Ratnagiri in the Birupa river valley near Cuttack, is another famous Buddhist
center. The small hill near the village of the same name has rich Buddhist antiquarian
remains. A large-scale excavation has unearthed two large monasteries, a big
stupa, Buddhist shrines, sculptures, and a large number of votive stupas.
This excavation revealed the establishment of this Buddhist center at least
from the time of the time of the Gupta king Narasimha Gupta Baladitya (first
half of the sixth century A D). Buddhism had developed at this place - unhindered
upto the 12th century A D.
In the beginning, this was an important center of Mahayana form of Buddhism.
During the 8th-9th century A D, this became a great center of Tantric-Buddhism
or Vajrayana art and philosophy. Pag Sam Jon Zang, a Tibetian source, indicates
that the institution at Ratnagiri played a significant role in the emergence
of Kalachakratantra during the 10th century A D.
This is quite evident from the numerous votive stupas with relieves of divinities
of the Vajrayana pantheon, separate images of these divinities and inscribed
stone slabs, and moulded terracotta plaques with dharanis found in the excavation
at Ratnagiri.
This is quite evident from the numerous votive stupas with relieves of divinities
of the Vajrayana pantheon, separate images of these divinities and inscribed
stone slabs, and moulded terracotta plaques with dharanis found in the excavation
at Ratnagiri.
Presently this university of Buddhist learning is found in ruins that attract
a number of visitors every year. For lovers of art and architecture, lay tourists
as well as special groups, Ratnagiri offers in its magnificent ruins, a large
brick monastery with beautiful doorways, cella, sanctum with a colossal Buddha
figure, and a large number of Buddhist sculptures. there is a smaller monastery
at the place along with a stone temple, brick shrines and a large stupa with
numerous smaller stupas around.
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