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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Lalitagiri
| native_name =
| image = File:Mahastupha_at_Lalitgiri.jpg
| caption = Lalitgiri Mahastupa
| map_type = India
| location = India
| coordinates = {{coord|20.5894|86.2506|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation = [[Buddhism]]
| rite =
| region = coastal
| state = [[Odisha]]
| province =
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| functional_status = Preserved
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{{BuddhasHolySites}}
'''Lalitagiri''' ({{Lang-or|ଲଳିତଗିରି}}) (also known as '''Naltigiri''') is a major [[Buddhist]] complex in the Indian [[States and union territories of India|state]] of [[Odisha]] comprising major [[stupa]]s, 'esoteric' Buddha images, and monasteries ([[vihara]]s), one of the oldest sites in the region,{{Sfn|Hoiberg|Ramchandani|2000|pp=175–176}}<ref name="ASI">{{Cite web|url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_orissa_es_lalitagiri.asp|title=Excavated Buddhist site, Laitagiri|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|access-date=9 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140926160922/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_orissa_es_lalitagiri.asp|archive-date=26 September 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{Sfn|Goldberg|Decary2012|p=387}} Significant finds at this complex include [[Buddha]]'s relics.{{Sfn|Goldberg|Decary2012|p=387}} Tantric Buddhism was practiced at this site.{{Sfn|Biswas|2014|p=58}}

Together with the [[Ratnagiri, Odisha|Ratnagiri]] and [[Udayagiri, Odisha|Udayagiri]] sites not far away, Lalitagiri is part of the "Diamond Triangle".<ref name=Department>{{Cite web|url=http://www.orissatourism.gov.in/new/lalitgiri.html|title=Lalitgiri|publisher=Government of Odisha: Department of Tourism|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924061707/http://www.orissatourism.gov.in/new/lalitgiri.html|archive-date=2015-09-24}}</ref><ref name=Kumar>{{Cite news|last=Kumar|first= Arjun |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-22/news/31224944_1_cuttack-buddhist-heritage-monastery|title=Sounds of silence at Buddhist sites in Odisha, Ratnagiri-Udayagiri-Lalitgiri|date=22 March 2012|newspaper=Economic times}}</ref> It used to be thought that one or all of these were the large [[Pushpagiri Vihara]] known from ancient records,{{Sfn|Hoiberg| Ramchandani|2000|pp=175–176}} but this has now convincingly located at a different site.

==Location==
[[File:Lalitgiri Complete.jpg|left|thumb|Full view of the chaityagriha stupa complex in Lalitgiri]]
Lalitagiri is a major center of Buddhism hemmed between the Parabhadi and Landa sandstone hills in the standalone Assian hill range. It is situated in the [[Mahanga Tahsil]] in [[Cuttack district]]. [[Bhubaneswar]], the state capital of Odisha, is {{Convert|90|km}} from the site,<ref name="ASI"/><ref name=Department/> while [[Cuttack]], the former state capital is {{Convert|60|km}} away; Udaigiri is {{Convert|8|km}} from Lalitagiri and Ratnagiri is {{Convert|12|km}} away.{{Sfn|Goldberg|Decary2012|p=387}} [[Cuttack]] is well connected by road, rail and air services with the rest of the country.

==History==
[[File:Lalitgiri Ruins.jpg|left|thumb|Lalitgiri Ruins]]
The first identification of archaeological antiquities from the Diamond Triangle sites was conducted in 1905 by M.M. Chakravarty, the then Sub Divisional Officer in [[Jajpur]]. Later, in 1927 and 1928, [[R.P. Chanda]] of the [[Indian Museum]] in [[Kolkata]] documented the site in the Memoirs of [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI). In 1937, the site was officially declared a protected monument by the central government. In 1977, some excavations were done at the site by the [[Utkal University]]. Detailed excavations by the Bhubaneswar Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India were conducted between 1985 and 1991. From these investigations, it has been inferred that Lalitgiri, one of the earliest Buddhist sites in Orissa, maintained a continuous cultural sequence starting from the post [[Mauryan period]] (322–185 BC) till 13th century AD.<ref name="ASI"/> It is also inferred that this site maintained a continuous of presence of Buddhism, unbroken, from 3rd century BC to 10th century AD.{{Sfn|Sinha |Das|1996|p=74}}

