Buddhist complex

Buddhist complex Review

On four hillsides between 85 and 100 km (53 and 62 mi) north of Bhubaneswar, excavations have revealed the ruins of a vast Buddhist university that flourished before the 7th century (perhaps as early as the 2nd) and continued until the 16th century. Separated by long stretches of idyllic green paddy fields and palm trees, the sites contain stone stupas (shrines), brick monasteries, and beautiful sculptures and bas reliefs, as well as some small museums with sculptures that were found on-site. The most extensive site is the scenic Ratnagiri, surrounded by the Brahmani and Birupa rivers and lush fields, the location of Stupa 1 which has a gorgeous, ornately carved doorway and an outer courtyard with seven interconnected closetlike stone chambers where monks meditated; carved panel fragments depict lovely scenes from the ancient Hindu epic The Ramayana. Look for decorative lotus-rhizome motifs (patralatas) that later became common at Hindu temple sites. The existence of sculpted figures from Vajrayana (or Tantric) Buddhism, of bodhisattvas (like Lokeshwara and Vajrapani, deities who protected Buddha) indicate that Ratnagiri may have had a role in the rise of a form of Buddhism that was the forerunner to Tibetan and Shingon Buddhism practiced by the Tibetans and the Japanese, respectively. A rather impressive, 10-foot statue of Buddha stands at Ratnagiri with a Pali inscription requesting devotees to serve humanity. Udayagiri, halfway between Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri, has a shrine with another beautiful stone doorway sculpted with nagas, guardian deities, and even ladies swinging on the branches of a tree. It also has a huge stupa. At Lalitgiri are the foundations of four brick monasteries; a chaityagriha, an amphitheater where performances were held; and a museum displaying colossal Buddha sculptures. All four sites at the Buddhist complex (the fourth and most recently excarated site is Langudi) would take a long day to explore; you'll need to bring along a knowledgeable guide just to find the sites(organize a trip through the tourist office in Bhubaneswar), and there's nowhere to eat—bring a picnic.