1300-year Old Buddhist Stupa in Jajpur

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered a 1,300-year-old stupa at a mining site in the Jajpur district of Odisha. This is an important development as far as the ancient history of the country is concerned. In this article, you can read all about this discovery for the UPSC exam art & culture, as well as the ancient Indian history segment.

ASI discovers 1300-year-old Buddhist Stupa in Odisha

• The discovery was made at a mining site by the Archaeological Survey of India in February 2023.
• The site, known as Parabhadi, supplied Khondalite stones for the beautification project around the 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. 
• The stupa is estimated to be 4.5 meters tall, and it is believed to belong to the 7th or 8th century.
• Lalitagiri, a significant Buddhist complex with numerous stupas and monasteries, is located near the Parabhadi site where the archaeological treasure was found.

Recent issues:

• The Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) had reserved six Khondalite stone blocks for mining, with Sukhuapada being the largest. 
• With the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) taking control of the Sukhuapada site, the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) might have trouble supplying Khondalite stones for the State government’s ambitious temple development programmes. 
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) guidelines’ violation was a significant controversy surrounding the redevelopment project in Puri, and this latest discovery could result in another confrontation between the Centre and the State government.

About Khondalite Stones

Khondalite stones were commonly used in ancient temple complexes, and the State government of Odisha had proposed using them extensively in the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme. 

• The government had allocated ₹3,208 crore for this project in Puri, which aimed to transform it into a world heritage city. 
• Some of the projects under the ABADHA scheme, such as the heritage security zone, the Jagannath Ballav pilgrim centre, the Puri lake development project, the Atharnala heritage project, and the Matha Development Initiative, would have used Khondalite stones to maintain aesthetic value.

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