BHUBANESWAR: Archaeologists of the Odisha Institute of Maritime and South-East Asian Studies (OIMSEAS), who have stumbled upon a structure that looks like a Buddhist stupa atop Aragada in the State, are linking it with a similar structure excavated in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Eminent Buddhist scholar and Secretary of OIMSEAS Sunil Patnaik said it is still not clear if the excavated structure is a stupa or a chaitya (temple) as only the surface has been exposed so far. “But the top surface looks similar to the Salihundam Buddhist site that dates back to 2nd century BC near Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. The place is located close to Berhampur in Odisha,” he said. Kalingapatnam was one of the ancient Andhra’s harbour towns.
Patnaik said the site at Aragada and Salihundam have link with maritime heritage of Kalinga (ancient Odisha). Under patronage of Emperor Ashoka, the maritime trade route of ancient Odisha was instrumental in propagation of Buddhism. “Maritime traders brought Buddhism to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh from 3rd century BC to 5th century AD, but this aspect is not well researched,” he said.
Aragada, also known as Airagarh, is situated to north of river Daya in Godiput-Matiapada panchayat under Delang block of Puri district. It is a hill located 256 feet above the sea level and stretches for over three km from east to west. Towards its eastern side stands a two-storey, flat-roofed Buddhist chaitya. The temple’s four pillars are carved with ‘nagakanyas’ and ‘gajasimha’ motifs. While Buddhist icons were worshipped in the upper chamber, the ground floor was meant for people who lived in the temple.
Construction pattern at the excavated site indicates that the structure is much older than the chaitya. Excavation, which began a month back, would continue for another one month for a clearer picture of the site.
In 2013, OIMSEAS archeologists were carrying out beautification and conservation work of the chaitya when they stumbled upon a huge mound in the vicinity and found Buddhist relics lying scattered. During preliminary exploration of the place, a ‘kunda’ carved out of ‘muguni’ rock was found four feet west of the chaitya.