post news network, Bhubaneswar, May 31: Monuments aren’t just monuments. They are much more than historical remains. They are the cornerstones that help man reinvent history. The newly-found Buddhist site at the Aragada hills may just do that to the already existing knowledge of the Buddhist heritage in the state.
It’s now almost two months that the archaeologists of the Orissa Institute of Maritime and South-East Asian Studies (OIMSEAS) have been busy with the excavation works at the Aragada hills near Haripur village in Jatni. A stupa-like structure, atop the hill was found after removing layers of soil, which they believe have connection with Dhauli, and Salihundam Buddhist sites. The Salihundam Buddhist site, which dates back to 2nd century BC, is near Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. The newly-found stupa probably dates back to the 1st or the 2nd century BC.
The cave temple
It may be recalled that a doubled storied cave temple near the site is believed to date back to the 10th century BC. The top portion of the cave is apparently man-made, whereas the bottom part is natural. “It had been constructed much later, in the 10th century BC. During the earlier phase it was used as a water system and later it was made into a cave, which was used for meditation by the monks,” said Sunil Patnaik, an eminent Buddhist scholar and secretary OIMSEAS.
After climbing around 400 steps, one would witness the scenic beauty of the site where the excavation work is being carried out in full swing. Around 30 workers from nearby villages are engaged in the site. They are working very enthusiastically every day.
It’s something different
That the Aragada stupa may be a part of a unique Buddhist architecture, with definite links to the nearby sites, such as Dhauli, becomes clear when one speaks to Patnaik. Talking to Orissa Post, Patnaik said, “We are at the initial stages of excavation and whatever work has been done so far reveals that the stupa has some resemblance with the Apsidal structure of the Salihundam and the Kalingapatnam Buddhist stupas. After the complete excavation and a thorough research only, we would be able to tell about the style of the Aragada stupa. We are presuming the height of the stupa might be eight or nine feet, but as it is not intact we are not sure about it. Apart from the circular structure on top, the three layers of the stupa are being excavated and it has been found that the bottom of the stupa is rectangular, which is quite different from the other two sites”. The fact that despite apparent similarities, the new-found stupa has a base that is quite different from the other two stupas mentioned above makes one inclined to think that the Aragada stupa may add some new light to the already existing knowledge concerning the Buddhist heritage in the state.
“It is a 1st or 2nd century stupa constructed after the Kalinga war. During the reign of the Priyadarsi Asoka, a thorough and systematic propaganda was carried out by different schools of Buddhism and they made considerable headway in Kalinga. We believe that a history of about 1st to 10th century BC is hidden in the mound,” said Patnaik.
There’s a chain, mind you
The Dhauli hills, which are only 10 km away from the site, suggest that they form a chain and have very close connection with each other, as the Daya river flows near the two sites. “Rivers used to be the trade route during those days; all the prominent Buddhist settlements are near rivers. The coastal Orissa was linked to the trade circuits of the north and down to the lower Krishna and Godavari valleys, which played a crucial role in the flourishing of Buddhism in the state; so there must be some connection,” Patnaik added.
The hill site is about 3kms in length and many remnants of Buddhist monuments have been found in the nearby areas. The stupa, which is being excavated now, was hidden in a mound. It is believed that there must have been a bigger Buddhist settlement once near the site.
“The topography of the site is similar to that of the Lalitgiri and the Langudi hills, where Buddhists settlements were found. There are some rock-cut caves, though the size is very small. Some broken statues, votive stupas, circular pillars and cut stones were also found in the site. During the excavation, we are finding a number of stone pillars. 12 centimetre bricks were also found during the excavation,” he informed.
Quite a good number of remnants of pot sherds (black polished wares, grey wares, red wares) – bowls, plates – stone blocks, architectural pieces etc. are being found from the site.
