Misplaced Pages

Puspagiri
Carvings on a rock face
Religion
Affiliation	Buddhism
Status	Preserved
Location
Location	India
State	Odisha
Shown within OdishaShow map of OdishaPushpagiri Vihara (India)Show map of India
Geographic coordinates	20°43′22″N 86°11′25″E / 20.722739°N 86.190338°E / 20.722739; 86.190338

Pilgrimage to
Buddha's Holy Sites
The Four Main Sites Bodh Gaya Kushinagar Lumbini Sarnath
Four Additional Sites Rajgir Sankissa Shravasti Vaishali
Other Sites Ajanta Amaravati Barabar Caves Bharhut Chandavaram Devdaha Ellora Caves Kapilavastu Kesaria Stupa Kosambi Lalitgiri Mathura Nalanda Nasik Pataliputra Pāvā Piprahwa Pushpagiri Ramagrama stupa Ratnagiri Sanchi Udayagiri Tilaurakot Varanasi Vikramashila
v t e

Pushpagiri (Odia: ପୁଷ୍ପଗିରି) was an ancient Indian mahavihara or monastic complex located atop Langudi Hill (or Hills) in Jajpur district of Odisha, India. Pushpagiri was mentioned in the writings of the Chinese traveller Xuanzang (c. 602 – c. 664) and some other ancient sources. Until the 1990s, it was hypothesised to be one or all of the Lalitgiri-Ratnagiri-Udayagiri group of monastic sites, also located in Jajpur district. These sites contain ruins of many buildings, stupas of various sizes, sculptures (many now removed to museums), and other artifacts.

However, archaeological excavations conducted at Langudi Hills during 1996-2006 resulted in the discovery of another site, with inscriptions describing the local monastery as puṣpa sabhar giriya, and identified by the excavators as Pushpagiri. This has now become the general view among scholars. The site has now been made accessible for tourism.

The visit of Xuanzang indicates that Pushpagiri was an important Buddhist site in ancient India. Along with Nalanda, Vikramashila, Odantapuri, Takshashila and Vallabhi, it is believed to be a major ancient centre of learning. It flourished between 3rd and 11th centuries CE.

Historical mentions

The Chinese traveler Xuanzang (c. 602–644) describes a sangharama (monastery) named Pu-se-p'o-k'i-li in the south-west region of a country, whose name is variously transliterated as U-Cha or Wu-T-U. Scholars such as Stanislas Julien and Samuel Beal restored Pu-se-po-k'i-li as "Pushpagiri", and name of the country as Ota or "Udra". Scholars identify this country as Odra in present-day Odisha. Xuanzang describes the monastery as follows:

In the south-west of the country was the Pu-sie-p'o-k'i-li monastery in a mountain; the stone top of this monastery exhibited supernatural lights and other miracles, sunshades placed by worshippers on it between the dome and the amalaka remained there like needles held by a magnet.

A 3rd century inscription of the Andhra Ikshvaku king Vira-purusha-datta, found at Nagarjunakonda (in present-day Andhra Pradesh), mentions that an upasika named Bodhisiri made numerous endowments to Buddhist establishments. One of these included sponsoring the erection of a stone mandapa at "Puphagiri". According to Thomas E. Donaldson, this is likely same as the Pushpagiri mentioned in Xuanzang's records ("Puphagiri" being the Pali form of the Sanskrit "Pushpagiri), and was located in the present-day Odisha. Pratapaditya Pal notes that if this identification is true, the site in Odisha must have been established by at least 3rd century. However, some other scholars, such as Dineshchandra Sircar and B. S. L. Hanumantha Rao, identify this "Puphagiri" with Pushpagiri Temple Complex in the present-day Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh.

The 9th century Buddhist monk Prajna, after spending 18 years in various places including Nalanda, settled in an unnamed monastery of Wu-ch'a (identified with Odra), before going to China. A few scholars, such as Prabhat Mukherjee, identify this monastery with Pushpagiri. Xuanzang, the Chinese Buddhist scholar and traveler, visited the site and referred to it as "Puspagiri." The Mahastupa located here is one of the ten illustrious stupas that Emperor Ashoka is said to have erected.

