Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri

For Dr Hermann Kulke,

a great scholar, and a good friend.
Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri

Prabhat Mukherjee
Orient Blackswan Private Limited
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 Foreword

Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri in the Cuttack district in Orissa contain

the largest concentration of Buddhist sculptures in India. Probably these
sites, forming a University establishment, were collectively known as
'Pushpagiri', which was visited by the Chinese pilgrim Hsuan Tsang in the
seventh century A.D. The Sarnath School of Buddhist Art spread to these
sites and the superbly shaped deities of Vajrayana in stone are some of the
finest specimens of sculpture of the post-Gupta period.
The late Professor Prabhat Mukherjee has done a commendable job by
authoring such a valuable book. I hope all students and researchers will find
this book very useful in unveiling some of the hitherto hidden facets of
Orissan history.

J.B. Patnaik
May 3, 1984
Bhubaneswar
Contents

Foreword
Introduction
The Buddhist Triad
LALITAGIRI
UDAYAGIRI
ALAMGIR
RATNAGIRI
A visit to the traid
 Introduction

The Buddhist complex of Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri is one of the

major archaeological sites of Eastern India. Though systematic large scale
excavations have not yet been completed, the existing, and meanwhile well
preserved architectural structures, and particularly the sculptural wealth of
these sites, bear an impressive testimony to the great monastic institutions.
But their great art and architecture have so far remained nearly unknown.
Only recently, the art of this complex has been dealt with by scholars such
as Dabala Mitra and Vidya Dahejia in their monographs on the Buddhist art
of India and the early stone temples of Orissa respectively. But till today no
special book or guide has been published on these sites, which would also be
useful for visitors and tourists deeply interested in Indian art and the
Buddhist heritage of India.
Professor Prabhat Mukherjee's richly illustrated book on Lalitagiri,
Udayagiri and Ratnagiri will be welcomed by scholars and visitors alike. The
text contains general sections on the history of the sites (quoting also the
relevant sources) and their importance in the context of the history of
Buddhism and the art of Orissa, the iconography of the sculptures and a
short note on the history of the discovery of these sites. Then follows a more
detailed description of the three sites (including Alamgiri near Udayagiri).
For the last two decades Professor Prabhat Mukherjee, took a very active
part in the discovery of these Buddhist sites. His book—the result of this
experience—is a scholarly contribution to Buddhism and the Buddhist art of
Orissa. It will attract visitors, particularly Buddhists from foreign countries,
to these somewhat unknown Buddhist sites, off the beaten track.

