ISSN 0970-8669 Review

he Langudi hill with its archaeological remains of Motte’s visit, Langudi hill was included in the Tas a Buddhist site needs no introduction. On village Aurangabad. Anybody’s claim to have and around the Asia hill range of undivided stumbled upon the Langudi site as an explorer in district, a good number of Buddhist sites were the last part of 20th century is nothing but travesty developed at different epochs of history in an of truth. extensive area of which the Langudi monastery Apart from the rock cut and then renowned as PuspagiriVihar was the oldest. images, portable images of Dhyani Buddha and In what follows, I have made an attempt to outline mother goddess,votive stupas, some fragmented the tourism potentials of Langudi and other sites rock inscriptions, burnt bricks, terracotta objects, in its vicinity and also suggested a development broken pottery etc. have been unearthed from plan thereof. the site. A many Buddhist artefacts have also been In the early 50s, just after the abolition of recovered from the site as a result of limited Zamindary system, the Langudi hill got deforested excavation. Buddhist activities dating back to 2nd deliberately by the local people on the pretext of century B.C. till 10thcentury A.D. flourished here. menace of the wild beasts that abounded the hill. Almost all the low lying hills in the area were

Tourism Prospects of Langudi Puspagiri

Akshaya Kumar Jena

The top of the hill which houses the vestiges of dotted with Buddhist monuments most of which the PuspagiriVihar as well as the later Aurangabad lie in dilapidated conditions. Four of them namely, Fort was bare opened. Except for a mound that , Udaygiri, Lalitgiri and Langudi have had concealed the Mahastupa beneath, the rock acquired global reputation. cut stupas and images of Buddha in various postures were completely exposed. Then, villagers The Buddhist site at Langudi has become knew about the existence of this site. The five big the centre of attraction for the tourists for its stupas among all the 34 rock cut stupas were uniqueness in many respects, like (i) The Buddhist revered by the villagers as “Pancha Pandav”. Also monuments here were the earliest in Odisha. a part of the complex came to be known as (ii) The rock cut technique used here was the first “Suniavedi”. T.S. Motte, British national en-route of its kind in Odisha. (iii) Xuan Zang, the Chinese to on East India Company’s job in Buddhist scholar and traveller had visited the place 1766 had observed the site from a distance and and mentioned its name as ‘Puspagiri’.(iv) The had made a mention of the military activities of Mahastupa at this place is one of the illustrious10 the Aurangabad fort in his travelogue. At the time stupas that emperor had erected.

