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Orissa Review * November - 2007 Tapassu and Bhallika of Orissa, Their Historicity and Nativity (Fresh Evidence from Recent Archaeological Explorations and Excavations) Gopinath Mohanty, Dr. C. B. Patel, D. R. Pradhan & Dr. B. Tripathy Inscription - Kesa Thupa The historicity and nativity of Tapassu and Bhallika, others. Most of the scholars are of the opinion the two merchant brothers of Utkala who became that Utkala of the epic and Puranas is the same the first disciples of Lord Buddha are shrouded as 'Ukkala' or 'Okkala' of the Pali literature. in mystery. Utkal was a very ancient country. In According to Majjhima Nikaya, Vassa and Buddhist literature it is described as 'Ukkala' or Bhanna are the two tribes of Ukkala who 'Okkala'. In the Brahmincal literature we find professed a type of religion called Ahetuvada, copious depiction of Utkala to have been located Akiriyavada and Natthikavada. These two tribes in the southern region of extended Vindyan range later on are known to have embraced Buddhism along with Mekalas, Kalingas, Andhras and preached by Lord Buddha. Tapassu and Bhallika 1 Orissa Review * November - 2007 Inscriptioin - Bhekku Tapussa Danam (variedly described as Tapussa and Bhalluka or of India. Under this historical backdrop, we have Bhalliya) are ascribed to Vassa and Bhanna tribes to identify the original home land of Tapassu and of ancient Utkala. The two merchant brothers Bhallika basing on the fresh archaeological became so widely popular in Buddhist world that evidence. they were represented in various garbs in various Now, the Department of Culture, Govt. of countries. The Burmese legends speak Tapassu Orissa is making extensive archaeological (Tapoosa) & Bhallika (Palekat) as the residents exploration and excavations in various parts of of the city of Okkalaba in the Irrawaddy valley. the state to gather scientific source material to According to Dr. N. K. Sahoo Okkalaba is strengthen the historicity and nativity of the two nothing but a variant form of the country of Utkala, famous merchant brothers of world eminence. mistaken as a city. The Lalitavistara mentions the Literary Record: city (Adhistana) called Utkala in Uttarapatha. The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who visited India in According to early Vinaya texts and the 1st half of 7th century A.D. has spoken about Anguttara Nikaya "two merchants named two places as belonging to Tapassu and Bhallika Trapusa (Pali Tapassu or Tapussa) and Bhallika in Balkh regions. But as per the older Pali accounts (Pali Bhalliya) approached the Buddha eight found in the Vinaya texts, the Nikayas and the weeks after his enlightenment and offered rice Jatakas, the two merchant brothers are cakes and honey". As per the belief, present-day represented as hailing from the country i.e. Buddhist community, residing in the Athagarh- Janapada of Ukkala which should be identified Baramba region of Cuttack district and Kantilo- with Utkala i.e. modern Orissa in the Southeast Padmavati-Banki opine that the merchants offered 2 Orissa Review * November - 2007 Inscription - Bhallika Lena the Lord 'Arisa Pitha' (rice cake mixed with ghee text of Ceylon delineates that Tapassu and and molasses) in a bowl provided by the four Bhallika after their conversion visited the east coast guardians of the directions (Lokapalas). After of Sri Lanka where they erected a Chaitya to offering these gifts, Tapassu and Bhallika became commemorate their visit. The site where the the first lay disciples (Upasaakas) and received merchant brothers reached in Ceylon might be relics of Buddha's hair (eight handful strings of identified with Manthai harbour city with which hair) and nails which the Tathagata offered them the ancient Oriya people had tremendous maritime to enshrine in stupas in their home country. The contact. The archaeological material of merchant brothers carried home the divine relics Radhanagara has a striking similarity with the to their native city Asitanjana where they material found at Manthai harbour in Sri Lanka deposited it in a magnificent Chaitya, erected for i.e. Fine Grey Ware and Black Slipped Ware, the purpose. According to the commentary of the Knobbed Bowls, or Begging Bowls etc. Theragatha these two merchants also Radhanagar (spelt as Rajnagar in 1929 subsequently visited the Buddha at Rajagriha and Toposheet) is situated in Jajpur district of Central by that time Tapassu was renamed as Sotapanna Orissa. and Devachikaupasaka and his name has been The Recent Explorations and Excavations: incorporated in the list of eminent upasakas of Lord Buddha. On the other hand Bhallika joined Several Buddhist remains within a particular the Sangha and became an arhat. The Pujavaliya geographical limit with Radhanagar Fort as the 3 Orissa Review * November - 2007 epi center have been found at places like Kayama, The Landscape: Deuli, Tarapur, Vajragiri, Langudi, Kantigadia, The sites mentioned above are located in a Neulpur, Panturi, Bandareswar etc. These sites very densely populated areas of Dharmasala are covered under limited excavation to trace here Tehsil. The Fort of