Buddhist Circuit (Jajpur and Puri

Lalitagiri, Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Dhauli

To begin with, Jain caves with exactly same name Udayagiri is also in Odisha, but with a solid 90km distance between them, which is why specifying this title as Buddhist sites! Read about the Jain Caves here!

The first stop was Lalitagiri. The original name is Naltigiri. Clay seals discovered here indicate that the place was a monastery meant for all Buddhist, irrespective of their sects! Today the main sections are the chaitya, vihara and stupa. The vihara consists of 4 monasteries, in one of which is the half of a Buddha! Remember the miniature of similar structure, we spotted near Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu?

The chaitya is this apsidal (rounded back / similar to ‘gaja prashta’ architecture in Dravidian temples) architecture. This is the only such structure in Orissa. The inner core of this structure is the oldest and belongs to 2nd / 3rd C CE. This has several monolithic votive stupas all around it and actually, scattered all all over the site. Some of these also have an inscription on them!

There is an on-site museum here that has several sculptures of Buddha and Bodhisattvas, belonging to 2nd - 13th C, retrieved here during excavations. Behind the museum is the path that leads to the Stupa atop a hillock. This had 3 caskets in it of which one was made of gold and has a bone relic (today preserved in the state museum). The view from atop here of the agricultural lands is just splendid!

Our next stop was Ratnagiri, the place that blew my mind!!! To begin with it’s atop a slight elevation kinda hillock and atop it are several votive stupas. But that's not the impressive point...

Further ahead is a single huge monastery with a chlorite gateway which is so beautifully carved! Spot the fellows climbing and swinging on the vine??? I stood here for almost probably half an hour, just mesmerized by the intricacy and the imagination that went behind in sculpting each and every action figure!

The sanctum sanctorum has a huge Buddha, but all the sculptures (of 5th-13th C CE) retrieved in Ratnagiri excavations, have been kept here ranging from miniature work to one whose head was as big as me!!! Here’s also another doorway in 7 parts again filled with miniature work all over it, incl children, monkeys, elephants, vines, nagas and a few erotica as well!

Beside are 2 smaller monasteries. Further ahead is the Mahastupa (8th-10th C CE). Behind it is the much later built, Mahakala temple.

Our final stop for the day was Udayagiri. To get to the main stupa here was a bit of a walk!!! From the gate, at one point is a square, filled with sculptures excavated here. A short walk from here through a green dirt track takes you to the stupa. On 3 sides of the stupa are majestic sculptures of seated Buddha.

Behind this is the monastery and the whole set up, with the Udayagiri Mountains forming the backdrop it was one gorgeous site! There is a large Buddha in the sactum sanctorum of this site as well.

Here again, the gateway of the monastery blew my mind. Unlike Ratnagiri, this wasn’t made of Chlorite. But the detailing was as much with flying apsaras similar to Konark, fellows climbing vines, elephants etc. That’s my friend’s hand and finger nail beside the miniature to give you an idea!!! See the eyes, nose and lips of a human whose face is smaller than our fingernail, all sculpted a few centuries ago??? Btw, here’s a tip for these 3 sites - beware of monkeys. The 3 places are just filled with so many monkeys!!!

On a different day, we set off to Puri and on the way stopped at Dhauli. All that Dhauli has, is a rock, with an expansive inscription by King Ashoka! It’s believed that the Kharavela inscription in Udayagiri Jain Site is exactly opposite to, facing this! I don’t know how far real is it? The inclination angle to the latitude and longitude on both sites has to be measured to see if it’s for true and if you find it, let me know!!! A pathway from here atop leads to a half-sculpted elephant!

For those who have heard of Samrat Ashoka, would know of his change of mind and conversion to Buddhism after he saw the bloody outcomes of a war! That Kalinga war happened close to Bhubaneswar and Dhauli is where he had the change of mind. The inscription is in Prakrit language in Brahmi script. There is a board here by ASI that briefs about the content of this inscription. Today the entire rock face is protected with a steel shutter and glass to protect it from the adverse effects of nature.

To Stay:
Hotels at all price points available in Cuttack.
The nearest hotel run by Orissa Tourism Development Cooperation (OTDC) is Panthanivas Cuttack, Paradeep and Dhauli. The prices here begin at ₹700 at Dhauli for non-AC double room and ₹1350 at Cuttack & ₹1200 at Paradeep for AC double room incl breakfast & lobby wifi.
Nearest OTDC run 4 star resort is Toshali Resort in Ratnagiri& Udayagiri with prices beginning at ₹4500 for AC double room incl breakfast.

To Get There:
On Google Maps: Udayagiri, Ratnagiri, Lalitagiri, Dhauli
Udayagiri to Dhauli - 94km via Cuttack & Bhubaneswar
From Bhubaneshwar Railway Station: Udayagiri - 86km; Dhauli - 12km
From Bhubaneshwar Airport: Udayagiri - 90km; Dhauli - 14km
From Cuttack Railway Station: Udayagiri - 62km; Dhauli - 37km

Buddhist Circuit (Jajpur and Puri - Odisha)

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