3 Ancient Sites That Are A Window To India’s Buddhist Heritage!

For many in India, Odisha, a large state in Eastern India, is synonymous with its two famed temples – Konark and Jagannath. Within a 100km periphery of its capital Bhubaneshwar lie the ancient Buddhist archeological sites of Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri, or the Diamond Triangle as the Odisha Government calls it. In the rolling hills of these regions, archaeologists rather recently excavated a treasure trove of ancient Buddhist monasteries, stupas, relics, seals, stone tablets and statues. Even though Buddha never visited Odisha, Buddhism flourished here from 6^th to 15^th century AD. Experts believe that the Diamond Triangle was part of the renowned 7^th century Pushpagiri University, one of the first Buddhist universities, as described by Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang in his travelogues.

Beautifully situated along the banks of River Keluo, Ratnagiri, or the Jewel Hill, is the most excavated of the three sites. Originally discovered in 1905, it was the excavations carried between 1958-61 that revealed this extensive complex. The remains of which include two monasteries and one large stupa along with many smaller votive stupas all dating between 5^th to 13^th centuries AD. Archaeologists have even unearthed seals bearing ‘Ratnagiri’, that helped identifying the site’s name. Historians believe that this was a prosperous region established around the 5^th century by the Gupta Kings. Initially a center for Mahayana Buddhism, by 8^th and 9^th centuries it had become a hub for Tantric Buddhism.

Wandering around the site, you’ll find a massive 12-feet-tall Buddha flanked by Goddesses Padmapani and Vajrapani in a shrine in the courtyard. Scattered across this courtyard are several different sculptures of Buddha’s head and stupas resembling those found in Borabodur in Indonesia. Historians believe, it was this Odiya-Buddhist architectural style of stupas that inspired the ones in Indonesia which were built much later. The elaborately carved green doorway of the first monastery leads to the remnants of 24-cells for monks.

Several stone sculptures have now been moved from the site and housed in the four galleries of the Archaeological Museum in Ratnagiri.

Udayagiri, or ‘Sunrise Hill’ is the largest excavation site in the Diamond Triangle. Dating back to the 7^th-13^th centuries AD, this large complex includes a brick stupa, a stepped stone well with inscriptions on it, two brick monasteries, and many rock-cut Buddhist sculptures. Even though the site was discovered way back in 1870, excavations began as late as 1985 and were undertaken in two phases – Udayagiri 1 (1985 to 1989) and Udayagiri 2 (1997 to 2003). Remnants discovered here suggest that it was once known as ‘Madhavapura Mahavira’ and ‘Simhaprastha Mahavira’.

Udayagiri 1 comprises of four large stone statues of Lord Buddha facing each direction, and a monastery with 18 cells and a shrine chamber with an ornately carved façade. Whereas Udaygiri 2 is a huge monastic complex home to 13 cells, a massive Buddha statue seated in a Bhumisparsa Mudra. It’s exquisite vaulted arches are the architectural highlights of the monastery.

Historians believe Udayagiri hides many more such marvels that are yet to be excavated.

Although the remains at Lalitagiri, or ‘Red Hill’, are much smaller than those at Ratnagiri and Udayagiri, it is the oldest Buddhist settlement in Odisha dating back to 2^nd century BC. Excavations carried out between 1985 to 1992 unearthed a stupa, an apsidal chaitya hall, four monasteries, statues and sculptures of Buddha and Buddhist deities, including three relic caskets containing small pieces of bones! Buddhist literature claims that after Buddha’s death, his corporal remains were distributed among several stupas. This has led some to believe that these relics belong to Buddha himself or one of his renowned disciples. The Odisha government has plans to display the relics in a museum.

These Buddhist sites are about 80-85km from Bhubaneshwar and 60-65km from Cuttack and can be easily reached by tourist buses or private vehicles. While these sites can be easily visited on a day trip from Bhubaneshwar, if you’d like to spend more time you can stay at the Toshali Hotel at Ratnagiri.