ASI discovers 1,300-yr-old Buddhist Stupa in Odisha.

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered a 1,300-year-old stupa right in the middle of a mining site in Odisha’s Jajpur district at Khondalite stone mining site.
  • The sones were being supplied for the beautification project around the 12 th Century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
• The stupa could be 4.5-metre tall and initial assessment showed it may belong to the 7th or 8^th
• It was found at Parabhadi which is situated near Lalitagiri, a major Buddhist complex, having a large number of stupas and monasteries.
  • Lalitgiri Buddhist site is believed to be the most sacred among the three sites (Lalitagiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri) as it unearthed a massive stupa where a relic of Buddha was discovered inside a stone casket.

About Stupa

• Stupas were burial mounds prevalent in India from the vedic period.
• Stupa, Sanskrit for heap, is a mound-like (hemispherical) burial structure containing relics of Buddhist monks. E.g., Sanchi Stupa built over Buddha’s relics.
• Stupas consist of a cylindrical drum with a circular anda and a harmika and a chhatra on the top.
  • Anda: Hemispherical mound symbolic of the mound of dirt used to cover Buddha’s remains (in many stupas actual relics were used).
  • Harmika: Square railing on top of the mound.
  • Chhatra: Central pillar supporting a triple umbrella form.
• The core of the stupa was made of unburnt brick while the outer surface was made by using burnt bricks, which were then covered with a thick layer of plaster and medhi (circular terrace) and the toran(gateway) were decorated with wooden sculptures.