pauni’s finest carvings, plan a museum visit alongside the open mounds.

How do I reach Pauni from Nagpur?

Reach Pauni by road from Nagpur, about 82 km away, by taxi or state-transport bus along National Highway 247. Nagpur’s Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport and Nagpur Junction are the practical air and rail gateways, as Pauni has no airport and only a limited narrow-gauge branch station nearby. A Nagpur taxi makes the easiest day trip.

Is there an entry fee or permit to visit the Pauni mounds?

No Inner Line Permit or special permit is needed to visit Pauni or its stupa mounds, and no formal ticket is required at the open mounds. However, the ASI reported in 2021 that it was acquiring the Jagannath Tekdi and Hardulala-ki-Tekdi mounds from private land, so access can be informal and may change; reconfirm locally before visiting.

What is the best time to visit Pauni?

The best time to visit Pauni is winter, October to February, when Vidarbha is cool and dry and the mounds, rampart and lake are comfortable to explore. Summer from March to May is very hot, so visit early or late in the day then, while the June-to-September monsoon is green but can make field paths muddy.

Last updated and sources

Pauni suits travellers who enjoy archaeology, early Buddhist history and quiet, un-touristy sites, and it is best as a winter day trip from Nagpur. Go between October and February, carry water, and plan a museum stop to see the carved railings.

Last updated: 31 October 2026. Fees, timings and permits change — reconfirm with official sources before you travel.

Sources: Maharashtra Tourism, Department of Tourism — Pauni; The Hitavada, “ASI starts acquisition work of two ancient mounds in Pauni” (2021), reporting the ASI Nagpur Circle; Indian National Heritage Conservation and Research Foundation (INHCRF), “Pauni: an early-historic fortified settlement and Hinayana centre on the Wainganga”; underlying excavation record S. B. Deo and J. P. Joshi, Pauni Excavation (1969-70), Nagpur University, and the ASI’s Indian Archaeology — A Review (1968-69, 1969-70); museum attributions per National Museum, New Delhi, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, catalogue records. Accessed September 2026.