Radhanagar is situated in the cultural sequence. Even in the trial and midst of several small hillocks containing experimental explorations, inscriptions mentioning spectacular Buddhist remnants belonging all the the names of Tapassu and Bhallika at Tarapur three sects, Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. and Deuli have been located. The inscriptions have All the hillocks are a part of the Asia hill range been deciphered by J. Jayprakash, Epigraphist, and drained by the river Brahmani and its tributary Archaeological Survey of India. The survey also Kelua. The Buddhist sites located on the hillocks resulted in the discovery of at least 10 massive are also supported by water bodies of the rivers stupas, 40 rock-cut caves and several hundreds as well as channels dug-out for obvious reasons. of votive stupas, images/sculptures of Buddhist Eventually, they also served as protective water pantheon, belonging to all the three schools i.e. bodies. The region is also one of the most fertile Hinayana (Lower Vehicle), Mahayana (Greater tracts of the Mahanadi-Brahmani delta and Vehicle) and Vajrayana (Tantric or magical form characterized by a high dependency on agriculture. of Buddhism). Explorations at and around Langudi The precipitation of the area is also well-balanced hill yielded spectacular discoveries like the ancient but sometimes affected by flood situation. The Buddhist monastery of Puspagiri Vihara, an lithostratigraphic unit of the area is marked by the Ashokan stupa, two rare statues of Emperor presence of granite and granite gneiss, charnokites Ashoka, 54 rock cut votive stupas, five rock-cut and quartz, chert and chalcedony as main intrusive dhayani Buddhas and their counterparts. The veins. The landscape provides an ideal location remains of two monasteries as also a golden for human habitation being protected by chains glazed Northern Black Polished Ware sherd, the of hills and water bodies. The people are smart pottery associated with the Mauryan noble class/ agriculturalists and bear a Central Indian affiliation, royal people is striking. The excavation at Langudi especially the traditional navigators and fishermen hill, with the discovery of Ashokan stupa and of the region. The geographical feature of the Puspagiri Vihara, has substantiated the statement region is intersected by rivers like Brahmani and of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang (629-645 Kelua and by numerous water bodies, small and A.D.) that "Ashoka constructed ten stupas (Pali big laterite hillocks with khondalite, charnokite and Tope) in Wu-Tu (Odra) country where Buddha sandstone outcrops, plain valleys with black and had preached". The stupa at Langudi hill may be alluvial soil, it convenient for settlements. the one among the ten stupas said to have been The Culture Complex of Radhanagar: constructed by Ashoka. The epigraphical and Radhanagar (200 411 N and 860 111 E) archaeological remains of this tract of 10 km radius speaks of the evolution of Buddhism from Radhanagar is located in the midst of a 6th century B.C. to 10th century A.D. in this part. cluster of hillocks, on the right bank of river Kelua, 4 Orissa Review * November - 2007 a tributary of the Brahmani river (about 85 kms being at Jaugada (at a place called Gudiali, in from Bhubaneswar) in the district of Jajpur. It is between Kavisuryanagar and Purushottampur in a fortified settlement, honeycomb in shape, Ganjam district) in a somewhat kneeling posture, measuring 1200 m on each of the sides. Recently, locally known as 'Hati Pathara'. The third elephant a small-scale excavation has resulted in the finding is located at Dhauli (half hewn). The fourth of a number of important archaeological materials. evidence of an elephant (Ashokan) comes from At present the fort is partially preserved. Kalsi, near Deheradun in Uttarakhand, in the form Earth, brick and laterite blocks are traced in the of a graffito. Keeping in view the depiction of the construction of the rampart. Fortification of each elephant, the one located at Kayama may be side consists of three projections, two in the considered as the earliest depiction of Lord corners and one in the centre. The average height Buddha in anthropomorphic form which of the fortification is between 4 and 5 m (at symbolizes birth of Lord Buddha. projections). There are two gateways (20m wide Ceramic Assemblage: each) one in the northern side and the other one The pottery varieties of the site of in the east of the central projection. The space Radhanagar include a wide array of ceramic covering an area of 500 sq. m. on the western products. They include Fine Red Ware horizon in the inner fortification, in an irregular (decorated with fingertip decoration), Black and orientation, marks the citadel or the nucleus area Red Ware, Northern Black Polished Ware, Black of the city. The citadel is associated with a large Slipped Ware, Knobbed Ware, Roman as well variety of pottery with considerable types and as indigenous Rouletted Ware, Fine Grey Ware, forms, terracotta ring-wells, ritual tanks, brick Red Polished Ware, Coarse Red Ware, etc.

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