ASI stumbles upon 1300-yr-old Buddhist Stupa at Khondalite stone mining site in Odisha

State-run Odisha Mining Corporation was excavating Khondalite stones for their usage in ₹3000 crore-ambitious project to transform Puri into a world heritage city 

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stumbled up 1300-year-old Stupa right in the middle of mining site in Odisha’s Jajpur district from where Khondalite stones were supplied for beautification of surroundings of 12 th Century Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri.

“We have managed to retrieve a Buddhist Stupa from Khandolite mining site at Parabhadi in Sukhuapada hamlet in Jajpur district. Another smaller Stupa has been completely destroyed due to mining at the site,” Dibishada Brajasundar Garnayak, Superitending Archaeologist of ASI’s Puri circle.

Mr. Garanayak said the Stupa could be 4.5 metre height and initial assessment showed it could belong to era of 7 th to 8 th century period.

The archaeological asset was found at Parabhadi which is situated near Lalitagiri, a major Buddhist complex having large number of stupas, and monasteries. After discovery of Buddhist Stupa from mining site, the ASI intervened in the matter and asked Odisha government to stop mining through its Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). The mining has since stopped.

The newly discovered stupa was possibly disfigured in early period. The ASI would now first fully retrieve archaeological heritage, restore it to original form and undertake protection of the site.

“The State government must conduct heritage assessment of a site, particularly when it is situated near any place of archaeological, before giving permission for mining. The smaller Stupa, which is destroyed, cannot be restored,” said Mr. Garanayak.

Local people and Buddhist scholars had warned the State government of going in for mining in Sukhuapada hamlet as the site was part of Lalitgiri Buddhist site. Even local artisans expressed concerns that their livelihood would be hit with depletion of Khondalite stones at industrial scale.