82 NOVEMBER - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

From excavation of this site some so extensive in area as this complex comprising fragmented rock inscriptions in have the Buddhist sites from Langudi to Lalitgiri. The been recovered. As per the inscriptions, the name potential of the place need be harnessed in a well- of the Vihar was”Puspa Sabhargiriya” which planned and concerted manner. It may not be lost denotes “flower filled hill”. This has ended the sight of the fact that in the face of rising resistance quest for identification of the Puspagiri Vihar.An against the environmental pollution mainly due to inscription found here suggests unequivocally that mining and industrial activities, the future world the was erected by “a lay Buddhist economy would largely depend on prospective worshipper called Ashoka”. Therefore it can sectors like tourism. The sooner a well thought safely be deduced that the Langudi Stupa plan to exploit tourism potentials is in place the happened to be one of the ten stupas the king better. To develop the Langudi site to its full Ashoka had erected. (v) An image of King potential, some suggestions are hinted below. Ashoka has been found here. (vi) The Mahastupa Development Plan for Langudi: built with laterite and Khondolite stones is of rectangular size which is not very common. Its 1. Excavation : Excavation at the site had size is 65’X60’. been conducted in slow and sluggish manner and now has come to a stop albeit, the entire site has The significance of the place lies, from not been excavated. A big mound locally called tourism point of view in its uniqueness as well as ‘Suniabedi’ and remains of some chambers need its proximity to some other unique sites.The be excavated to bring it to full view. nearbyTarapur hill houses the ‘kesh stupa’ as indicated by its rock inscription where locks of 2. Restoration: When Langudi-Puspagiri hair of Buddha bestowed to Tapasu and Bhallika aspires to be the face of Odishan , it by Buddha himself were stored and worshipped. does not behove well that the Mahastupa here There are two caves here besides the stupa which stands testimony to the utter apathy and negligence are marked in Brahmi script as Tapasu and of Government towards this site. It needs Bhallika caves. Needless to mention that these immediate restoration to its full glory. two Odias Tapasu and Bhallika were the first two 3. Preservation: The portable images and disciples of Buddha. The Deuli hill in close other artefacts unearthed at the site have been proximity has been honey - combed with Buddhist taken from here. Those should be put to exhibition caves. Another very important site is the Kaima in a building at the site. Now the rock cut stupas hill where apart from Buddhist caves and stupa a and images remain exposed to vagaries of full bodied monolithic elephant image of the height monsoon and nuisance of street dogs. At least of 3’6’’ and length of 4’ has been sculpted out of roofs should be provided over the images and the rock and stands erect and proud. The stone rock-cut stupas for protection. inscriptions here identify the image as Gajaraj. Judging their tourism potentials, such nearby 4. Site development: (i) Connectivity- A places as the Radhanagar fort and the abandoned Buddhist circuit be delineated with Langudi at one gigantic stone bridge at village Sankha deserve end and Lalitgiri at other. A four lane pilgrim road special mention. All these account for huge tourism /Buddhist circuit road may commence from NH potential of Langudi and nearby sites. Not to 16 (formerly NH 5) at Neulapur to Lalitgiri speak of Indian Buddhist sites, very few sites in touching the Buddhist sites on the way like the world can boast of such a Buddhist complex Langudi, Bajragiri, Ratnagiri, Udaygiri and Lalitgiri.

NOVEMBER - 2017 83 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

The road may run along the existing road and 12. A motorable path to the hilltop wherever necessary roads need be straightened 13. Cafteria/Restaurant avoiding the clumsy settlements. The road from Neulapur on the N.H should proceed straight to 14. Convenience Langudi with acquisition of land if need be. The 15. Wifi facility divider line of the road should be wide enough for installation of Buddhist images and plantation 16. Picnic site of flower shrubs/trees and flower plants of 17. Parking site seasonal varieties. It will be appealing to the 18. Light connection visitors. 19. Drinking water facilities (ii) Plantation: All these low lying hills of the area have already been partially covered with 20. Accommodation for Buddhist monks/priests green foliage thanks to social forestry 21. A tower with extremely bright light to revive schemes.Plantations should be taken up for the the ancient system remaining parcels of land in these hills. 22. Growing Lily/Lotus in the existing ponds at (iii) Each Buddhist site particularly Langudi, the foothill Ratnagiri, Udaygiri, and Lalitgiri should have specific development plans.A model may be 23. Rope way connection on hilltop evolved for Langudi which may be replicated at 24. To plant a sacred sapling of banyan trees of other sites with variations in consistency with the Bodhagaya. physical conditions of those sites. The Govt. and private lands from Langudi A development plan: to Bajragiri hills turn into a virtual lake during the 1. Landscaping of the site rainy season. It may be developed into a permanent water body to enhance the beauty and 2. An open air theatre with gallery to stage marketability of the place. Buddhist functions The local people may be sensitized to 3. To develop a theme park with images of become culture conscious and tourist friendly and Buddha from birth to to keep their environment clean. Buddhist festivals 4. Development of Japanese style garden may be arranged from time to time including Tripitaka reading. 5. Children park Priority: 6. Fountains At every site full excavation, restoration, 7. A in the style of preservation and beautification should be given Bodhagaya’s primary importance. 8. A meditation hall 9. A tall Buddha statue in standing position 10. Reading hall 11. Internal path connecting various sites Akshaya Kumar Jena, At- Jarka, Dist. -.

84 NOVEMBER - 2017