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 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 along with Mekalas, Kalingas, Andhras and preached by Lord Buddha. Tapassu and Bhallika

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Inscriptioin - Bhekku Tapussa Danam

(variedly described as Tapussa and Bhalluka or of . 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 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

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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 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 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. 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 and became an . 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, , and . 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 of Puspagiri Vihara, an lithostratigraphic unit of the area is marked by the Ashokan , two rare statues of Emperor presence of granite and granite gneiss, charnokites , 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 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 (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 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. structures and a wide range of antiquities. The which speak about the wide contact of the average brick size is 46 X 30.5 X 9 cm3. About settlement with far off places and civilizations. 7 to 8 m habitational deposit can be noticed at Besides, a number of antiquities like terracotta the citadel area over the water logging surface. beads, earrings, gamesman, horse figurine, The locality of the extreme south within the bangles of terracotta and glass have also been fortification has preserved a few isolated mounds unearthed within one metre of excavation. Further with an assemblage of potsherds and other excavations will may yield more habitational habitational debris. The community of low social deposit. ranking probably inhabited this locality. Besides, habitational mounds are also noticed outside the Tarapur Hill (200 441 N & 860 101 E) fortification, indicating that a considerable part of Tarapur (Plate 3) is a small isolated hillock urban population of Radhanagar lived outside the of khondolite, granite, sandstone with laterite fortification walls. capping situated near National Highway No. 5 at Quite close to the fort is located a hillock, Fatehpur in Jajpur district (at a distance of 65 Kayama, where a monolithic elephant is located kms from Bhubaneswar in north-west direction). (only one in the entire sub-continent), the second The site is approachable through a morum road

5 Orissa Review * November - 2007 from the Highway. Most probably, the name At least five inscriptions, two in early Tarapur has been derived from goddess of Brahmi characters and the rest three in proto- Buddhist pantheon. But surprisingly, no remains Oriya have been found. The two early Brahmi belonging to the Mahayana and Vajrayana cults inscriptions, as deciphered by J. Jayprakash, are noticed. Senior Epigraphist, Archaeological Survey of On the top of the hillock the remains of a India read as 'Bhekku Tapussa danam' and stupa is noticed which has been partially disturbed 'Kaligaraja' which associates Tapussa with the site due to natural and manmade factors. The and could be identified with the 'Kesa Stupa' as excavation has revealed a square-sized stupa referred in Anguttara Nikaya, the famous Buddhist made of burnt bricks whose sides are covered text. The casket might have survived in the debris with laterite pillars, most likely to strengthen the containing the Kesa or hair relic of Lord Buddha. corners and edges of the stupa. The shape and The remaining three inscriptions are datable to construction pattern of the stupa is in a very crude later period and read as "Kalinga Gada- form speaks of its antiquity. Scientific dating Nayakasa, "Kalinga-desa-Gadha-Nayakasa", (Thermoluminiscence method) of some of brick specimen from the core area of the stupa may and "Gupata Khandagiri". indicate the exact date. Deuli-Deulipal Hills (200 461 N & 860 081E) It can be stated concluded that the stupa These twin hills of Deuli and Deulipal are at Tarapur flourished as an important centre of situated in the right bank of the river Brahmani Buddhism during the early phase of Buddhism and near the Gokarnika Tirtha at Jaraka on the the date of the site may go back to the early part National Highway No. 5. The Brahmani meanders of 6th century B.C. at this point making the area protected and suitable Besides the stupa, a double-storied rock- for navigation. A large number of rock-cut caves cut cave is also noticed in the debris. From the (some are double-storied) are located on these cave, as also from the nearby areas, a number of hills, suggesting the Buddhist association of the used earthen lamps with carbonized impression site. On the top of Deuli hill is found the remains have been found. of a large stupa, measuring 75 x 602 ft along with The exploration and excavation at this site large numbers of laterite blocks, architectural have revealed a wide range of material culture members of the stupa, brick and brickbats and such as pottery datable to the pre-Ashokan era. ancient potteries. Besides, the site of Deuli located Mention may be made of bowls with circular at a close proximity to the site of Radhanagar on bases made of well-levigated clay and of fine the source of river Kelua has yielded a symbol fabric. The bowls have been found in two wares, resembling a cowrie or grain. The symbols are namely Red Ware with a very fine core and Fine Grey Ware. The pottery is basically religious and depicted on the exterior surface of the pots. ritualistic in nature and comprised of bowls in Similar symbol also occurs on seals and other profusion and channel spouted basins while antiquities. Hence, the symbol might have been shapes of utilitarian nature for household are scant. used as an 'insignia' of Buddhist religion.