Herman Kulke

July 24, 1982

South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University,
Heidelberg, Germany
The Buddhist Triad
In the fifth century A.D., the Gupta sculpture of Sarnath spread to Orissa,
encouraging the development of Buddhist plastic art in three sites on the
Assia range of hills, near the sea coast in the district of Cut-tack. Taranath,
the Tibetan historian, writes that during the reign of a king named
Buddhapakasa, a vihara (monastery) named Ratnagiri was built on a hill
near the sea in Orissa.
Buddhapakasa was said to have established eight great educational
institutions to teach dhamma (Buddhist religious subjects), and he has been
tentatively identified with Narasimha Baladitya, a later king of Magadha.
In the Indian Museum, Calcutta, there is a fragment of a stone slab from
Ratnagiri, containing a few lines in very cursive Gupta characters. The
fragment probably dates back to the sixth century A.D. The stupa, standing
on the highest prominence of the Ratnagiri hill, was built on the ruined
plinth of an earlier structure belonging to the Gupta period. This has been
proved by the discovery of a stone slab from the debris near the stupa. This
slab contains the Buddhist creed Pratitya samutpada sutta, which is
inscribed in the characters of the Gupta period.
The Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang visited Wu cha (or Orissa) in the first
half of the seventh century A.D. At that time, the road passing through
Orissa from North India to South India lay along the seaside. Hsuan Tsang
wrote: 'In the south-western part of the country is the Pusi-po-kili
monastery in a mountain, the main stupa of which exhibited supernatural
light.' Hsuan Tsang probably referred to the Udayagiri hill, which is the
westernmost extremity of the Assia range. The sea at that time probably
laved the foot of this gneiss hill, rising suddenly from the alluvial plain. This
conjecture is supported by the fact that water-worn pebbles have been found
near the foot of this hill. These pebbles are of beach origin, and have not
rolled down from the hill.
According to tradition, the rise (udaya) of the sun from the sea was visible
from the top of the Udayagiri hill. From Udayagiri, where the Chinese
pilgrim visited the stupa exhibiting supernatural light, he noticed another
stupa at some distance. He wrote: 'In the north-east of this stupa in the hill
monastery, there is another stupa like the preceding one, which also exhibits
supernatural light.' We may assume that the second stupa Hsuan Tsang
refers to was situated on the top of the Lalitagiri hill.
Hsuan Tsang called the monastic establishments at Udayagiri, Lalitagiri
and Ratnagiri Pusi-po-kili. (Pushpagiri). The extensive remains and the
topographical features support this view. Pushpagiri consisted of three
monastic establishments, forming a university complex for teaching aspects
of Buddhist religion and philosophy.
Emperor Harsha, after his conquest of Kongada or Central Orissa, wanted
to promote the Mahayana doctrines at Pushpagiri. On his request,
Silabhadra, the Abbot of Nalanda, sent the monk Jayasena to Ratnagiri.
Under his guidance, this monastery became a great centre for the study of
the texts of Mahayana, Taranath writes that Acharya Pito, a great scholar of
his time, taught the esoteric philosophy of yoga at Ratnagiri Mahavihara.
Thus some brahmanical subjects were gradually included in the curriculum
of this educational institution. Here flocked students from all parts of Asia.
Foremost among them was Prajna, of Kapisa in Gandhara. Prajna went to
Ratnagiri after completing his studies at Nalanda. The excavation at
Ratnagiri has unearthed terracotta sealings, bearing the legend ratnagiri
mahaoihara arua bhikshu sangha.
The early Bhauma Kara kings, who ruled from a place not far from these
sites, were devoted to Buddhism and wanted to spread its light outside India.
At that time, there was active maritime contact between Orissa and China.
In 795 A.D., King Subha Kara sent Prajna to the court of the Chinese
Emperor Te Tsong, to present a copy of the Gandauyuha, the last section of
the Buddhist treatise Auatamsaka.
From the eighth century, there was a radical change in the Mahayana
form of Buddhism prevailing in Orissa. The later Kara kings patronized
Saivism. The monastic establishments consequently lost royal support. The
people also gradually lost interest in Mahayana. To survive, Mahayana
absorbed an esoteric system called Vajrayana. In this system, the vehicle of
obtaining salvation is the medium of uajra, which is another term for sunya
or absolute void. Its tenets were expounded by Raja Indrabhuti in Western
Orissa in the eighth century. According to the Mahayana philosophy, perfect
wisdom is attained by the knowledge of the nature of things as pure void. In
Vajrayana, a primordial or adi Buddha was concieved and given the name
Vajrasattva. The pantheon of Vajrayana gave sculptors freedom of
conception in designing the Buddha images, thus giving their creative