In 1985, the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI) started excavation at Lalitgiri to locate Pushpagiri, an important Buddhist site mentioned in the writings of the Chinese traveler [[Xuanzang]]. The excavation led to several important archaeological discoveries, but none of these confirmed the identification of Lalitgiri with Pushpagiri. Later, excavations at Langudi Hill suggested that [[Pushpagiri Vihara|Pushpagiri]] was located there.<ref name="Telegraph_2007">{{cite web | url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070129/asp/jamshedpur/story_7319473.asp | title=ASI hope for hill heritage – Conservation set to start at Orissa site | date=29 January 2007 |newspaper=The Telegraph }}</ref>

==Archaeological finds==
[[File:Skeleton_Buddha.jpg|right|thumb|Sculpture of the Buddha fasting]]
The excavations carried out by the ASI at Lalitgiri have unearthed remnants of a large stupa on the hill. Within the stupa, two rare stone caskets were found with [[relics]] of Buddha; this was the first such find in Eastern India. The stone caskets, like Chinese Puzzle boxes, made of [[Khondalite]] stone, revealed three other boxes within them, made of [[steatite]], silver and gold respectively; the gold casket, which is the last one, contained a relic or [[Dhātu (Ayurveda)|dhatu]] in the form of a small piece of bone.<ref name="ASI"/>

Another interesting find is that of an east facing [[apsidal]] [[chaitya]]griha, built of bricks, {{Convert|33|x|11|m}} in size with {{Convert|3.3|m}}-thick walls. This edifice, the first such Buddhist structure found in Odisha, contains a circular [[stupa]] at its center. Also found were a series of [[Kushan Empire|Kushana]] [[Brahmi script|Brahmi]] inscriptions made on shells with cuts on moonstone at the periphery of the edifice. Another find is a piece of a pillar railing with a lens-shaped decoration with the theme of a half lotus medallion. From these finds it is inferred that such structures belonged from the early [[Christian era]] to 6th–7th century period.<ref name="ASI"/>
[[File:Lalitgiri WIKI.JPG|right|thumb|Entrance to one of the monasteries]]
[[File:Lalitgiri Central structure.jpg|right|thumb|Lalitgiri Central structure]]
Also found were remnants of four monasteries. The first and the largest monastery, facing east, a two storied structure measuring {{Convert|36|m2}}, has at its center a {{Convert|12.9|m}} square open space; it is dated to 10th–11th century AD. Adjoining the monastery at the rear end is a rainwater [[cistern]] built of bricks. The second monastery, in the northern extremity of the hill, is believed to have been built when [[Buddhism]] was losing its importance in Lalitgiri. The third monastery faces south-east and has dimensions of {{Convert|28|x|27|m}} with a central open space of {{Convert|8|m2}} and represents the end stages of apsidal chaitya. The fourth monastery, {{Convert|30|m2}}, in size, has many large sized Buddha heads deified in the [[sanctum sanctorum]]. A terracotta monastic seal with the inscription "Sri Chandraditya Vihara Samagra Arya Vikshu Sanghasa" is dated to the 9th–10th century AD.<ref name="ASI"/>

The antiquities unearthed include a plethora of images of Buddha in different meditative forms from the [[Mahayana Buddhism]] period. The finds also include a gold [[pendant]], silver jewellery, stone tablets with imprints of [[Ganesha]] and [[Mahishasuramardini|Mahisasurmardini]], a seal matrix-cum-pendant, and a small image of [[Avalokiteśvara]].