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7 Orissa Review * November - 2007

Another discovery of an inscription in early The inscriptional evidence at Tarapur and Brahmi characters comes from a rock-cut cave Deuli strengthen the connection of Tapassu and in Deulipal hills, adjacent to the Deuli hill where Bhallika with Utkala. As evident from the Buddhist a gigantic square-shaped stupa has been partially literary sources Tapussa and Bhallika were unearthed. The inscription reads as 'Bhallika contemporary of Lord Buddha and as such Lena' and is significant in terms of the cultural sequence of the site can be traced back identification of the homeland of Bhallika in to 6th century B.C. Orissa. The rock-cut cave is facing to the Deuli The explorations and excavations hill stupa and might have been used by Bhallika conducted at Radhanagara have yielded after he became an Upasaka or Arahat. antiquities like pottery and metal objects, figurines

8 Orissa Review * November - 2007 etc. datable to the pre-Mauryan period. No other Mahanadi and Brahmani to reach Madhyadesa archaeological site in Orissa provide so much or Central India as has been mentioned vividly in material of the pre-Christian era. The excavations early Buddhist and Hindu literature. There are at Radhanagar yielded a type of pottery known thousands of Buddhist remnants on the left bank as Knobbed Ware in profusion amount which are of the Mahanadi as also on the right bank of the deeply associated with in a Brahmani. A thorough analysis of the symbolic perspective. Such wares are located in archaeological material such as pottery and other settlements like Sisupalgarh, Jaugada, Marjakud, antiquities have revealed the existence of a direct Manamunda-Asuragada, Narla-Asurgarh, route from Toshali to Pataliputra in between the Budhigarh and Kharligarh and Nehena. They carry rivers Mahanadi and Brahmani. Tapassu and trade network of the Sresthis (Buddhist trading Bhallika might have followed the route of Toshali- community) and are found along the trade route. Vidisha-Ujjain-Pataliputra or the unexplored route The site has also yielded a wide variety of of Toshali-Pataliputra located most probably in antiquities like Northern Black Polished Ware, between the two major rivers, Mahanadi and Fine Grey Ware, Red Polished Ware, Black and Brahmani which has connected Radhanagar as Red Ware some of which are even datable to the well. pre-Mauryan period. Discussion: The Route/Trail of Tapassu and Bhallika: Ukkala or Utkala mentioned in the It is known from the archaeological, literary Anguttara Nikaya is most likely a variant form of and numismatic sources that ancient Orissa was Utkala (Orissa). Later texts and traditions vary well-connected with north and south India through as to its location. Burmese legends, for example, trade routes and with South and South-East Asia identify Ukkala as a city in the delta of the Irrawady through the sea. Two royal routes or Highways river, while traditions of the Mahasanghika schools existed in ancient Orissa, joining Toshali-Ujjain- as recorded in the Lalitavistara and the Pataliputra and Toshali-Chandraketugarh- Mahavastu, place Ukkala in north-west India. Pataliputra. The route of Toshali-Ujjain- From archaeological and epigraphical evidence Pataliputra has been extensively surveyed and Utkala is known to have been situated in the north established as per archaeological, scientific of river Mahanadi in Orissa. This is supported by (several pottery types were subjected for X-Ray, puranic texts as well. Orissa was known as Diffraction Analysis and Thin Section Analysis to Ukkala or Utkala, being named after a tribe called understand the trading pattern and the route), Utkalas. In this context, Radhanagar or Rajnagar ethnohistoric and literary data. It has been fort in the Dharmasala tehsil of Jajpur district may confirmed that the route was in use since the 6th- be identified with the ancient city of Asitanjana. 5th centuries B.C. as per the analysis of the Radhanagar is the most ancient Early Historic fort archaeological material found from more than 45 in Orissa dating back to the pre-Mauryan era Early Historic settlements. Most probably there which is also well connected with Tapassu and also existed an important route in between the Bhallika as discussed in this paper.

