A colossal Buddha head, a giant palm unearthed amid ASI excavation in Ratnagiri. What this means

Odisha’s links to Buddhism dates back to Mauryan Emperor Ashoka’s invasion of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga. But with ASI renewing excavation efforts in Ratnagiri, it has brought back focus on a site experts believe rivalled Nalanda as a centre of Buddhist learning.

Written by Sujit Bisoyi

Bhubaneswar | Updated: January 21, 2025

A view of the excavation site in Ratnagiri, Odisha | Express photo

In December, when Archaeological Survey of India’s superintending archaeologist D B

Garnayak and his team took up excavations at the 5th-13th Century Buddhist complex in Ratnagiri, in Odisha’s Jajpur district, after a gap of 60 years, their aim was two-fold – to uncover more of the complex and to find material evidence of the state’s link to the larger Southeast Asian culture.

So far, the mission has been partially successful – they have unearthed a colossal Buddha head, a massive palm, an ancient wall and inscribed Buddhist relics, all of which are estimated to date back 8th and 9th Century AD.

“The Buddha head was 3-4 feet tall and the palm was 5 feet,” says Sunil Patnaik, a Buddhist researcher and secretary of Odisha Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies who is part of the excavation team. “You can imagine the richness of the area from just this.”

A view of the relics found in Ratnagiri, Odisha | Express photo

The discoveries are significant, especially given Odisha’s historical relationship with

Buddhism beginning with Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (304-232 BCE), one of Buddhism’s greatest patrons whose invasion of the kingdom of Kalinga – the ancient name for Odisha – led to him embracing the religion.

Located 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar and part of the famous Diamond Triangle of Odisha along with Udaygiri and Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri – translated as the ‘Hills of Jewels’ – was first documented as a historical site in 1905. The site stands on a hill between Birupa and Brahmani rivers and is Odisha’s most famous — and the most excavated – Buddhist site.

The last excavations were carried out between 1958 and 1961, led by archaeologist Debala Mitra, who eventually became ASI’s director general. The efforts led to the discovery of many remains — including a brick stupa, three monastic complexes and over hundreds of votive and commemorative stupas.

According to Garnayak, the latest excavation aims at unearthing the partially visible structures and sculptures “and to find out if any shrine complex/chaitya complex — a sacred Buddhist assembly or prayer hall — as noticed in the neighbouring sites and to know the ceramic assemblage (a collection of pottery found at an archaeological site) of the site, which has not been addressed in the earlier excavations”.

“The effort is also to find evidence on the material culture (the aspect of culture studied through physical objects and architecture) of Southeast Asian origin or beyond, which has not been studied so far, and to understand the cultural framework of the colossal Buddha head from the site,” Garnayak told The Indian Express.

A view of the Buddha head in Ratnagiri, Odisha | Express photo

Odisha, Southeast Asia and Buddhism

Odisha has long enjoyed maritime and trade links with Southeast Asian countries: according to historians, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, silk, camphor, gold, and jewellery were popular items of trade between the ancient kingdom of Kalinga and Southeast Asia.

The state also annually holds Baliyatra, literally ‘voyage to Bali’ – a seven-day festival to commemorate the 2,000-year-old maritime and cultural links between Kalinga and Bali and other South and Southeast Asian regions such as Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Even though there was no evidence of Buddha visiting Odisha during his lifetime, Kalinga played a great role in popularising Buddhism, especially in Southeast Asia, because of its trade link with the region: experts believe that Tapassu and Bhallika, the two merchant brothers who became the first disciples of Lord Buddha, having their origins from Utkala, another ancient name of Odisha.

Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is believed to have invaded Kalinga in 261 BC but, deeply moved by the bloodshed in the war, he eventually embraced Buddhism, which he eventually helped spread not only to his own empire but also to Sri Lanka, and Central and Southeast Asia.

In Odisha, Buddhism is stated to have particularly flourished under the Bhaumakara dynasty, which ruled parts of the state in between the 8th and 10th Century.

A view of the excavation site in Ratnagiri, Odisha | Express photo

Ratnagiri — the centre of ancient Buddhist learning

Experts date Ratnagiri to the 5th and 13th Century, although the peak period of construction is dated between the 7th and 10th centuries. According to Thomas Donaldson, a former professor at Cleveland University who is a scholar in iconography and an expert in Odisha’s art and Buddhist sites, Ratnagiri rivalled Nalanda as a learning centre, with even some of the Tibetan texts even seen at the place where the Mahayana and Tantrayana (also known as Vajrayana that involves mystical practices and concepts) sects of Buddhism originated.

However, with the ASI eventually shifting focus on sites such as Lalitgiri, where the oldest Buddhist monastery in the state was found, the Ratnagiri excavation was put on the backburner.

Odisha and Southeast Asia

It was Garnayak who was instrumental in bringing the focus back to the site. This, he said, was because “several of the structures at the site were partially visible and merited excavation”.

According to scholars like Patnaik, the latest discoveries signified how Odisha — home to over 100 ancient Buddhist sites — was once a place of great Buddhist learning.

“The findings suggest that this place (Ratnagiri) was once a key Buddhism centre in ancient times. There are some studies that suggest that the renowned Chinese Buddhist monk and traveller, Hiuen Tsang, who visited Odisha, during 638-639 AD, might have visited Ratnagiri. The new excavations would shed light about the lifestyle, culture, religion, art and architecture at different times and also suggest whether there were more ancient (before 5th century) relics at the site.”

The excavations at Ratnagiri will continue for another month or two, officials said. “If the ASI will feel that there is a need for further excavations, steps will be taken accordingly,” one official says.

https://indianexpress.com/article/long-reads/asi-excavations-at-odishas-ratnagiri-putsspotlight-on-ancient-buddhist-site-its-se-asia-links-9784948/