Heliodorus Pillar Travel Guide – Overview, Attractions & Visiting Timings

Heliodorus Pillar is one of the most important archaeological monuments in India, located near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh at the ancient site of Besnagar. Erected around the 2nd century BCE, the pillar was set up by Heliodorus, a Greek ambassador from the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas to the court of the Shunga ruler Bhagabhadra. The pillar is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and bears an inscription identifying Heliodorus as a Bhagavata, making it one of the earliest known records of Vaishnavism. Topped with a Garuda emblem, the Heliodorus Pillar stands as a remarkable symbol of cultural exchange, religious history, and early Indian diplomacy. It attracts historians, scholars, and tourists interested in ancient Indian civilization and heritage.