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PLACES
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PLACES TO VISIT
IN AND AROUND PARADIP
Paradip, one of the India's twelve Major Ports, is the main out-let and in-let for the sea- borne trade on the eastern part of the country covering states such as Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. It is also the nearest deep port for the entire eastern part of the country. The natural resources and industrial products of this wide spread hinterland are immense. The port with a natural depth of about 13 meters, is located inside a lagoon which offers problem-free berthing facility, all the year round. PARADIP LIGHTHOUSE 
Sr.No. :
F-1004.4 Lalitgiri
The earliest
Buddhist Complex dating back to the 1st century AD, Lalitgiri forms an important
node of the Diamond Triangle ie Lalitgiri (in present Cuttack district) and
Ratnagiri and Udayagiri (in present Jajpur district). Well connected by
excellent roads from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, recent excavations here have brought
to light significant archaeological material that upholds Lalitgiri as a great
centre of Buddhist attraction.
The majestic ruins of the huge brick monastery, the remains of the chaitya hall, a number of votive stupas and a renovated stone stupa at the apex of a small rugged sandstone hill dominate the rural greenery around. In addition, the museum displays a large number of Mahayana sculptures consisting of colossal Buddha figures, huge Boddhisattva statues, statues of Tara, Jambhala and others. Interestingly, most of these sculptures contain short inscriptions on them. The Standing Buddha figures, with knee length draperies over the shoulders remind one of the influence of the Gandhara and Mathura school of art. This also brings to mind the fact of Prajna, who had come from Takshasila to ancient Orissa to learn the philosophy of Yoga. He later left for China in the eighth century A.D. with an autographed manuscript of the Buddhist text Gandavyuha, from the then Orissan king Sivakara Deva 1, to the Chinese Emperor Te-tsong. The discovery of caskets containing sacred relics, probably of the Tathagata himself, from the stone stupa at the top of the hill, further enhances the sacredness of the stupa as well as of Lalitgiri for Buddhists around the world. It also brings to mind the description of Hiuen T'sang, the famed Chinese traveler of the seventh century A D, about the magnificent stupa on top of a hill at Puspagiri Mahavihara, which emitted a brilliant light because of its sacredness. " On the basis of archaeological materials including inscriptions brought to light by excavation, Langudi hill in Jajpur district may be identified as Puspagiri." Ratnagiri Ratnagiri in the Birupa river valley in the district of Jajpur, is another famous Buddhist centre. The small hill near the village of the same name has rich Buddhist antiquities. A large-scale excavation has unearthed two large monasteries, a big stupa, Buddhist shrines, sculptures, and a large number of votive stupas. This excavation revealed the establishment of this Buddhist centre at least from the time of the Gupta king Narasimha Gupta Baladitya (first half of the sixth century A.D.). Buddhism had developed at this place - unhindered up to the 12th century A.D. | ||||||||
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