genius full scope to flourish. The monasteries of Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and
Ratnagiri became great centres of Buddhist art, attaining a high degree of
perfection. The Graeco-Roman sculpture of Gandhara also spread to these
sites.
The excavation at Ratnagiri gives us an idea of these monastic
establishments. These monasteries were built for the habitation of the
monks. Within the walls of the monastery, was a sanctum which contained a
colossal image of Buddha in the bhumi-sparsa posture (the palm of the right
hand inward, with fingers touching the ground). The entrance porch of the
monastery had an exquisitely carved gateway, containing superb specimens
of sculpture. This is evident from the gateway at Ratnagiri which has been
unearthed. A strong affinity exists between the decorative reliefs of this
gateway, and the reliefs of the gateways of the Vaitala temple and of the
Sisiresvara temple at Bhubaneswar. These temples have been ascribed to the
eighth century.
The gateway of the Udayagiri monastery was taken to the Patna Museum.
This magnificent gateway was found beyond the well at Udayagiri, in a thick
jungle which covered the ruins of the monastery. A large image of Buddha
in the bhumi-sparsa posture, which belonged to the monastery, is still
visible. A similar image of Buddha, in the bhumi-sparsa posture, was also
excavated from a mound at Lalitagiri by the local people. The Buddha
image, now broken, and a portion of the carved gateway of the monastery,
may be seen in the sculpture shed at Lalitagiri.
In all three sites, there were stupas for circumambulation by the monks.
The stupa at Lalitagiri no longer exists. But at the highest point of the hill,
there are ruins of a round structure, with circular layers of stones.
These three great sites of Buddhist antiquities bear memory of a glorious
past. Defying the ravages of time, surviving centuries of neglect and wanton
destruction for the sake of carved stones, they depict the rise and fall of a
new school of Buddhism. No scholar interested in Buddhist art can afford to
miss these sites. Here we have the greatest concentration of Buddhist
sculptures in India, containing some of the finest images carved after the
Gupta period. The sculptors succeeded in infusing an element of forceful
vigour in the images which they shaped. The images at Ratnagiri retain
freshness and grace, coming to light after the darkness of a millennium.
The Buddhist images of Ratnagiri are the products of a mature art which
spread to Java during the rule of the Sailendra kings, who belonged to the
Sailodbhava dynasty of Kongada. These images are helpful in tracing the
history of the colonization of Java, Sumatra and Bali, by the people of
Kalinga in the seventh and eighth centuries A.D. There are striking
similarities between these images and those of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas
of Borobudur in Java: both are distinguished by the same clarity and severity
of concept, and the same spiritual fervour. Possibly, the Buddhist images of
Ratnagiri and Lalitagiri were stylistically the prototypes of the Javanese
images of Buddha and Bodhisattva.
The sculptures of these three sites throw light on the Vajrayana pantheon.
From adi or primordial Buddha, five dhyani or celestial Buddhas are said to
have originated, each with a particular Bodhisattva (Buddha-to-be) as his
emanation. A feminine deity called Tara was popular in Vajrayana. The uajra
Tara variety is found mainly at Lalitagiri and Ratnagiri. Among the
Bodhisattvas, the most popular is Avalokitesvara. He emanates from dhyani
Buddha Amitabha, whose figure he bears on his crown. The Avalokitesvara
image of the Padmapani variety carries the stem of a lotus in the left hand,
while the right hand is in the uarada or gift bestowing posture. Lokesvara is
that form of Avalokitesvara in which he is usually accompanied by the
divinities Tara and Hayagriva. He holds a water pot, a rosary and a lotus in
his hands.
The Avalokitesvara images at Lalitagiri are for the most part Padmapani,
while those of Udayagiri generally belong to the Lokesvara variety. In the
delineation of the figures of Padmapani Avalokitesvara, the sculptors of
Lalitagiri introduced the sublimity and sensuousness of Gupta art. Another
popular figure was Vajrapani, one of the variations of Avalokitesvara.
Vajrapani carries a symbolic representation of uajra (thunder) on the stem
of the lotus in his left hand. The Vajrapani images are found at Lalitagiri and
Ratnagiri. There are images of a future Buddha named Maitreya, who holds
the sprout of the nagakesara flower in his left hand. Maitreya is
distinguished from Padmapani Avalokitesvara by the figure of a small
chaitya or Buddhist shrine, which the former bears on his crown.
Some of the images illustrate a decadent Buddhism struggling for survival
by imitating the brahmanical deities. Manjusri is the god of learning, and
carries a book in his left hand. Mahakala, the fierce god of destruction,
