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The relics of Ratnagiri
The discovery of a 1.4-metre-tall Buddha head,
along with tablets and stupas, some over 1,500 years old, in Odisha’s Ratnagiri
has brought the remote village into the limelight and attracted scholars from
as far away as Egypt. The excavation has unearthed important historical
details, such as Ratnagiri once being a major centre of Tantric Buddhism, while
posing unforeseen problems for the experts, reports Satyasundar Barik
Updated - February 22, 2025 10:33 pm IST
The Buddha head, discovered in December 2024, is the
largest ever found in the State. The excavation at the site is likely to
continue until the end of March, after which it will be impossible due to the
harsh summer sun.
Photo
Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
On December 1 2024, a group of archaeologists,
students, and labourers gathered at a mound in the southern part of the 18-acre
Ratnagiri Buddhist heritage site in Odisha’s Jajpur district to unearth the
remnants of history that still lay hidden beneath the surface. The expectations
were mixed, but there was no doubt that resuming excavations after six decades
would shed new light on Buddhism’s influence in the region.
As the days passed, the rhythmic swings of pickaxes
and the delicate strokes of brushes gradually revealed the relics. Every inch
of the earth seemed to hold a trace of history. Still, no one in the group
anticipated that on that wintry morning, they would discover a breathtaking
piece of Buddhist heritage — an intact, massive Buddha head lying face down.
Ratnagiri is no stranger to Buddha sculptures made of
Khondalite stone. Dozens of such carvings have been unearthed in the area. But
when experts measured the massive Buddha head, which took nearly two months to
dig out completely, they found it to be 1.4 metres tall — the largest ever
discovered in Odisha.
The excavation at the site is likely to continue until
the end of March, after which it will be impossible due to the harsh summer
sun. Then, further analysis will be done to determine whether the centuries-old
sculpture could be the largest Buddha head ever found in India.
An excavated stone idol of Buddha inside the ancient
Ratnagiri monastery. Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
“It [Buddha head] was magnificent. There were wrinkles
on its neck. I was amazed at the level of expertise people had back then,
carving such sharp and intricate features without modern tools. Besides the
colossal head, we also found two other Buddha heads lying nearby,” recalls
Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak, the Superintending Archaeologist of Puri
Circle.
The team subsequently found more stone-carved parts,
including palms and fingers, which, along with the head, are believed to belong
to a huge sculpture of Buddha in a meditating posture.
Hills of jewels
Ratnagiri, which means ‘Hills of jewels’ in Odia, is
located on a hillock in the Assia hill range in Jajpur and encircled by the
rivers Brahmani, Kimiria, and Birupa and their tributaries. The village is
situated around 100 km from Bhubaneswar and is part of the ‘Diamond Triangle’,
a collection of three Buddhist sites — Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri —
located in a 10-km radius.
Archaeologists believe this landscape was
strategically chosen for Buddhist establishments. Its once-secluded nature made
it ideal for spiritual and scholarly pursuits.
Moreover, it is believed that the rulers of the time
provided land to sustain the monastic settlements, ensuring the residents’
livelihood and financial support for their rituals.
According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),
the historical significance of Ratnagiri came to light in 1906 when Manmohan
Chakravarti, the then Sub-Divisional Officer of Jajpur, first reported Buddhist
relics from the heritage site. Later, in 1927, R.P. Chanda, an Archaeological
Section Superintendent at the Indian Museum Kolkata, visited the site as part
of his exploration of Odisha’s heritage.
ASI officials and labourers at work at the heritage
site in Ratnagiri. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
Further exploration followed in 1928 when Haran
Chandra Chakladar, a lecturer at Calcutta University, surveyed the hills of
Lalitgiri, Udayagiri, and Ratnagiri.
Alarmed by the threat of treasure hunters, the
archaeologists urged the ASI to conduct a thorough survey for preservation.
This led to a systematic excavation from 1958 to 1961 supervised by Debala
Mitra, then Superintendent of Archaeology (Eastern Circle), who would go on to
become the first woman Director General of the ASI. Mitra was 33 when she
reached the remote site. Over time, she gained the trust of the villagers and
unearthed hidden Buddhist treasures.