Identification

In the 20th century, a number of scholars identified the Pushpagiri mentioned in Xuanzang's records with various sites in present-day Odisha. Ramaprasad Chanda (1930) of the Archaeological Survey of India believed that either Udayagiri or Lalitgiri could be the historical Pushpagiri. Based on archaeological finds, K. C. Panigrahi (1961) hypothesized that Udayagiri, Lalitgiri and Ratnagiri formed a common complex, which was called Pushpagiri. As the crow flies, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri are about 11 km (6.8 mi) apart, and both about 7 km (4.3 mi) from Lalitgiri. N. K. Sahu (1958) placed Pushpagiri somewhere in the Phulbani- Ghumsur region, based on geographical descriptions in Xuanzang's works.

In 1985, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) started excavation at Lalitgiri to confirm its relation to Pushpagiri. The excavation led to several important archaeological discoveries, but none of these confirmed the identification of Lalitgiri with Pushpagiri.

Langudi Hill excavations

In the 1990s, college lecturer Harish Chandra Prusty discovered a Buddhist site on the Langudi Hill in Jajpur district. This is some 18 km (11 mi) distant from Udaygiri, the closest of the "triangle" sites, further up the river. In 1993, he and Pradeep Mohanty described the Langudi site in an article published in the Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. In 1996, the Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asia Studies and the Odisha state's archaeology department started exploring the site. Between 1996 and 2006, the Institute carried out excavations of an area stretching over 143 acres (0.58 km).

A fragmented Brahmi inscription discovered at the site names the site as puṣpa sabhar giriya ("flower-filled hill"), identified by the excavators as Pushpagiri. In 2000, an excavation conducted by the institute, under the supervision of archaeologist Debraj Pradhan, resulted in the discovery of a large stupa as well as several other archaeological artifacts. The artifacts included pillars, a fragmentary Brahmi inscription, terracota seals and Northern Black Polished Ware. Debraj Pradhan believed the stupa to have been erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka (304–232 BCE): Although Xuanzang suggests that Odra had 10 stupas erected by Ashoka, this is the only one to have been discovered so far. According to B. N. Mukherjee of Calcutta University, who deciphered the Brahmi inscription, the stupa may have been erected by "a lay Buddhist worshipper called Ashoka".

By 2007, 34 rock-cut stupas of various sizes had been discovered on the northern part of the hill. A number of Buddhist rock-cut sculptures were discovered on the southern spur of the hill, including sculptures of Dhyani Buddhas in various postures. According to D. K. Dimri, the superintendent of the ASI's Orissa circle, the archaeological finds at the site cover a period between 1st century CE and 9th century CE, and suggest the existence of a major Buddhist monastic establishment. In 2007, the ASI took over the excavated site.

• Ruins of the large stupa with a square base
• Rock-cut stupas
• Pali stone inscription

Tourism

In 2005, the Odisha State Government began developing the Langudi Hills site as a tourist place by constructing roads and other facilities.

There are other Buddhist attractions around Langudi hills. Kaima hill, in its immediate vicinity, contains a unique rock-cut elephant surrounded by four monolithic khondalite pillars; this dates from the Mauryan period in the 3rd century, BCE. Deuli, a hill situated in the confluence of the Brahmani and Kimiria rivers, has preserved five rock-cut Buddhist chambers inside caves. Additional Buddhist sites have been discovered at Bajragiri, Sarapur and Paikrapur. The Langudi sites are perhaps the largest historic Buddhist complex in India.

Langudi can be approached from Jaraka and Chandikhol on the National Highway 5, and is easily accessible from the urban centres of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The best months to visit the place are during October to February which are the cooler months.