resembles Rudra. Jambhala is the counterpart of Kuvera. Vaisravana is
another Buddhist god of wealth. Heruka resembles the goddes Kali. Like
Kali, Heruka also wears a garland of human heads. An effort to belittle the
brahmanical religion is evident. Aparajita Tara tramples a god, who'
resembles Ganesa. Her right hand is raised, poised to deliver a blow.
Also of interest are the unique heads of Buddha, of both large and small
sizes. There are three enormous heads of Buddha at Ratnagiri. The immobile
serenity of the countenance, the exquisitely full eyes, and the subtle sensitive
modelling, make the Buddha heads on the top of the Ratnagiri hill, one of
the wonders of Indian art.
From the tenth century, the monastic establishments of Ratnagiri,
Udayagiri and Lalitagiri began to decline. The sea receded from these
Buddhist sites. The maritime activities of Orissa gradually decreased. The
rise of Varanasi-Kataka (or Cuttack) as the capital of Orissa, led to the
development of a new route from North India to Kongada through Cuttack.
The prosperity of the monasteries, which now lay off the beaten track,
gradually ended. The monasteries were abandoned when the people lost all
interest in Buddhism. The Mahakala temples at Udayagiri and Ratnagiri
were converted into Siva temples. Centuries rolled on. The three sites lay
covered with dense vegetation, forgotten.
In 1869, C.S. Banerjee, S.D.O. (Sub-divisional Officer) of Jaipur, visited
the remains of Udayagiri and Lalitagiri. His account in the Journal of the
Asiatic Society of Bengal lifted the veil of oblivion that had hidden the sites
for several centuries. He was followed by John Beames, Collector of Cuttack
District. Beames moved a number of sculptures from Udayagiri to Cuttack,
including the gateway of the Udayagiri monastery.
The gateway from Udayagiri is artistically superior to the gateway which
was unearthed at Lalitagiri. A four-armed image of Jatamukuta Lokesvara
and the figure of a dhyani Buddha were also moved by Beames. These
images are now lodged in a modern temple near the Ravenshaw College,
Cuttack. Ratnagiri was visited for the first time by M.M. Chakravarti,
another S.D.O. of Jaipur, in 1890.
The Buddhist temples at Lalitagiri and Udayagiri were mainly made of
bricks. In the course of time, these brick-built temples collapsed, burying
under debris the images inside. The owners of those sites removed a number
of images after clearing the debris. One of them displayed some fine
specimens of Buddhist sculpture from Udayagiri on the walls of the temple
which he built near his house at Kendrapara. He also presented some pieces
of sculpture, including images of Vaisravana, seated Avalokitesvara, and
Manjusri, to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. A life-size image of Padmapani
Avalokitesvara from Lalitagiri has been kept within the precincts of a temple
at Mahanga, a village near Lalitagiri.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, there were proposals for
excavations at Ratnagiri and Udayagiri by the Department of Archaeology of
the Government of India. Though excavation at Ratnagiri was proposed in
December 1896, it actually began in December 1958. The excavation has
made Ratnagiri one of the most important Buddhist sites in India.
LALITAGIRI
The Lalitagiri or Naltigiri hill is a spur of the Assia range. The hill has two
peaks, Landa and Parabhadi, which are extensively covered with ancient
brick mounds. At the foot of the Parabhadi peak, there is a long shelf, cut
out of the hillside. The local people call it hati khol or elephant cave. Even a
century ago, this rock-cut cave contained a gallery of large images of
Padmapani Avalokitesvara. Only three broken, well-worn images remain.
The Landa peak slopes towards the base of the Parabhadi peak. On the
pass between these two peaks, there was a Buddhist shrine. After the
collapse of the building, the materials were used to construct a temple
dedicated to the Tantric goddess Vasuli. The image, which is still
worshipped, is really an image of Vajra Tara, covered with cloth, and
smeared with vermilion. There were six large well-shaped images of
Padmapani Avalokitesvara, within the Vasuli temple precincts. These images
have now been moved to the sculpture shed at Lalitagiri.
The Buddist creed ye dharma hetu prabhava, hetus teshan Tathagata is
engraved on the back of one of these images. The creed tells us that
Tathagata or Buddha preached about the causes of human suffering and the
way to suppress and overcome them. A century ago, C.S. Banerjee wrote in
the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal about another Buddhist shrine, at
a distance of about four hundred yards from the Vasuli temple. The sanctum
of the shrine and the porch collapsed long ago. But fragments of monolithic
pillars still stood at the time of his visit. Today, only a few pieces of
sculptured stones remain. The villagers unearthed fromthis site a life-size
image of Bodhisattva Vajrapani a few years ago. This image has now been
moved to the sculpture shed.

