Sunday, May 8, 2022

Sitabinji fresco and inscriptions

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.

Sitabhinji’s rock-cut wonders and ancient scripts offer a mesmerizing glimpse into Odisha’s rich heritage, blending art, faith, and history in timeless stone.

Location: India, 21.51253° N, 85.77673° E 

  • Southeast of Kendujhar (Keonjhar)
  • near National Highway 20
Road to Sitabinji fresco and inscriptions
Road to Sitabinji

Sitabhinji fresco and inscriptions site
Sitabinji site

4th century Sitabinji fresco painting
Sitabinji fresco

Inscription


Mukhalinga and stone elephant
Inscription


Site is also known as / synonyms: 

  • Ravanachhaya Mural Rocks
  • Rabanchaya site
  • Sitabhinji archaeological site
  • Sitabinji painting
  • Sitabinji mural

Nearby historic sites:

  • Kichakeswari temple, Khiching (60 kilometers)

Sources and Further Reading:

  • T. N. Ramachandran (1951), Find of Tempera Painting in Sītābhiñji, District Keoñjhār, OrissaArtibus Asiae, Volume 14, Number 1/2, pp. 4-25
  • A Joshi (1965), Antiquities of Sitabhinji, The Orissa Historical Research JournalXIII (2), pp. 21–27
  • M. Somathilake (2007), Further Analysis on Fresco and Tempera: An Analysis of the Technique of Murals in South AsiaJournal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka New Series, Vol. 53, pp. 109-132