Images of [[Tara (Buddhism)|Tara]] in the form of Tara Kurukulla or Kurukulla Tara have been reported in Lalitgiri and also from Udayagiri and Ratnagiri, including an [[Emanationism|emanation]] form of [[Amitabha]] seated in a [[lalitasana]] posture.{{Sfn|Session|2000|p=74}} Images of [[Hariti]] have also been found in Lalitgiri and also in Udayagiri and Ratnagiri. These images portray the goddess in a seated position, breast feeding a child or with the child seated in its lap. Hariti was once a child abductor, but Buddha persuaded her to become the protector of children.{{Sfn|Session|2000|p=76}}

Also found are potsherds with inscriptions dated from the post [[Mauryan period]] to 8th–9th century AD, which indicate that Buddhists belonging to the [[Hinayana]] and Mahayana sects lived here. The last period of occupation is identified as belonging to [[Vajrayana]], the Tantric period of Buddhism during the reign of [[Bhauma-Kara dynasty]] (8th–10th century AD).<ref name="ASI"/>

==Museum==
Initially, a makeshift enclosure housed the sculptures unearthed from the site for display.<ref name="ASI"/> Now the permanent museum established houses sculptures of Buddha from the Mahayana period. The huge stone statues, with inscriptions on some of them, are of Buddha, [[Boddhisattva]], Tara, [[Jambhala]] and many others. The statues of Buddha, portrayed in a standing position and attired with a drape adorned from shoulder level to the knee, is reflective of the Gandhara and Mathura schools of sculpture. The relic caskets recovered from the stone stupa on the hill are also on display.<ref name=Department/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last= Biswas |first=Subhash C |title=India the Land of Gods|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hKQOBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA58|date=29 September 2014|publisher=PartridgeIndia|isbn=978-1-4828-3655-4}}
*{{cite book|last1= Goldberg |first1=Kory |last2= Decary |first2=Michelle |title=Along the Path: The Meditator's Companion to the Buddha's Land|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zQmsAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA387|date=26 June 2012|publisher=Pariyatti|isbn=978-1-928706-56-4}}
*{{cite book|last1= Hoiberg|first1= Dale |last2= Ramchandani |first2=Indu |title=Students' Britannica India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DPP7O3nb3g0C&pg=PA176|year=2000|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-0-85229-760-5}}
*{{cite book|last=Session|first=Indian Art History Congress|title=Proceedings of Indian Art History Congress|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hh5NAAAAYAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Indian Art History Congress}}
*{{cite book|last1= Sinha |first1=Chitta Ranjan Prasad |last2= Das |first2=Harish Chandra |title=Proceedings of the Indian Art History Congress, 4th Session, Patna – 1996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9o_WAAAAMAAJ|date=1996|publisher=Indian Art History Congress}}

==Further reading==
* Donaldson, Thomas Eugene, ''Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Odisha'', 2001, Abhinav Publications, {{ISBN|81-7017-375-2}}, [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DbxE8zOuRbUC&printsec=frontcover Volume 1 is the text], given page references, and [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PvevNuX6c04C&pg=PT71Volume 2 the plates], given figure numbers.

==External links==
{{commonscat}}
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nbg90455/sets/72157626004121829/detail/ Photos of Lalitgiri]

{{Odisha}}
{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Ancient Dharmic centres of Higher Learning}}

[[Category:Buddhist sites in Odisha]]
[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in India]]
[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Ancient universities of the Indian subcontinent]]
[[Category:Buddhist universities and colleges]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Odisha]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Jajpur district]]
[[Category:Defunct Buddhist monasteries]]
[[Category:Former Buddhist temples]]
[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
[[Category:History of Odisha]]
[[Category:Ruins in India]]
[[Category:Stupas in India]]
[[Category:6th-century Buddhist temples]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC establishments in India]]
[[Category:6th-century establishments in India]]
[[Category:14th-century disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Buddhism in Odisha]]
[[Category:Indian Buddhist sculpture]]

Lalitgiri - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 09:38, 14 August 2023