Dharmasala: The Langudi Hills, an ancient Buddhist heritage site in this tehsil in Jajpur district, is facing neglect and has turned into a haunted house due to lack of upkeep, a report said Tuesday.
The Langudi Hills, surrounded by several Buddhist stupas and Vihars, is located between Mirzapur and Patapur panchayats. It is visited by thousands of tourists and researchers who are interested in Buddhist culture.
The shrine houses ancient Buddhist relics which were discovered during an excavation at the Langudi Hills.
However, the Langudi Hills shrine is now in shambles although the government constructed an inn (Panthasala) as well as a study centre for tourists and researchers at a cost of Rs 4 crore.
The government had hoped that the study centre would function as a branch of the Buddhist study centre in Chandragiri in Gajapati district.
But that was never to be. Initially some students from Chandragiri visited the shrine for research and later it was followed by another batch of 30 students. The study centre failed to attract students after the departure of the first batch.
The study centre and the inn soon slipped into obscurity as miscreants decamped with its doors and window railings, glass panes, bathroom fittings, electrical fittings and wires as well as the marbles and tiles on the floors.
The study centre and the inn soon became a haunted house. Tourists were afraid to visit it due to lack of upkeep and facilities to stay at night. The place soon became a bar for alcoholics after evening hours.
When contacted, Sarpanch Nagen Das said the Archeological Survey of India had declared the hill as a Buddhist site after discovery of the relics. However, the state Culture Department failed to maintain it properly.
The Culture Minister visited the shrine several times, but has done little for its upkeep pushing the shrine into obscurity, researcher Nrusingha Charan Sahu said.
District Culture Officer Santosh Sethi said the administration is taking steps to renovate the shrine.
pnn
