Recent archaeological excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Ratnagiri, Odisha, have brought to light significant Buddhist artefacts, reinforcing the site’s historical importance as a major centre of Buddhist learning.
A team led by superintending archaeologist D B Garnayak resumed their excavation of the 5th-13th Century Buddhist complex after a 60-year hiatus. The aim of the survey was to uncover further evidence of Odisha’s historical ties to the broader Southeast Asian culture.
Furthermore, the current excavation seeks to explore partially visible structures and sculptures and identify potential shrine complexes or chaitya halls, which were not fully examined in previous studies.
Odisha’s historical association with Buddhism began with Emperor Ashoka’s invasion of the ancient Kalinga kingdom in 261 BC, which led to his conversion to Buddhism. Odisha has over 200 Buddhist sites.
The recent excavation in Ratnagiri has unearthed a colossal Buddha head, a giant palm, an ancient wall, sculptural fragments of Buddhist deities, monolithic and masonry votive stupas, a collection of ceramics, and inscribed Buddhist relics, all dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries AD. The excavation also discovered a broken monolithic elephant measuring 5 feet in length and 3.5 feet in height.
The Buddha head measures 3-4 feet in height, while the palm is about 5 feet tall, indicating the grand scale of the Buddhist sculptures that once adorned the site.
Sunil Patnaik, a Buddhist researcher, highlighted the significance of these findings, noting the region’s rich cultural and religious heritage. “The unearthed Buddhist monastery dates back to the eighth century and was built under the patronage of [the] Bhaumakura dynasty that flourished in ancient Odisha between the eighth and 11th centuries,” Patnaik told Odisha Bytes.
The current excavations at Ratnagiri are set to continue for the next few months, with the potential for further discoveries.
Ratnagiri, Odisha
Ratnagiri translates to the ‘Hills of Jewels.’ It is a prominent archaeological site in Odisha, situated on a hill between the Brahmani and Birupa rivers, approximately 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar. It is a part of the Diamond Triangle along with Udayagiri and Lalitgiri – a group of three Buddhist heritage sites in Odisha.
The site’s history dates back to the 5th century. The city flourished as a Buddhist centre until the 12th century. It was first documented in 1905. Between 1958 and 1961, archaeologist Debala Mitra led major excavations at Ratnagiri. This led to the unearthing of a brick stupa, three monastic complexes, and numerous votive stupas. Many of these are housed in museums across India today.
Maritime Links and Cultural Exchange
Odisha’s historical maritime connections with Southeast Asia are well-documented, with trade in goods like pepper, cinnamon, silk, and jewellery. These connections date back to 2000 years. Odisha celebrates an annual seven-day festival, Baliyatra to commemorate these ancient maritime and cultural links between Kalinga and Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Experts suggest that Kalinga played a pivotal role in the dissemination of Buddhism across Southeast Asia through its trade routes. Despite no direct evidence of the Buddha visiting Odisha, it is believed that the region’s merchants were among his first disciples.
The Flourishing of Buddhism in Ratnagiri
Buddhism thrived in Ratnagiri from the 5th to the 13th century. It prospered particularly under the Bhaumakara dynasty, which ruled parts of Odisha during the 8th to 10th centuries. Renowned scholar Thomas Donaldson has compared Ratnagiri to Nalanda, highlighting its importance in the development of Mahayana and Tantrayana Buddhism.
In the past decades, ASI shifted its focus to other sites like Lalitgiri, leading to a temporary decline in excavations at Ratnagiri. The renewed excavation efforts, driven by Garnayak, aim to reveal the full extent of the site’s historical significance.
Recent findings suggest that Ratnagiri was a vital centre of Buddhist learning, potentially visited by the Chinese monk Hiuen Tsang during his travels in 638-639 AD. The ongoing excavations are expected to provide deeper insights into the cultural, religious, and architectural practices of the region.