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In the 7th century A.D. the Chinese Pilgrim, 3. A Historical Study of the terms Hinayana, Hiuen Tsang (Yuan Chwang) places their Mahayana and Vajrayana. homeland in the northwest, identifying two cities The origin of Mahayana Buddhism. Riyukan north and west of Balkh. It is important to note Kimura - Calcutta, 1927. that Hiuen Tsang spent most of his times in Tapasas - Page - 50 - School of Thoughts - eastern, central and northern part of India up to divided into Sramanan, Brahamanas or Tapasas Allahabad or Prayag where the traveler attended & Paribrajakas. a Buddhist Assembly, organized by 4. Sahajayan - Ram Prasad Mishra - Calcutta, 1991 Harshavardhana (606-646 A.D.). He was not known to have visited 'Peshawar' or Balkh region Tapasu - 7, 212 in modern Pakisthan and Afganisthan. Hence his Bhallika - 7, 212 identification of Utkala in northwest India does 5. Development of Buddhism in Uttara Pradesh - not seem to be probable. Nalinaksha Dutt, Publisher Bureau, U.P., 1956. The site of Radhanagar has not yet been Tapasu & Bhallika - Page - 68 fully excavated horizontally and hence the detailed cultural sequence of the site is yet to be 6. Buddhism in East Asia - Sukumar Dutt - ICCR, 1966. ascertained. However the startling results of the preliminary explorations and excavations in and Tapussa & Bhallika - Page - 49 & 63 around Asia hill range of which Radhanagar is 7. The Voice of Buddha - Pranab Bandopadhyaya the epicenter may be identified with the ancient - Calcutta, 1988. city of Asitanjana to which Tapassu and Bhallika Tapussa - 22, 23 belonged. It is hoped that the ongoing endeavour Bhallika - 25 of Culture Department may yield many more new avenues to strengthen the historicity and nativity 8. Sahajayan Cult of & Pancha Sakha Cult. of Tapassu and Bhallika. of Orissa - Paritosh Das, Calcutta, 1988. Inscription - Kesa Thupa Tapussa - 49, 175 Inscription - Bhekku Tapussa Danam Bhallika - 49, 175 Inscription - Bhallika Lena 9. Manual of Indian Buddhism - H. Kera, Delhi, References: 1992. 1. Buddhism in Orissa, Dr. N. K. Sahoo, Utkal Tapassu - 28, 119 University, 1958 Bhallika - 19, 120 2. 2500 years of Buddhism - Prof. P. V. BAPAT - 10. The Historical Evolution of the Buddha legend - (Ed.) Pub.Div.GOI. Sarla Khosla, New Delhi, 1989. Bhallika - Page - 21, 133, 245 Bhallika - 67, 69, 125 Tapussa - Page - 21, 133 Tapussa - 67, 69, 125

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11. Bay, Gwendolyn 1983. (Translated). Lalitavistara G.L. Badam Eds.), Pp. 97-124. Bhopal. Indira : The Voice of the Buddha: The Beauty of Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. Compassion. Berkley: U.S.A. 19. Prusty, H. and P. Mohanty 1995. Langudi: A 12. Behera, S.C. Interim Excavation Report. Jyoti Unique Rock-Cut Buddhist Site in Orissa, Vihar: Sambalpur University. Bulletin of the Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute 53 : 325-327. 13. Brandtner, M. 1994. Archaeology of Western Orissa: Finds from Nehena, in South Asian 20. Ray, P.K. 1983. Buddhist Antiquities of Tarapur, Archaeology 1993, Vol. 1 (A. Parpola and P. Orissa Historical Research Journal XXIX (1): Koskikalio), Pp. 101-114. Helsinki: Suomalainen 49-51. Tiedeakatemia. 21. Sahu, N.K. Religious Movements in Utkala and 14. Donaldson, T.E. 2001. Iconography of Buddhist Kalinga in the 6th Century B.C., Orissa Historical Sculptures in Orissa (Vol. I). New Delhi: Indira Research Journal IV (3-4): 77-88. Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. 22. Tripathy, Balaram. 2000. Early Historic Trade 15. Lal, B.B. 1949. Sisupalgarh: An Early Historic Network in Central and Western Orissa: An Fort in the Eastern Coast, Ancient India 5: Ethnoarchaeological Perspective, Man and 62-105. Environment XXV(1): 60-67. 16. Mishra, J. 2000. Radhanagar: Early Historic Buddhism, Urban Structure and Trade, in Archaeology of Orissa (K.K. Basa and P. Mohanty Eds.), Pp. 507-550. New Delhi: Pratibha Prakashan. Sri G. N. Mohanty, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Culture and Information & Public Relations Department, 17. Mitra, Debala 1980. Buddhist Monuments. Bhubaneswar. Calcutta: Shahitya Academy. Dr. C. B. Patel is the Superintendent of Orissa State 18. Mohanty, P.K. and B. Mishra 2005. From Stone Museum, Bhubaneswar Age to the Early Historic: Recent Archaeological Sri D. R. Pradhan, Secretary, OIMSEAS Discoveries in Kalahandi District, Orissa, in River Valley Cultures of India (K.K. Chakravarty and Dr. B. Tripathy, Research Scholar

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