References

1. Scott L. Montgomery; Alok Kumar (2015). A History of Science in World Cultures: Voices of Knowledge. Routledge. p. 121. ISBN 9781317439066.
2. Hiuen Tsang (1885). Buddhist records of the Western World. Translated by Samuel Beal. J. R. Osgood. p. 204.
3. Thomas Watters (1905). Thomas William Rhys Davids; Stephen Wootton Bushell (eds.). On Yuan Chwang's travels in India, 629-645 A.D. London: Royal Asiatic Society. pp. 193–194.
4. ^ Thomas E. Donaldson (2001). Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Orissa. Abhinav. pp. 4–. ISBN 978-81-7017-406-6.
5. ^ Pratapaditya Pal (2001). Orissa Revisited. Marg. p. 29. ISBN 9788185026510.
6. D. C. Sircar (1939). The Successors of the Sātavāhanas in Lower Deccan. University of Calcutta. p. 33.
7. B. S. L. Hanumantha Rao (1993). Religion in Andhra. Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of A.P. p. 87.
8. Bimalendu Mohanty (14 May 2014). Odisha's contribution to Buddhism written in golden letters. {{cite book}}: |newspaper= ignored (help)
9. Prabhat Mukherjee (1964). The Buddhist Remains of Orissa. Cuttack: Government of Orissa. p. 3.
10. Information and Public Relations Department; Government of Odisha (2017). Odisha Review (November 2017). Government of Odisha Information and Public Relations Department. p. 82. Xuan Zang, the Chinese Buddhist scholar and traveller had visited the place and mentioned its name as 'Puspagiri'. The Mahastupa at this place is one of the illustrious 10 stupas that emperor Ashoka had erected.
11. The Brooklyn Museum Annual, Volume 8. Brooklyn Museum. 1966. p. 118.
12. Ramaprasad Chanda (1930). Exploration in Orissa. Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India No.44. Calcutta: Govt. of India, Central Publication Branch. p. 6.
13. Krishna Chandra Panigrahi (1961). Archaeological Remains at Bhubaneswar. Orient Longmans. p. 33.
14. N. K. Sahu (1958). Buddhism in Orissa. Utkal University. p. 50.
15. ^ "ASI hope for hill heritage – Conservation set to start at Orissa site". The Telegraph. 29 January 2007. Archived from the original on 15 February 2007.
16. Harish Chandra Prusty & Pradeep Mohanty (1993). "Langudi: A unique Rock-cut Buddhist Site in Orissa". Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. 53: 325–327. JSTOR 42936452.
17. U Mishra. "Religious Landscape of Orissa - From 5th to 12th centuries" (PDF). INFLIBNET. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
18. ^ "Langudi : A newly discovered Buddhist site in Orissa". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
19. Debi Patnaik (27 May 2000). "Ashoka stupa found in Orissa". rediff.com.
20. "Discovery of Buddhist stupa may turn remote hamlet into tourist hotspot". Buddhist Channel TV. 19 May 2005.

v t e State of Odisha
Capital: Bhubaneswar
State symbols	Emblem: Emblem of Odisha Anthem: Bande Utkala Janani Animal: Sambar Bird: Indian roller Flower: Ashoka Tree: Sacred fig Fish: Mahanadi mahseer
Governance	Governors Chief ministers Legislative Assembly Constituencies High Court Police Elections Politics Human Rights Commission
History	Kalinga Rulers Mahameghavahana dynasty Murunda dynasty Nala dynasty Mathara dynasty Pitrbhakta dynasty Shailodbhava dynasty Bhauma-Kara dynasty Bhanja dynasty Somavamshi dynasty Eastern Ganga dynasty Gajapati Empire Bhoi dynasty Orissa Tributary States Utkal Sammilani Historic sites Maritime history of Odisha
Geography	Flora and Fauna Forests Utkal Plains Garhjat Hills Chilika Lake Deomali (Highest point) Abdul Kalam Island
Districts by division	Northern Angul Balangir Bargarh Debagarh Dhenkanal Jharsuguda Kendujhar Sambalpur Subarnapur Sundergarh Central Balasore Bhadrak Cuttack Jagatsinghpur Jajpur Kendrapara Khordha Mayurbhanj Nayagarh Puri Southern Boudh Gajapati Ganjam Kalahandi Kandhamal Koraput Malkangiri Nabrangpur Nuapada Rayagada
Cities	Angul Balangir Balasore Barbil Bargarh Baripada Bhadrak Bhawanipatna Bhubaneswar Berhampur Cuttack Dhenkanal Jajpur Jharsuguda Jeypore Joda Kendrapara Kendujhar Khordha Paradeep Puri Rourkela Sambalpur Talcher
GI products	Berhampur Patta Bomkai sari Dhalapathar Parda & Fabrics Ganjam Kewda Flower Ganjam Kewda Rooh Gopalpur Tussar Fabrics Habaspuri sari Khandua Konark stone carving Kotpad Handloom fabrics Odisha Ikat Pattachitra Pipili appliqué work Odisha Rasagola Sambalpuri sari
Topics	Arts Cinema Cuisine Culture Day Economy Education Festivals Language Act Script Literature Grammar People Tribes Sports Tourism
India portal

