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HT This Day: April 17, 1929 -- Archaeological finds in Orissa
At Gandhrai were discovered, two new temples of the same size and type - one dedicated to Vishnu and the second to Shiva which supply an important link in the history of Indian temple architecture
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Certain temples and ruins discovered recently in the Baodh State of Orissa by Prof. R. D. Banerji, formerly of the Archaeological Department of the Government of India and at present Professor, Ancient Indian History and CuIture, Benares University, have a very important bearing on the history of Orissa in particular and it has of India Architecture in general.
Baodh is a small State lying to the south of Mahanadi about 60 miles southeast of Sambalpur and about 120 miles N. N. of Cuttack. The antiquities of the area were examined for the first, time more than half a century ago by the late Mr. J D. M Beglar, an assistant of Sir Alexander Cunningham. But on account of the inaccessibility of the village far away from the road, Beglar missed the most important of them. About ten miles from Baodh, the Capital of the state lies a small village Gandhrai which is mentioned in certain ancient copper plate grants of the Bhanja kings of Orissa. It is a place where many Brahmins resided. This village is about 2 miles from the old pilgrim road from the United Provinces to Jagannath or Puri which passes through Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rewa and to Allahabad. The modern road from Sambalpur to Puri follows the left bank at the Mahanadi while the old road follows the right bank.
Two more temples discovered
At Gandhrai were discovered, two new temples of the same size and type - one dedicated to Vishnu and the second to Shiva which supply an important link in the history of Indian temple architecture. These temples are low and in them the curvature in the spire is not abrupt like that of the spire of the temples of Bhuvaneshvara but gradual. In Bhuvaneshvara there is only one temple of this particular type which was so long regarded as an exception to the general rule of the Bhuvaneshvara temples. This is a temple of Parashurameshwara which is undoubtedly the oldest temple in Orissa. The gradual curvature in the spire of the Gandhrai temples proves that they belong to the same period as the Parashurameshwara.
The Mandava: An important feature
Another important feature of these temples is the Mandapa or the law hall in front of the sanctum. In the Parashurameshwara temples at Bhuvaneshvara and the Gandhradi temples these Mandapas are low hut-shape buildings and like all other temples of Orissa in which the roof of these buildings are stooped pyramids. In the Gandhrai temples the roof are build on the cantiever principles and are not trabeated pyramid, like the remainder of temples all over India.
A large image of Buddha
About two miles from Gandhradi are the ruins of an old and large town or city ascribed to Raja Gandhmardan, who, it is stated was Brahmin and who adopted a Khattri boy of the Bhanja family who is the ancestor of the present Rajas of Baodh, as it is understood the tarpan as still performed by the Ruling Chiefs of Baodh in the dark half of the month of Ashwayuja which is totally against none Hindu Shastras. In the town of Baodh there is a large image of Buddha built in sections which is only second in age of its kind in India. The only other instance known is the colossal image of Buddha at Lalitgiri in Cuttack district. Buddhist or Hindu images built in sections are very common in Siam, and Cambodia but in India and Afghanistan they ate practically unknown. The gigantic images of Buddha in Bamiyan in Afghanistan are monoliths as are the colossal etc. of Delhi gate of Gwalior fort.
The great Jain colossi of Sravan Belgola in Mysore are also carved out in single piece of rock. The image of Buddha is a seated one yet 11 feet in height. It, has not been disturbed from its original position, when it was placed at least 11 hundred years ago because it still occupies the same throne at old stone- pyramid of its original temple. Now Buddha has become a Shaitan in the eyes of the local people because when there in draught this image is entirely covered with earth. At other them it is kept buried up to the waist. Evidently the local Brahmins have explained to the people that. it is the evil eye of the great Buddha which disallowed the clouds from discharging the much needed liquid. The undisturbed state of the image proves that the brahmins were clearly afraid to destroy this image as they have done in hundreds of Buddhist temples in India.
Near the big image there is a collection of smaller Buddhist images one of which bear on its back the Buddhist creed ‘ye dharma hetu prabhata,’ etc. Just outside the town of Baodh there is a group of three Shiva temples of a peculiar plan. These temples are octahedral in form instead of being cruciform like in the majority of Indian temples. They were built on a basis formed by the intersecting squares. They are covered with rich carvings which is far superior to those on any other temple in any part of Orissa. Near these temples there is a collection of Buddhist images one of which is a large Avalokiteswar called the great compassionate one in Sanskrit. Near it there is a Buddha image with Buddhist creed described on its back which is now worshipped as Ugratara by the Ruling Chiefs of Baodh.
The discoveries of these large and small Buddhist images in Bandh town proves that the name of Baodh in derived from Sanskrit Boudhha which means Buddhist, instead from modern mixed Oriya which means jungle country or unpopulated country.
