Along with Lalitgiri and Udayagiri, Ratnagiri is one of the three points of the Buddhist Triangle popularly known as the Diamond Triangle of Odisha. After going through the accounts of the seventh century Chinese traveller we can safely say that Ratnagiri was not only an important entre of Buddhism but also rivalled Nalanda at that time.
In the eighth century AD, Buddhist art and architecture reached its zenith in Ratnagiri then under the rule of Bhaumakaras who were devout Buddhists.
Statue of Buddha and other statues recovered from excavation in Ratnagiri, Odisha by ASI / image creditIn the sixth century AD Ratnagiri was a centre of Mahayana Buddhism. Later Vajrayana form of Buddhism began to be practised here.
The remains of two huge monasteries, a large Stupa, a good number of votive stupas and Buddhist sculptures have been excavated at Ratnagiri.
The Ratnagiri museum is an invaluable introduction to the history of Buddhism in the area and has some fascinating finds including sculptures unearthed from the area.
How to Reach Ratnagiri
Air: Nearest airport to Ratnagiri is at Bhubaneswar, 100 km from this place.
Rail: Nearest railway station to Ratnagiri is Cuttack which is 70 km from this place. Cuttack is connected with all major cities and places of India.
Road: Good motorable road connect Ratnagiri with major places in Odisha. Krushnadaspur is the next bus stop to Ratnagiri. Several buses run between Paradeep and Cuttack via Krushnadaspur. You can also find autos from Chandikhol from where you can travel to Ratnagiri. Ratnagiri is 18 kms and 30 kms from Krushnadaspur and Chandikhol respectively.
Best Time to visit Ratnagiri
The best time to visit Ratnagiri is between the months of October and March. Temperature is extreme in summers and winters.
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