v t e    Topics in Buddhism
Outline Glossary Index
Foundations	Four Noble Truths Three Jewels Buddha Dharma Sangha Noble Eightfold Path Nirvana Middle Way
The Buddha	Tathāgata Birthday Four sights Eight Great Events Great Renunciation Physical characteristics Life of Buddha in art Footprint Relics Iconography in Laos and Thailand Films Miracles Family Suddhodāna (father) Māyā (mother) Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother) Yaśodharā (wife) Rāhula (son) Ānanda (cousin) Devadatta (cousin) Places where the Buddha stayed Buddha in world religions
Bodhisattvas	Avalokiteśvara Guanyin Mañjuśrī Mahāsthāmaprāpta Ākāśagarbha Kṣitigarbha Samantabhadra Vajrapāṇi Skanda Tārā Metteyya/Maitreya
Disciples	Kaundinya Assaji Sāriputta Mahamoggallāna Ānanda Mahākassapa Aṅgulimāla Anuruddha Mahākaccana Nanda Subhūti Puṇṇa Mantānīputta Upāli Mahapajapati Gotamī Khema Uppalavanna Asita Channa Yasa
Key concepts	Avidyā (Ignorance) Bardo Bodhicitta Buddha-nature Dhamma theory Dharma Enlightenment Five hindrances Indriya Karma Kleshas Mental factors Mindstream Parinirvana Pratītyasamutpāda Rebirth Saṃsāra Saṅkhāra Skandha Śūnyatā Taṇhā (Craving) Tathātā Ten Fetters Three marks of existence Anicca Dukkha Anattā Two truths doctrine
Cosmology	Ten spiritual realms Six Paths Deva realm Human realm Asura realm Hungry Ghost realm Animal realm Naraka Three planes of existence
Branches	Mahayana Zen Chinese Chan Japanese Zen Korean Seon Vietnamese Thiền Pure Land Tiantai Huayan Risshū Nichiren Madhyamaka Yogachara Vajrayana Tibetan Buddhism Chinese Esoteric Buddhism Shingon Dzogchen Theravada Navayana Early Buddhist schools Pre-sectarian Buddhism Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna Southern, Eastern and Northern Buddhism
Practices	Bhavana Bodhipakkhiyādhammā Brahmavihara Mettā Karuṇā Mudita Upekkha Buddhābhiṣeka Dāna Devotion Deity yoga Dhyāna Faith Five Strengths Iddhipada Meditation Mantras Kammaṭṭhāna Recollection Smarana Anapanasati Samatha-vipassanā (Vipassana movement) Shikantaza Zazen Tukdam Koan Ganana Mandala Tonglen Tantra Tertön Terma Merit Mindfulness Mindful Yoga Satipatthana Nekkhamma Nianfo Pāramitā Paritta Puja Offerings Prostration Music Refuge Sādhu Satya Sacca Seven Factors of Enlightenment Sati Dhamma vicaya Pīti Passaddhi Śīla Five precepts Eight precepts Bodhisattva vow Pratimokṣa Threefold Training Śīla Samadhi Prajñā Vīrya Four Right Exertions Twenty-two vows of Ambedkar
Nirvana	Bodhi Bodhisattva Buddhahood Pratyekabuddhayāna Four stages of awakening Sotāpanna Sakadagami Anāgāmi Arhat
Monasticism	Bhikkhu Bhikkhunī Śrāmaṇera Śrāmaṇerī Anagārika Ajahn Sayadaw Zen master Rōshi Lama Rinpoche Geshe Tulku Western tulku Kappiya Donchee Householder Upāsaka and Upāsikā Achar Śrāvaka Ten principal disciples Shaolin Monastery
Major figures	The Buddha Nagasena Aśvaghoṣa Nagarjuna Asanga Vasubandhu Kumārajīva Buddhaghosa Buddhapālita Dignāga Bodhidharma Zhiyi Emperor Wen of Sui Songtsen Gampo Xuanzang Shandao Padmasambhava Saraha Atiśa Naropa Karmapa Hōnen Shinran Dōgen Nichiren Shamarpa Dalai Lama Panchen Lama Ajahn Mun B. R. Ambedkar Ajahn Chah Thích Nhất Hạnh
Texts	Early Buddhist texts Tripiṭaka Mahayana sutras Pali Canon Chinese Buddhist canon Tibetan Buddhist canon Dhammapada Sutra Vinaya Madhyamakālaṃkāra Abhidharmadīpa
