Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/5V02t4pd6EA
References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratnagiri,_Odisha
https://bhubaneswartourism.in/ratnagiri-buddhist-excavation-bhubaneswar
Location:
“Ratnagiri
Monastery, Ratnagiri, Odisha 755003”
Ratnagiri is a big ruined Buddhist site and Monastery located
on a hill between Brahmani and Birupa rivers in jajpur district. Together with
Lalitagiri and Udayagiri, the sites produce what is known as the Diamond
quadrilateral. As I am writing this page on 21st of January 2025
while my visit was almost around two years back at this place, I am seeing an
article online that excavations are ongoing at this site and even today
artefacts are being unearthed here, latest being : https://indianexpress.com/article/long-reads/asi-excavations-at-odishas-ratnagiri-puts-spotlight-on-ancient-buddhist-site-its-se-asia-links-9784948/
The Buddhist monuments present here are believed to be
constructed somewhere around 5th century CE onwards, with the last
work found belonging to around 13th century. The peak amount of
construction work was done between 7th and 10th
centuries.
As recorded in his travelogue Indika, Hiuen Tsang (the
Chinese pilgrim who visited Odisha in 639 AD) notes that Ratnagiri is a
flourishing center for Buddhism and Buddhist culture.
The first major excavation at the site took place
around 1960, when many sculptures and Monasteries were found. The Excavation on
the site has revealed the traces of a grand Buddhist establishment, comprising
a stupa, monastic complexes, shrines, votive stupas, numerous sculptures,
architectural fragments, and museums that can easily match up with Nalanda from
Bihar. Besides, there are a few basic seals with the legend “Sri Ratnagiri
Mahaviharya Samagra Arya Bhikhsu Sanghasya”, a total of 1386 clay seals were
found, which actually helped in finding out the name a Ratnagiri.
The main elements excavated included a Stupa also
numbered Stupa 1 surrounded by many smaller stupas, 3 quadrangular monasteries
(1 to 3) , monastery 1 being the largest. The largest monastery has a big
doorway inside which is a very large and spacious courtyard, cells and
Verandah. There is a spacious shrine centered on a colossial Buddha.
Most of the artefacts including doorways and pillars,
in the monasteries were built of 2 types of stones: 1) Blue-green chlorite and
2) Local Khondalite ( a garniferous gneiss with plum-colored overtones).
Mostly the artefacts belonged to the post-Gupta
period, with the styles resembling them. They are mainly images of Buddha and
the Buddhist pantheon. Study and analysis of various evidences showed the
evolution and ultimately Ratnagiri becoming a center of Tantric
Buddhism just like Nalanda in Bihar. More than 24 colossal
heads of Buddha have been found.
Ratnagiri Monastery focuses on Odisha tourism,
representing the natural beauty of Odisha. The Ratnagiri Museum displays
sandstone carvings of ancient Buddha statues that would attract you. Ratnagiri
is an elevated plateau amid several villages and rural parts of Jajpur
district. Numerous festivities and occasions are joyfully celebrated.
Within Ratnagiri lies the Mahakala Temple and Stupa. Ratnagiri Buddhist
Monastery is a tourist center in the Jajpur District.
Architecture of Ratnagiri Buddhist Site
The remains of
the Ratnagiri Buddhist site are a testimony to the architectural brilliance of
the bygone era. Be it the monasteries, main stupa, Buddha statues, votive
stupas, commemorative stupas or the elaborately carved rooms, the architectural
craftsmanship is of the highest order.
While Monastery
1, which is the biggest monastery of the site, has ornately carved doorways,
big open courtyard, sanctum having Lord Buddha, two beautiful figures of Vajrapani and
Padmapani at either sides, a ground floor with 24
cells, with originally believed to be having almost 2 floors, the remaining two
monasteries are comparatively much smaller, the second monastery merely
comprising of a ground floor with 18 cells and the 3rd monastery
having a single floor with only 3 cells. The main shrine of Monastery 2 has an
image of Shakyamuni Buddha, with number of carvings, votive stupas and a few
temples with sculptures outside can be seen. Monastery 3 has been turned into
an Achaeological museum now.
Main Stupa
The main stupa of
Ratnagiri lies at a short distance from Monastery 2. It is by far the highest
point of this place, where this 17 feet high stupa can be seen, and as per
archaeological evidence, it is believed to have been built in the 9th century.
It is now in a partially ruined condition. Out of the 700 commemorative and
votive stupas found at Ratnagiri, most lie scattered around this main stupa and
other small stupas, made of brick.
There lies a 15th
century Mahakala Temple, beyond the main stupa, down the hill. Originally, this
shrine was constructed over the top of a Buddhist stupa. It was relocated by
the ASI to its present location between 1997 and 2004.
History
of Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri was likely established no later than the
reign of the Gupta king Narasimha Baladitya in the first half of
the sixth century, and flourished until the twelfth century. The main
construction of the surviving part of Monastery 1 was under the rule of the
(mainly) Buddhist Bhauma-Kara dynasty, whose capital was
nearby at Jajpur,
although no inscription records patronage at Ratnagiri by the dynasty.
Timings:
Saturday to Thursday: 9:00 am to 5:00 am
Friday: Closed
Entry Fee: Ratnagiri Monastery Entry fees is Rs. 25
per person
How
to Reach:
By Road: Nearest bus stand is Balichandrapur around 14
KMs from the site. Self-drive is the best way to reach the site if you are
staying in Jajpur or Cuttack or Bhubaneshwar. Hired cabs can be taken from
Balichandrapur or from Jajpur (35 KMs)
By Rail: Nearest major railway station is Cuttack
(around 59 KMs) which has connectivity to major areas in Orissa and other parts
of the country too.
By Air: Nearest airport is Bhubaneshwar (100 KMs)
Parking
and Photography
Dedicated parking is available at the site. There is
no problem at all.
There is no restriction to photography. But Drones are
not allowed inside the huge campus. Security guards are there inside the
campus. My suggestion once again is to use the Drones from a way distant
outside the campus and from a much high height around 80 meters.