1. Vajrapani, Lalitagiri
Higher up, the ground is level and a spreading banyan tree adds to the
beauty of the scenery. At a short distance from the tree, in the beginning of
this century, a hermit began the construction of a temple with a gateway,
flanked by several images which he dug out of the mound near the temple.
The gateway and the images have been moved to the sculpture shed, which
is situated on a higher level. The collection in the sculpture shed includes a
life-size image of Padmapani Avalokitesvara, carved with artistic care.
Another image is that of Vajrapani, with a broken left hand
 2. Vajrapani, Lalitagiri
There are two images of Vajra Tara in the sculpture shed, one of them
seated. The other one is four-armed, standing in a graceful tri-bhanga or
bending pose. Two of her hands hold vajra and a rosary. There is also an
elegantly carved image of Buddha sitting cross-legged. The curled hair on
the head of that image is tied with a fillet.
 3. Seated Budha and two Other images, sculpture shed, Lalitagiri
Another seated image of Buddha has been sculpted in a gift be-stowing
(varada) pose. One of the more unique images in the sculpture shed is that
of Aparajita Tara, which decorated a wall of the hermit's temple.
Unfortunately, her upraised hand was broken in the process of removing the
image from the hermit's temple.
 4. Aparajita Tara Lalitagiri
The treasures of Lalitagiri include three standing images of Buddha,
dressed in a loose, flowing outer garment, resembling the GraecoRoman
toga.
 5. Budha in loose garments, sculpture shed, Lalitagiri
Two such images have recently been dug out and kept in the office of the
Department of Archaeology at Bhubaneswar. The drapery illustrates the
influence of Gandhara art. Similar images have also been found at Udayagid
and Ratnagiri.
Another object of interest in the sculpture shed is a large image of
Buddha, which is kept behind the gateway
 6. Budha in bhumi sparsa posture, sculpture shed Lalitagiri
This image of Buddha in a bhumi-sparsa posture appears serene but the
modelling of the limbs is stiff. The image was made a Vaishnava deity by the
villagers. There are also, in the sculpture shed, two small heads of Buddha,
about two feet in height, and an image of Nagaraja under a canopy. The
collection includes an image of Maitreya and one of Manjusri, which
measures seven feet and five inches in height.
 7. Maitreya, Lalitagiri
The ruins of the brick mounds, specially on two sides of the pass between
the two peaks, yielded beautiful pieces ot sculpture, and many more lie
buried. While quarrying for stones, the people of the locality found images,
which are now daubed with vermilion and worshipped as the village deities.
 8. Manjusri, Lalitagiri
The life-size images of Buddhist gods and goddesses at Lalitagiri bear
witness to the superb artistry of Orissi plastic art. The sculptors have
successfully depicted spiritual fervour on the faces of the Bodhisattva
images. 'But even if the spiritual fervour is ignored, no connoisseur will
hesitate to include the Bodhisattvas found on the Lalitagiri hill among the
most lovely things shaped by the hands of man.'
UDAYAGIRI
From Lalitagiri hill, the road leads to the Gopalpur Inspection Bungalow, on
the Patamundai Canal. From the Bungalow, the Birupa river is about half a
kilometre away. The hill of Udayagiri is situated at a distance of three
kilometres from the Birupa river. The hill has two spurs, forming a bay of
sloping terrace opening to the east. The terrace contains a large number of
sculptures, worn by centuries, and now in a more or less mutilated
condition.
At the foot of the hill, there is a broken image of Lokesvara, which was
originally more than eight feet in height. The figure was cut out of a single
slab of chlorite stone, and holds a large lotus in the left hand. The old people
in the vicinity say that the image was standing almost intact even half a
century ago. The lower portion of the image is visible, though partially
covered with earth. The back portion of the image contained an inscription,
now obliterated, in the characters of the eighth century A.D. The name of
the donor, Bhikshu Subha Gupta, was recorded in the inscription.
A rock-cut well stands at the base of the hill's terrace. The well measures
twenty three square feet, and is twenty eight feet deep. There are stone
railings on three sides of the well and a flight of thirty one stairs leads into it.
An inscription on the arch over the lowest step, engraved in the characters
of the tenth century A.D., records that the well was dug by a ranaka (chief)
named Vajranaga. About eight feet higher is a platform, probably forming a
portion of the courtyard of a monastery which stood there. Further east,
there are chiselled stones, the debris of the sanctum of a colossal image of
Buddha in the bhumi-sparsa posture. The sanctum collapsed long ago,
almost burying the image.

