Puphagiri

INDIA, Odisha, Jajpur

Puphagiri, also known as Puspagiri, is a large Buddhist university complex spread across three adjacent hilltops: Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, and Udayagiri. The university was active between 5th and 12th centuries and is comparable with the other great Buddhist universities of India. Both Chinese pilgrims Faxian and Xuanzang visited this place in the 5th and 7th centuries. The university followed all three major Buddhist traditions at different times. During the 9th and 10th centuries, it expanded under royal patronage, and Vajrayana Buddhism was practiced. In some cases, later structures were built on top of earlier ones, producing a remarkable range of architectural and sculptural styles.
The excavation of Ratnagiri revealed three monasteries, a large main stupa and many small stupas, caitya halls and other buildings, and a large number of sculptures and artifacts. Of the three, Monastery No. 1 is the largest and best preserved. It dates from the 7th to the 8th century. It has a 50 sq m central square courtyard surrounded by 60 pillars. At one end there is a shrine housing a Buddha statue in bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra, flanked by Padmapani and Vajrapani. There are the remains of 24 brick cells with stone door frames. The building used to have two stories but only the remains of one can be seen. The gateway of the monastery is framed by a perfectly preserved doorway. The pillars and lintel are decorated with floral and arch patterns with a relief of Gajalaksmi in the center of the lintel. The main stupa has a square base with multiple corners measuring 14 m on each side, while the dome is incomplete. Its present height is 5 m. There is a circumambulatory path between two walls. It is believed to be a 9th century stupa built on the site of an earlier structure. The area around the stupa is covered with a number of stupas of different sizes made of either brick or stone. Many stone and bronze statues were found here, including those of the Buddha, Tara, Avalokitesvara, Vajrapani, Padmapani, and Hariti. There were also more than 20 colossal heads of the Buddha in a variety of sizes.
At Lalitgiri there is a large stupa on top of the hill with many smaller ones surrounding it, the remains of a chaitya hall and four monasteries. The brick built apsidal chaitya hall measures 33 m long and 11 m wide with 3.3 m thick walls. Inside there is a circular stupa. Of the four, Monastery No. 1 is the largest and was constructed in the 10th and 11th centuries. It originally had two stories but only the remains of the first story courtyard have been preserved. Most of the statues that were excavated were those of Sakyamuni Buddha from the time when Mahayana Buddhism was dominant. Artifacts unearthed include a gold pendant, silver ornaments, a seal, and a figurine of Avalokitesvara. Inscribed pottery shards from different periods have also been found.
In the northern section of Udayagiri there is a large monastic complex surrounded by a wall, a main stupa and many smaller stupas, and other structures. The 7 m high main stupa has the four Dhyani Buddhas facing the four cardinal directions. There are a large number of chambers cut into the rock. In the southern section excavations have revealed the remains of a two-story monastic complex from the 8th century together with statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Tara, Manjusri, Avalokitesvara, and terracotta seals. Fourteen stupas were discovered here.