In January, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) found Buddhist artifacts three colossal Buddha heads, hundreds of votive stupas, stone inscriptions, and images of Buddhist gods and goddesses at Ratnagiri, according to The Indian Express.
A 50-member team from the ASI has been excavating Ratnagiri since December 2022, uncovering archaeological evidence of Odisha's place in Buddhist history. This ongoing work is expected to continue for an extended period.
“Since some archaeological remains were seen buried at this unexcavated mound, we began the dig to look for it. Now after two months of spade work, we believe that this is where the shrine complex was located,” said D.B. Garnayak, the superintending archaeologist of the ASI, as reported by The Indian Express.
The excavation team discovered ancient wall remnants, a giant palm replica, and three colossal Buddha heads with elongated earlobes and a lion pedestal, strengthening the theory of a shrine complex. An interesting aspect of the Buddha heads is that the noses in all three are intact. “Usually, invaders are found to have damaged noses of sculptures, but here, it seems the sculptures were so tall that the nose remained inaccessible. Hence, the invaders may have broken the sculptures just below the neck,” said Garnayak.
After the discovery of the Buddha heads, the scope of excavation on the mound was expanded to ascertain the nature of the structures found, factors behind the demolition or collapse of the structural remains, and the site's pottery assemblage. “Pottery is considered the alphabet of archaeology because it reveals the food habits, religion, and social system of a place,” said Garnayak. Many pottery shards have been found. While most excavated shards are plain, a few have geometric designs. The pottery assemblage of the site is largely dominated by greyware, followed by redware pottery.
From the excavated shrine complex, hundreds of monolithic votive stupas and structural stupas, as well as numerous idols of Buddhist deities related to Vajrayana Buddhism, have been found. “Ratnagiri has the highest number of votive stupas compared to any other Buddhist site in Odisha,” stated Garnayak. Archaeologists have unearthed close to 50 idols of Buddhist deities such as Tara, Chunda, Hariti, Avalokitesvara, Heruka, Marichi, Jambhala, Manjushri, Arapachana, Vajrasattva, and Vasudhara. In the votive stupas, niches house idols of Buddha in Bhumisparsa and Dhyana mudras and deities like Arapachana, Avalokitesvara, and Chunda.
Archaeologists Professor Subrat Acharya and K. Munirathnam translated the inscriptions, dating them to the mid-7th to 8th century CE. The inscriptions are written in Sanskrit and Kutila script, and many contain “dharani” (Buddhist hymns). This helped archaeologists conclude that the Buddha heads belong to the 8th century CE.
Ratnagiri, literally “Hill of Jewels,” is one of the three points of Odisha's Diamond Triangle, along with Udayagiri and Lalitagiri, and its archaeological significance extends beyond its immediate vicinity. Spread across 18 acres on the Assia hill range on the left bank of the Kelua River, a tributary of the Brahmani River in Jajpur district, Ratnagiri is located close to the other Buddhist heritage sites of Udayagiri and Lalitagiri in southeastern Odisha.
Ratnagiri is believed to have been an important early center of the Vajrayana (or Tantrayana) school of Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism involves mystical practices and concepts and eventually spread across the Himalayan belt and beyond. Buddhism flourished in Odisha, particularly during the reign of the Bhaumakara dynasty from the 8th to the 10th century, receiving the most patronage at the Diamond Triangle sites during this period. The earliest historical structures excavated at the Diamond Triangle sites date to the 5th century CE, and the history of Ratnagiri is believed to date from the 5th to the 13th century. Historians say the downfall of Ratnagiri began in the 13th century CE due to Muslim invasions.
Between 1958 and 1961, Debala Mitra, India's first woman archaeologist and former director general of the ASI, excavated Buddhist structures at Ratnagiri, revealing two quadrangular monasteries, a large stupa, a cluster of shrines, and numerous sculptures, according to The Indian Express. After 1961, the site was not excavated further, despite visible structures and sculptures. The renewed excavations will help to place the colossal Buddha heads in the cultural framework of the site. “The ASI will also look for evidence of material culture of Southeast Asian origin or beyond at the site,” said Garnayak.
Odisha has a rich Buddhist heritage and a historical connection with Buddhism. Ancient Kalinga (modern Odisha) had a maritime culture and established connections with Southeast Asia, including Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Burma (Myanmar), and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). From sites like Ratnagiri, Buddhism spread across the Bay of Bengal region.
There are more than 100 ancient Buddhist sites in Odisha, including famous locations like Dhauli near Bhubaneswar, Kuruma near the Konark Sun Temple, Langudi, Kayama in Jajpur district, and Tarapur in Puri district. There are famous Asokan rock edicts at Dhauli and Jaugada in Ganjam. The battle of Kalinga, which ended in circa 261 BCE, is believed to have been fought on the banks of the Daya River, close to Dhauli. Asoka, the Mauryan Emperor of Magadha (circa 268-232 BCE), turned to Buddhism and pacifism after witnessing the massive suffering of war that resulted from his conquest of Kalinga.
The Bali Yatra, literally “voyage to Bali,” is a seven-day annual festival in Cuttack that commemorates the 2,000-year-old maritime and cultural connections between Kalinga and regions of Southeast Asia like Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Burma (Myanmar), and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
The current excavation seeks to determine if prayer halls or chaitya complexes, similar to those found at neighboring sites Udayagiri and Lalitagiri, are present at Ratnagiri, as no such structures were found in previous excavations. The renewed excavations at Ratnagiri have led to additional discoveries, and the excavation is also directed towards finding Ratnagiri's link with any Southeast Asian countries, according to OrissaPOST. “The ASI hopes to get a better understanding of the ceramic assemblage of the site,” said Garnayak, as reported by Loksatta.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.