Countries	Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan Cambodia China India Indonesia Japan Korea Laos Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Philippines Russia Buryatia Kalmykia Tuva (ru) Singapore Sri Lanka Taiwan Thailand Tibet Vietnam Africa Senegal South Africa Central Asia Uzbekistan Middle East Iran Saudi Arabia Western countries Argentina Australia Brazil Canada Costa Rica Czech Republic France Germany Italy Mexico New Zealand Norway Poland Sweden Switzerland Ukraine United Kingdom United States Venezuela
History	Timeline Ashoka Kanishka Buddhist councils History of Buddhism in India Decline of Buddhism in India Huichang persecution of Buddhism Greco-Buddhism Gandharan Buddhism Texts Menander I Buddhism and the Roman world Buddhism in the West Silk Road transmission of Buddhism Persecution of Buddhists In Afghanistan In Vietnam Rimé movement Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal Dalit Buddhist movement Chinese invasion of Tibet 1959 Tibetan uprising Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism Buddhist modernism Vipassana movement 969 Movement Engaged Buddhism Women in Buddhism
Philosophy	Abhidharma Atomism Buddhology Creator Buddhism and democracy Economics Eight Consciousnesses Engaged Buddhism Eschatology Ethics Evolution Humanism Logic Reality Secular Buddhism Socialism The unanswerable questions
Culture	Architecture Temple Vihāra Kyaung Wat Ordination hall Stupa Pagoda Burmese pagoda Candi Dzong architecture List of Buddhist architecture in China Japanese Buddhist architecture Buddhist temples in Korea Thai temple art and architecture Tibetan Buddhist architecture Art Greco-Buddhist Bodhi Tree Budai Buddha in art Calendar Cuisine Funeral Holidays Vesak Uposatha Māgha Pūjā Asalha Puja Vassa Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Kasaya Mahabodhi Temple Mantra Om mani padme hum Mudra Music Pilgrimage Lumbini Maya Devi Temple Bodh Gaya Sarnath Kushinagar Poetry Prayer beads Hama yumi Prayer wheel Symbolism Dharmachakra Flag Bhavacakra Swastika Thangka Temple of the Tooth Vegetarianism
Miscellaneous	Abhijñā Amitābha Brahmā Dharma talk Hinayana Iddhi Kalpa Koliya Lineage Māra Siddhi Sacred languages Pāḷi Sanskrit
Comparison	Baháʼí Faith Christianity Influences Comparison East Asian religions Gnosticism Hinduism Jainism Judaism Psychology Science Theosophy Violence Western philosophy
Lists	Bodhisattvas Buddhas Buddhists Suttas Sutras Temples Festivals
Category Buddhism portal

• Religion
• India

• Buddhist sites in Odisha
• Buddhist monasteries in India
• Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
• Ancient universities of the Indian subcontinent
• Buddhist universities and colleges
• Buildings and structures in Jajpur district
• Defunct Buddhist monasteries
• Education in Odisha
• Former Buddhist temples
• Former populated places in India
• Ruins in India
• Stupas in India
• 3rd-century Buddhist temples
• Educational institutions established in the 3rd century
• 3rd-century establishments in India
• 11th-century disestablishments in India
• Archaeological monuments in Odisha
• Buddhism in Odisha