9. Half-buried Buddha, Udayagiri

The image was later dug out of the earth and measured. But the mud
carried down by the rains has again partly covered the image. It measures
five feet and six inches from the head to the waist. The delicately carved face
of Buddha, made of chlorite bluish stone, reflects serenity and grace. The left
hand is placed carelessly on the thigh.
 10. The same image after excavation, Udayagiri
In the southern part of the terrace, at some height, is a temple which once
belonged to the Bud-dhist deity Mahakala. After the decline of Buddhism,
the temple was dedicated to Siva. A beautiful relief of Yamuna was found
inside the temple, and figures of Yamuna and Ganga flanked the doorway.
Beames took the image of Ganga to Cuttack, and subsequently this
remarkable specimen of decorative art was moved to the Patna Museum.
 11. The gateway of the Udayagiri monastery, now in patna Museum
A little further lies a half-buried four-handed image of Jatamukuta
Lokesvara, holding the stalk of a lotus, a water pot, and a rosary in his
hands.
 12. Jatamukuta Lokesvara, Udayagiri
The topmost portion of the slab bears the figures of seven manushi
(mortal) Buddhas. The image is covered with moss and lichen. A long
inscription of twenty seven lines has been Incised on the back of the image,
stating that a stupa, containing a relic (dhatugarbha) was built on the spot. It
appears that the urn contains a relic of Padmasambhava, reputed to be the
son of Raja Indrabhuti who preached Vaj-rayana. Padmasambhava is
invoked in the inscription.
There were some Buddhist shrines on the slope of the hill's terrace. These
brick-built structures have long disappeared, but a large number of Buddhist
images of different sizes lie scattered in varying degrees of deterioration.
There is a mutilated image of Buddha in an emaciated form, seated cross-
legged on an ornamented pedestal. There is also a stupa, on which the
Buddhist creed (dharani) has been incised.
The western side of the semi-circular terrace shows traces of the ruins of
many brick mounds. Dur-ing the last few centuries, the local residents
destroyed most of the mounds and took away the images and the carved
stones which were inside the mounds. Fortunately, a brick mound called
Dhana khandi escaped total destruction because of the belief that it was
cursed. Originally it was a stupa, as in-dicated by the representations of
dhyani Buddhas, generally present on four sides of a stupa. Two such images
are partly visible. One of the images shows Buddha in a graceful bhumi-
sparsa posture attended by Maitreya on the right, and Manjusri on the left. A
pair of Buddhist demi-gods flank the plain halo round the head of Buddha.
13. Inscribed stupa,Udayagiri
 14. Buddha in the Dhanakhandi mound, Udayagiri
Some mutilated images and broken pieces of carved stone lie hidden in
the scrub jungle on one side of the western spur of the hill.
On the top of the western spur, there is a gallery of figures, carved out of
rock. To the ex¬treme left is a standing image of Jatamukuta Lokesvara. An
inscrip¬tion on the body of the image states that it was the gift of a person
nam¬ed Simyaka. The next figure is that of a stan¬ding Buddha, dressed in a
loose flowing outer garment.
 15. Rock-cut image illustrating the influence of Gandhara sculpture,
Udayagiri
Similar images are also found at Ratnagiri and Lalitagiri. By the standing
Buddha is another standing figure, wearing a head cover resembling the
Graeco-Roman helmet.
 15. Rock-cut image illustrating the influence of Gandhara sculpture,
Udayagiri
There are two seated figures in the gallery. One of them is a female deity.
She has been identified as the Tantric goddess Kurukulla, whose images are
found only in Orissa and nowhere else in India. In the extreme right, there is
an unspecified god, surround-ed by thirteen small figures. The deity is
seated at ease with the right leg hanging down. She is now worshipped as a
goddess by the villagers, who have named her sola pua ma, or the mother of
sixteen sons. The face of the figure is daubed with vermilion and turmeric
paste.
ALAMGIR
The Inspection Bungalow at Qopalpur is across the Birupa river, on the way
back from Odayagiri. The road leading to Ratnagiri lies on the Patamundai
Canal embankment. On the way, the traveller's eye is arrested by a mosque
situated on a hill at some distance. According to tradition, there was a stupa
on the top of the hill. The inhabitants of the adjoining villages call the hill
bara diha. The mosque, situated at a height of about 2500 feet, can be seen
for miles. It was probably built with the materials from the ruins of a
Buddhist shrine. Alamgiri, like Udayagiri, contains a rock-cut well. It is now
dried up, which is ascribed to a curse by a Muslim mendicant. An inscribed
slab on a wall of the mosque records that in 1719 A.D., Shuja-ud-din (the
deputy subahdar of Orissa) built the mosque, which vies with firdaus
(paradise) in splendour. The top of the hill is also call-ed takht-i-Sulaiman or
the throne of Sulaiman. This king, who used to go to the hill-top for his
prayers, was believed to possess the power of flying on his magic carpet.
RATNAGIRI
Ratnagiri is five kilometres away from Benipur on the Patamundai Canal
embankment. It is separated from Gdayagiri by the river Kimiria. The river
Birupa may be crossed two kilometres from Benipur, towards the Ratnagiri
hill. Unlike Udayagiri,the remains at Ratnagiri are not scattered over an
extensive area.
Going up the hill from the eastern slope, one ap-proaches the Mahakala
temple. The upper portion of the temple is now almost covered by a tree.
Inside the temple, there are niches containing some Bud-dhist images.
Similar images are also to be found near the temple precincts. A beautiful
image of Tara holding a lotus is decked with several necklaces which add to
its feminine grace. Of even greater interest is the image of an unidentified
Tantric god. It seems to Jae a kind of Trailokya Vijaya, who like Heruka,
wears a garland of human skulls.
 17. Trailokya Vijaya, Ratnagiri
With the passage of time, the Mahakald temple became a Siva temple.
These images, now covered with moss, illustrate the decadence of Buddhist
art. Excavation has revealed the existence of a large stupa, seventeen feet in
height from the to the top.

18. Main stupas,Ratnagiri

It had been built of bricks laid in mud. The base of the stupa has an elaborate
symmetrical plan, and measures forty seven square feet. A large compound
wall was built to enclose the path for the circumambulation of the devotees
round the stupa. As the area round the hill is subjected to the ravages of
flood, the villagers, over the centuries, removed the blocks of stones from
the circular walls to protect their houses. To the east of the main stupa, there
is a similar stupa, eight feet in height.

19. Votive stupas, Ratnagiri

A large number of votive stupas, gifted by devout pilgrims in fulfilment of
their vows, lie scattered near the main stupa

20. Votive stupas, Ratnagiri

Some of these small votive stupas contain niches with miniature images of
Buddha and some Vajrayana deities. A few of them bear inscriptions of the
Buddhist creed. Inside one of the votive stupas, a small urn containing
charred bones has been found.
Excavation at a lower level has unearthed the remains of two monasteries
which shed light on the Buddhist monastic life. Even before the excavation,
a large number of beautiful images were dug out by the villagers and kept
under two trees. The collection included a life-sized four-armed image of
Bodhisattva Vajrapani, standing at ease.
This image may be compared with a two-armed Vajrapani image, which
was founded while excavating the mound covering the great shrine. It is
flanked by the deities Hayagriva and Bhrukuti.