Based on the findings from sculptural and epigraphic
remains, the earliest Buddhist settlement at Ratnagiri has been dated to the
5th century AD. It flourished until the 13th century. Over time, its
significance declined, leading to its eventual abandonment. However, Buddhist
activities in the area continued till the 16th century. Ratnagiri’s historical
importance is well-documented through various sources, including historical
records, inscriptions, and literary evidence. A copper plate charter of Somavamsi
King Karna, unearthed during excavations, confirmed that it was once a major
centre for Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism).
The place was identified as Ratnagiri based on seals
bearing the legend of ‘Sri Ratnagiri Mahavihara Arya Bhikshu Sangha’.
Larger picture
“After getting approval from the ASI Director General,
an excavation was carried out in the Ratnagiri Buddhist complex in December
2024. The objective was to look out for partially visible archaeological
remains and trace out any ‘chaitya griha’ (shrine complex) at the site,” says
Garnayak.
He explains that such shrines have been found in the
nearby sites of Udayagiri and Lalitgiri. The discovery of such a structure in
Ratnagiri would connect it with the major Buddhist sites in Odisha and
neighbouring States.
The excavation has uncovered three sculpted heads of
varying sizes, a monolithic elephant sculpture, and hundreds of votive stupas,
ranging from simple to highly ornamented. Brick and stone masonry structures
have also been discovered during the excavation.
Smaller votives — stone-carved pieces depicting
divinities — have been found arranged in a line, reflecting the Vajrayana
practice of making offerings upon the fulfilment of wishes. The abundance of
votives suggests that the site attracted a large number of visitors.
Stone tablets of different sizes, inscribed in
Sanskrit using the Kutila script (Siddhamatrika), have also been found at the
site. The ceramic assemblage is dominated by fine grey ware in various shapes
and sizes. The niches in the votive stupas are believed to have once housed
male and female divinities associated with Buddhism, further reinforcing the
site’s significance as a Vajrayana Buddhist centre.
Several hundreds of votive stupas have been found at
the site during the excavation. These stupas were given as offerings to revered
figures upon the fulfilment of wishes. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
The notable discoveries include a lion pedestal
(Buddha’s Simhasana) and votive sculptures of Buddhist deities, such as
Amoghasiddhi, one of the five wisdom Buddhas of the Mahayana and Vajrayana
tradition; Ratnasambhava, one of the five meditating Buddhas; Akshobhya,
another wisdom Buddha; Amitabha, one of the most widely worshipped Buddhist
figures in Mahayana Buddhism; Tara, a female Buddha who is a consort of
Amoghasiddhi Buddha; Marici, a popular goddess in Buddhism; Padmapani, a
Bodhisattva; and Cunda, the smith who gave Gautama Buddha his last meal.
Ratnagiri consists of two monasteries where Buddhist
followers once lived, meditated, and studied. It also includes a massive stupa,
which symbolises veneration.
The statues, crafted from various types of rock, stand
as evidence of the vast influence of Buddhist followers who might have
travelled to faraway places or come from other regions. Renowned for their
mastery in brick-making, they produced bricks that have remained intact till
today, showing no signs of corrosion.
While a ‘chaitya griha’, of the kind seen in the two
nearby archaeological sites, has not been found in Ratnagiri, the excavation
has revealed a shrine complex with a different shape. “The presence of votive
stupas in an arranged sequence points towards the shrine complex’s existence,”
says Pragyan Pratima Pradhan, the Assistant Superintending Archaeologist who
supervises excavations at the site.
Pradhan says the excavation work on the site is still
in the preliminary stages. “More time is needed to fully decode the structures
and determine their purpose. Some remains indicate the presence of four walls
constituting a room, but not all structures were built simultaneously; they
were constructed at different times.”
He adds, “The scattered remains of structures,
sculptures, votives, and stupas suggest possible vandalism at some point in
time. Given the sheer weight of the sculptures, such devastation is unlikely to
have been caused by a natural disaster. While an earthquake could have
overturned structures, the intact condition of neighbouring sites rules out
this possibility.”
