Historic Sites of India and Southeast Asia

Rajiv Lochan temple, Rajim Chhattisgarh At Rajim, Chhattisgarh’s sacred heart, where the Mahanadi and Pairi rivers converge, a historic pilgrimage site beckons. Once a capital and pilgrim stop en route to Bhubaneswar–Puri, this tirtha-kshetra, enriched by the distant Sondur river, pulses with spiritual legacy, captivating devotees and history enthusiasts. 6th-century Ganga Rajim’s east bank boasts Chhattisgarh’s finest carved stone temples, dating from the 6th to 12th centuries. The Rajiv Lochana Temple, a 6th–7th-century Vishnu shrine, dazzles with intricate pillars and reliefs of Ganga, Yamuna, Rama, Krishna, and more, alongside a preserved Buddha statue, hinting at the region’s mixed Hindu and Buddhist heritage. Across the river, the Kuleshvara Shiva Temple in Navagaon stands resilient on its octagonal platform, its mandapa pilasters adorned with Kartikeya and Mahisasuramardini. Recent excavations near Sita Bari reveal lost temple ruins, fueling archaeolo...

Tucked among Odisha’s rolling hills, near the Brahmani, Birupa, and Kelua rivers, the Udayagiri Buddhist complex, part of the “diamond triangle” with Lalitagiri and Ratnagiri, stands as a testament to ancient India’s spiritual depth. Known historically as Pushpagiri, a 1st-millennium university rivaling Nalanda, it thrived on Yoga philosophy until the 11th century, drawing Mahayana Buddhists and Hindus. Udayagiri, the largest of the trio, dazzles with its Mahastupa at Udayagiri 1, where four Buddhas in distinct mudras face cardinal directions. Exquisite Padmapani statues and yogi reliefs blend Hindu iconography, while red-brick monastery ruins whisper of a vibrant past, uncovered through 20th-century excavations. Udayagiri 2, spanning 1st-century BCE to post-8th-century CE, showcases evolving Hinayana and Mahayana architecture. Its monasteries, votive stupas, and intricate sculptures echo Krishna valley artistry, though some artworks now reside in Patna and Cut...

Nestled in Odisha’s Kendujhar district, the Sitabhinji site unveils a window into India’s ancient artistry. This 4th–6th-century treasure features a faded yet vivid tempera mural, one of India’s earliest. The mural graces a rock-cut ledge, depicting a king’s procession with horses, an elephant, and attendants in five vibrant colors, captivating art lovers and historians. The mural’s Sanskrit inscription, etched near a horse, hints at a mid-1st-millennium Hindu monument adorned with colorful Shaiva decorations. Nearby, early Odiya and Sanskrit inscriptions, pre-6th-century, mention a lost Shaiva monastery, a guru, his student, and a temple, whispering tales of spiritual life. Late 20th-century excavations uncovered a Gupta-era temple’s remnants, a small stone elephant, and a faced Shiva Linga (mukhalinga). These 6th-century artifacts, alongside untranslated inscription fragments, fuel archaeological intrigue about the unknown mysterious Hindu king. Sit...