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 Cuttack museums.
The Udayagiri rock-cut trails and its art reveal a 1st-millennium syncretic Buddhist and Hindu traditions, blending archaeology, architecture, and cultural heritage in Odisha’s serene landscape. This site is best compared with nearby Lalitagiri and Ratnagiri Buddhist sites. Others such as the Mahakala and Kaimabada sites may contain treasures of the past, but remain unexcavated.
Udayagiri 1:
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 Buddhist temple, Udayagiri |
 Udayagiri vihara |
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Sources and Further Reading:
- P. Mukerjee (1957), Lalitagiri, Udayagiri & Ratnagiri, The Mahabodhi Society Orissa
- Thomas E Donaldson (2001), Iconography of the Buddhist sculpture of Orissa, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts : Abhinav Publications
- P Sahoo (2004), Buddhist Centers in Orissa: An Overview, Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, Volume 65, pp. 147–153
- Trivedi, P K (2012). Further Excavations at Udayagiri-2, Odisha (2001-2003). Archaeological Survey of India. New Delhi
- Umakanth Mishra (2019), Continuity and change in the sacred landscape of the Buddhist site of Udayagiri Odisha, Routledge, ISBN 978-04292-741-69
- Akshaya Jena (2017), Tourism prospects of Langudi Puspagiri, Odisha Review: November, pp. 82–84
- Saurabh Saxena (2020), Udayagiri – The Sunrise Hill, Puratattva