21. Four-armed Vajrapani, main shrine, Ratnagiri

 22. Two-armed Vajrapani, main shrine, Ratnagiri
The collection includes a unique image of Heruka, more than five feet in
height. It stands on a corpse, resting his body on his left leg. Two images of
Padmapani Avalokitesvara also draw our attention. A two-armed
Padmapani holds an object in his left hand which looks like a chamara or
fly-whisk.
A four-armed Padmapani holds the stalk of a lotus, which passes through
the left hand, now broken. The stalk has a branch.
Special mention should be made of the female figures which were
collected by the villagers before the excavation of the site. Vajra Tara stands
in a graceful tri-bhanga pose, bending the trunk slightly towards the left.

23.Heruka, Ratnagiri
24. Two-armed Padmapani, Ratnagiri
24. Two-armed Padmapani, Ratnagiri
 24. Tara with the seven perils, Ratnagiri
The slab of the images shows the seven perlis from which the worships is
protected by the goddess. An exquisite image of Hariti, a goddess bounteous
to her devotees, is seated gracefully on an elevated throne, displaying superb
modelling of the limbs.
At some distance, some more images were unearthed. One is that
Vaisravana, the god of wealth, sitting majestically on a throne of double
louts.
Another is an image of Budha, seated in mediation. The figures of eight
demi-gods swarm round the halo of his head. Another two-armed seated
Buddha has a plain but beautifully carved background.

27.Hariti, Ratnagiri
28.Vaisravana, Ratnagiri
29. Seated Buddha, main shrine, Ratnagiri
 30. Seated Buddha,Ratnagiri
A fine image of a seated Tara is on the left side of the Buddha. The pedestals
of these two images of Buddha are different in design. All these sculptures
have been removed to the enclosure round the great monastery.
The heads of Buddha at Ratnagiri are of special significance. Three large
heads and four smaller ones were dug out of the mounds on the top of the
hill. One large head and a few smaller ones are now kept within the
enclosure. The largest Buddha head at Ratnagiri, measuring about four feet
in height, is to be seen under a tree.
 31. Smaller Buddha head, Ratnagiri
Another large Buddha head , with a smiling face, has recently been dug out.
In its execution it resembles the Buddha heads at Borobudur.
 32. Large Buddha head, Ratnagiri
The larger monastery has a front porch with an elaborate eye-catching
entrance.
 33. Entrance porch, Ratnagiri monastery
The side walls of the gateway, made of chlorite stones, have been
embellished with artistically ex-ecuted images of Vajrapani and other deities
of Vaj-rayana. There are two beautiful images of Nagaraja, carved on each
side of the gateway. There is also a richly ornamented female figure.
 34. Female figure, gateway at Ratnagiri
More interesting is a peculiar figure of seated Padmpani, with a stalk of lotus
under its pedestal.
 35. Seated Padmapani gateway of Ratnagiri
The highly decorated sculptured reliefs on the walls that make up the sides
of the gateway are indeed a charming sight. One of them portrays two men
and two women of aristocratic families.
 36. Sculptured relief, Ratnagiri
There are also groups of women in two reliefs. One in each group seems to
be a lady of high status, standing under a parasol.