Meanwhile, the excavation has sparked immense interest
among academics, students, and area residents.
Asad Sayeed from the Centre for Maritime Archaeology
and Underwater Cultural Heritage at Alexandria University in Egypt and Rajat
Gajbhiye, a PhD scholar at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology
in Greater Noida, have joined the dig. Students from Odisha’s Utkal University
have also flocked to the site, eager to discover relics linked to Buddhist
heritage.
“I have visited nearly all the Buddhist sites,
including nearby Udayagiri and Lalitgiri. The sculptures unearthed here exhibit
mature facial features that have evolved over time. The artisans of Ratnagiri
demonstrated greater precision compared to those who worked at the other sites.
The remarkable finesse of these sculptures is likely the result of months of
meticulous polishing with various materials,” says Gajbhiye.
Problem of plenty
Kedarnath Das, 42, a resident of Ratnagiri, is happy —
not only because the excavation provided him with five months of work as a
labourer but also because the new discoveries have brought Ratnagiri into the
spotlight. “In our village, you can’t walk far without stumbling upon some
Buddhist heritage. Yet, Ratnagiri’s full potential as one of the biggest
Buddhist heritage sites remains unrealised,” says Das.
Yet, the abundance of relics presents its own set of
challenges.
A walk through Ratnagiri
reveals Buddhist monuments that have been repurposed in various ways. Some
votive stupas now serve as bases for Tulsi plants used in daily worship, while
bricks and stones from ancient structures have been integrated into houses.
Other intricately carved Buddha sculptures adorn the walls of houses as
decorative pieces.
“There is no doubt that villagers have unintentionally
used these artefacts for different purposes. We have appealed to the public to
return them for preservation and further study. So far, we believe the
villagers are not opposed to the idea,” says the Superintending Archaeologist
of Puri Circle.
Buddhist sculptures have been repurposed by the
village residents. Some votive stupas now serve as bases for Tulsi plants used
in daily worship, while bricks and stones from ancient structures have been
integrated into houses. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
No one seems to know why the Central and State
governments have not prevented further habitation on the hillock.
“We don’t enjoy living on steep slopes where the lanes
aren’t even suitable for cycles. We also understand that more Buddhist heritage
might lie beneath our houses. But we need viable alternatives before we can
move out,” says Basanti Mallick, a resident.
Some villagers, however, resist the idea of further
excavation, as it encroaches upon their private land. “The current excavation
is happening on our family’s land. We need proper compensation for our loss,”
says Rajendra Panda. Authorities, however, dismiss these claims, pointing out
that many names in the land records are listed as caretakers. Under
archaeological laws, the authorities argue, such claims do not hold.
Archaeologists have expanded their work beyond
excavation, incorporating site catchment analysis, a method of examining the
areas surrounding a site that can support its inhabitants by providing the
necessary resources. A vast Buddhist centre like Ratnagiri, where scriptures
indicate that 500 followers once lived, studied, and worshipped, could not have
thrived without a strong support system, they feel.
“The inhabitants of Ratnagiri must have travelled to
nearby areas to fetch water, gather food, and source materials for construction
while also interacting with local communities. Our researchers are now
exploring a 10-kilometre radius around Ratnagiri to uncover relics that
substantiate this hypothesis,” says Mr. Garnayak.
Soil within 1.5 km of Ratnagiri has been found
suitable for brick-making. Soil samples have been sent to a laboratory for
testing and matching with bricks from the Ratnagiri heritage site.
The ASI will conduct further studies to find out the
temperature and provenance of potteries discovered from the excavation site, as
well as the building techniques and iconography. It will also try to interpret
the scriptures with the help of experts. Archaeologists believe that both the
Centre and the State governments need to rethink their approach to Ratnagiri,
Lalitgiri, and Udayagiri. They argue that these sites should be viewed as part
of a unified Buddhist heritage rather than studied in isolation and that an
integrated perspective could help uncover the region’s rich heritage more
comprehensively.
satyasundar.b@thehindu.co.in
Edited by Suhas Munshi.
Published - February 22, 2025 06:31 pm IST
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/odisha/the-relics-of-ratnagiri/article69243446.ece