Patna, July 18: Visitors to the archaeological site at Kolhua in Muzaffarpur comprising Asokan stupa and pillar would soon be able to avail free Wi-Fi service.

Senior officials in Patna circle of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) said Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would install the Wi-Fi facility at Kolhua as it is an Adarsh Monument.

The ASI has identified 25 ancient monuments across the country to be included under Adarsh Monuments. ASI officials claimed that declaration of a site as an Adarsh Monument would ensure necessary tourist facilities such as washrooms, drinking water, signage, cafeteria, audio-visual centre, Wi-Fi, security, encroachment-free area and interpretation centre.

A 10-minute documentary on Kolhua and other Buddhist sites in Vaishali has also been made according to the provisions for various facilities to be provided at Adarsh Monuments. Vaishali is also a part of the ambitious Swadesh Darshan scheme of the tourism ministry. The Union tourism and culture ministry has approved a proposal for a spiritual circuit, comprising sites in Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal, under the Centre's Swadesh Darshan scheme.

Such modern amenities are being provided at Kolhua even though it lacks basic tourist facilities. For instance, there are no hotels or eateries in an area of 2-3km around Kolhua. The lavatory is also in pretty bad shape and there are very few lampposts on the premises of this archaeological site. Besides, it also does not have a cloakroom, where tourists can keep their belongings.

Talking about the proposed Wi-Fi facility, a senior official at Patna circle of ASI, said: "The Wi-Fi facility would be provided at Kolhua according to norms governing Adarsh Monuments. Like other Adarsh Monuments, the government owned-BSNL would install the facility at Kolhua as well. We are going to write a letter to BSNL in this regard in a few days."

A drainage system is also being contemplated to be developed at Kolhua as such a system does not exist at the site at present. Consequently, waterlogging occurs frequently on rainy days. Other international standard facilities are also being planned there.

Kolhua, one of the most important historical sites in Buddhism, located around 65km northwest of Patna, was established by Mauryan Emperor Asoka as an integral part of ancient Vaishali between second century BC and third century AD.

Buddha is believed to have preached his last sermon at Kolhua. Later, Asoka erected one of his famous lion pillars to commemorate the event. Around a hundred years after Buddha's death, Vaishali hosted the second great Buddhist council. Two stupas were erected to commemorate it.

Kolhua was included in the list of 25 Adarsh Monuments selected by the ASI among 3,680 protected monuments on the basis of tourist footfall. Apparently, Kolhua is the only protected archaeological site from Bihar, which has been selected as an Adarsh Monument.

The first excavation at Kolhua was carried out between 1989 and 1990, followed by two more phases of excavation in 1992-93 and 2010-11, respectively. The various phases of excavation in and around the Asokan pillar locally known as Bhim Sen ki lathi, exposed the remains of the main stupa, the tank, two monasteries and a cluster of votive stupas of various shapes and sizes, all of brunt bricks belonging to the Gupta period.