37. Sculptured relief, Ratnagiri

A figure of alasa kanya, wearing a close fitting upper garment and
embracing her companion, is one of the finest specimens of Orissi sculpture.
 38. alasa kanya,Ratnagiri
Alasa kanya holds a chamara in the left hand.
 39. alasa kanya,Ratnagiri
The porch leads to a spacious stone-paved courtyard, measuring about
one hundred square feet. Some cells on the left side of the courtyard still
stand.
 40. Cells in the monastery at Ratnagiri
There was provision for an ante-room with an arched roof and window.
Each room had a drain connected to a common passage for the flow of
water. After the clearance of the debris, a large number of sealings of
unbaked clay, earthen lamps and vessels have been found.
The monastery was double-storeyed, as indicated by a wide flight of steps.
Shells were heaped on the courtyard to plaster the walls of the monastery. A
heap of sun-baked tiles were found in the courtyard, meant evidently for the
roofing of some small shrines built of bricks. The walls of the monastery,
also made of bricks, collapsed in the course of centuries, and were replaced
by walls made of roughly dressed stones. A large number of images have
been kept within the enclosure, including an image of Bodhisattva
Padmapani, which draws our attention. The slab contains an inscription
relating to the Buddhist creed. The niches of the inside walls of the
monastery contained images of Buddha, some of which are still in situ.
Hanging foliage of the bodhi tree is depicted on the haloes of two figures of
Buddha, both seated cross-legged.
 41. Inscribed head of Padmapani, main shrine, Ratnagiri
The courtyard leads to the inner porch in front of the sanctum. The door
jambs of the gateway of the inner porch are decorated with exquisitely
designed creeper patterns, ornamented female figures, Nagas and
Dvarapalas, or the keepers of the gate. There are also two female figures,
probably of Ganga and Yamuna, one on each side of the door jambs. Two
images of Maitreya and Avalokitesvara Padmapani stand out as excellent
illustrations of artistic grace.
 42. Colossal image of Buddha, main shrine, Ratnagiri
The sanctum contains an image of Buddha. His left hand rests on the lap,
while the right hand rests upon the right knee with the tip of the finger
touching the earth. This great Buddha figure, built in sections, represents the
high point of excellence which was reached by Buddhist sculptors in Orissa.
The image measures about twelve feet in height, including the lion throne.
The calm and meditative face of Buddha is lit by a smile of compassion. The
image is flanked by superbly executed figures of Bodhisattvas Vajrapani and
Padmapani.
The second monastery, smaller in size, was also built over the ruins of an
earlier structure. It has an entrance porch with a carved gateway. The porch
faces a courtyard, paved with stones, measuring ninety four square feet.
There are the remains of a few cells in this monastery, smaller in comparison
with the cells in the first monastery. The use of stone jambs and bars for the
windows of the cells indicates the later date of the monastery. A standing
image of Buddha, about seven feet in height, has been found among the
debris in the courtyard. This is the only object of interest in the second
monastery.
Excavation at Ratnagiri outside the two monasteries has unearthed the
existence of some Buddhist shrines, which are in the last stage of decay.
Images of Jatamukuta Lokesvara, Avalokitesvara Padmapani and of Manjusri
have been found among the ruins of these temples. A large scale excavation
of the entire site of Ratnagiri would yield many more images.
Bronze images have been found in the excavated sites of Ratnagiri, images
of the kind not found at Lalitagiri and Udayagiri. A bronze figure of Buddha,
about two feet in height and a superb specimen of art, has been unearthed.
The image was probably worshipped in a shrine. There is also a candlestick
made of bronze. Visitors cannot as yet see these bronze objects of interest,
which will be on exhibit after the construction of the proposed museum. In
the village of Ratnagiri, at the foot of the hill, mutilated Buddhist sculptures
adorn the walls of some houses. A broken image of Buddha on a temple wall
has been made into the fish incarnation of Vishnu, by adding the lower
portion of a fish. Standing on the ruins of the main monastery, one is treated
for a moment to a glimpse beyond the curtain of a millennium—to images
of monks circumambulating the main stupa and reciting in sonorous tones
Buddham saranam gachhami, and shaven-headed abbots teaching the
Tripitakas to students assembled from all parts of India.
A Visit to the Triad

Lalitagiri can be visited throughout the year. It is situated three kilometres

from the Expressway to Paradeep, and the road from the Gopalpur
Inspection Bungalow called Raj Bahadur Road, crosses the Expressway to
lead to Lalitagiri. There is also another road from Lalitagiri that leads directly
to Balichandrapur, a big village on the Patamundai Canal embankment.
The river Birupa is crossed by boat, which also carries rickshaws for
visitors. Rickshaws can be hired at Balichandrapur or at Qopalpur. The
Birupa river is narrow near Gopalpur, and the Public Works Department
builds a fair weather bridge over the river from January to June for the road
to Udayagiri.
A fair weather bridge across the Birupa is also constructed for the road
from Benupur, on the Patamundai Canal embankment, to the Ratnagiri hill
from January to June. There is a ferry service during the other months of the
year, Rickshaws are available in the villages on the lift hunk of tht Birupa. The
Ratnagiri hill is situated at a distinct of four kilometres from the left bank of
the river.
A scholar who wants to visit the at his leisure may stay at the Inspection
Bungalow at Gopalpur, for which he needs previous permission from the
Public Works Department office at Kendrapara. He may also stay at the
Tourist Bungalow, a short distance from the road from Gopalpur to
Lalitagiri, on the Expressway. The reservation authority is the Tourist Officer,
Bhubaneswar 751014. Foreign scholars and tourists visiting the triad would
do well to seek information at Bhubaneswar before proceeding to the sites.
The best time to visit Ratnagiri and Udayagiri is between the months of
December and June.
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