Information About The Buddhist

       Orissa is almost littered with several Buddhist centres of art and learning. Lalitgire, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri in Cuttack district on the banks of river Birupa is the most opulent Buddhist site (the mini golden triangle of Orissan Tourism).Besides places like khiching in Mayurbhanj district; Ayodhya,Solampur, Kupari and Khadipada in Balasore district; Rameswar, Banesvaranasi, Brahamavana near salipur, Bhaudwar, and Prachi Valley in cuttack district; Baud town Baliguda area, Paragalpur and Syamsundarpur of Phulbani district Banpur, Aragada, Bhubaneswar and kuruma of Puri district and Ganiapalli of Sambalpur district have great potentiality from the Buddhist-tourist-Centre point of view.

       All the above places have vestiages of rich sculptural art of bothe Mahayanic and Vajrayanic pantheon. In addition these places have beautifully laid out Buddhist viharas, stupas and chaityas. The recent discovery of sacred relics in caskets at the Lalitagiri excavation site have added to the importance of the Buddhist sites in Orissa. The recent Archaeological excavations at Tatnagiri, Udayagiri, Brahmavana,Kuruma, etc. have added new dimensions to the Buddhist establishments in Orissa. The Tantric-Vajryana range of sculptures from Orissa are unique for their novel concept, fine execution and sensitive mdeling and their only parallels could be found in the Buddhist art from Tibet, Nepal and China. The recent findings from excavaions and the identificaions of a number of sites with Buddhist remaings open up a new vista in the field of Buddhist Tourism in Orissa. These provide unique opportunities for specialised groups from the Buddhist dominated countries like China, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma. Some of the richly treasured Buddhist sites are Dhauli, Lalitagiri and Udayagiri which a visitor to this land cannot afford to miss in the itinerary.

  Lalitagiri

  Ratnagiri

  Udayagiri