Ratnagiri Site

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered significant Buddhist remains during renewed excavations at the historic Ratnagiri site in Jajpur district adding another chapter to its 1,200-year-old legacy.

• Ratnagiri is a significant Buddhist site located in Jajpur district, Odisha, about 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar.
• The site is situated on a hill between the Birupa and Brahmani rivers and is part of Odisha’s Diamond Triangle, along with Udaygiri and Lalitgiri.
• The site dates back to the 5th–13th century, with peak construction during the 7th–10th centuries.
• Ratnagiri was a major center for Mahayana and Tantrayana (Vajrayana) Buddhism.
• Chinese Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang reportedly visited Odisha in 638–639 AD, possibly documenting the site.
• The site was first documented in 1905.