HISTORY, LEGENDS & MYTHOLOGY

Archaeologists discover Kesa Stupa
by Sharda Lahangir

     Jajpur (Orissa): Buddhist relics dating back to the third century have been discovered recently during an excavation by a group of archaeologists and historians from the Orissa Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies in Jajpur district of Orissa. 'Kesa Stupa', considered to be the earliest Stupa in the Buddhist texts and some evidences of Toshali Nagar, the headquarters of the Kalinga, were discovered during the excavation. It was carried out under the aegis of the State's culture department at Tarapur Hill in Orissa's Jajpur district, close to the Lalitgiri- Udayagiri and Ratnagiri Buddhist complex. . "Fortunately, I could get evidence of Toshali Nagar and one particular inscription has been deciphered by Dr. Jai Prakash, Deputy Super-intending Epigraphist of the Archaeological Survey of India and it has been confirmed by the Government of India. The place is mentioned in the rock ... of Ashoka. That is called special one and two...that the royal headquarters of Kalinga at that time was Toshali," says Debraj Pradhan, Director of the excavation project. A number of plain railing pillars were also recovered from the site, five of which were inscribed; three with early Brahmi characters and two in proto-Oriya and Oriya script. "After getting due licence from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Government of India, we started excavation and discovered several amazing things which will solve many puzzles of world history as far as Buddhism is concerned," said Damodar Rout, Culture Minister of Orissa. The latest discovery is likely to finally solve the Kalinga puzzle, which relates an important phase of Indian history.
-Aug 9, 2005    

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