Historic Sites of India and Southeast Asia

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...