Ratnagiri is located in Jajpur district of Orissa, lies at a distance of 100 Kms from Bhubaneswar and 70 Kms northeast of Cuttack. The famous Buddhist pilgrimage centre, is surrounded by the rivers namely, Mahanadi, Brahmani, Kimiria and Birupa. Ratnagiri has several Buddhist sculptures, scattered in the hill range. An excavation has unearthed two massive monasteries, sculptures, stupas and Buddhist shrines.The excavations have revealed the foundation of this Buddhist centre, from the time of the Gupta king, Narasimha Gupta Baladitya. It has been established during first half of the 6th century A.D. It is believed that Buddhism thrived here till the 12th century AD. Initially Ratnagari was an important centre of Mahayana, the first form of Buddhism. Later during the 8th-9th century A.D., this became a major centre of Tantric Buddhism or Vajrayana art and philosophy. Apart from a religious centre, Ratnagiri was a important centre of learning for the Tantric Buddhism or Vajrayana.
Attractions in and around Ratnagiri :
» The Stupas - The main stupa of Ratnagiri is encircled by several medium and smaller stupas. Pilgrims gather near the main stupa, as the stupa stands as a symbol of their devotion. These stupas of different varieties represent a perfect picture of fully developed Buddhism in ancient India. Donated by various donors, the stupas differ in their structure, materials and constructions.
» The Monasteries - The monasteries at Ratnagiriremind the splendid past to visitors. These delicately built monasteries stand as the proof of rich culture and flourishing Buddhism in India. The monastery I, which is called as Chatuh-Sala is rectangular in shape and it has 24 cells. The monastery consists of a large courtyard, a shrine in the front and a lobby etc. The monastery is famous for its size and symmetrical plan and also for the rich delicate carving. The monastery II is relatively smaller in size and is not much impressive. Nevertheless the main image ofthe Buddha displayed here, which surpasses all other images of Buddha.
» Udaigiri and Khandigiri hills -
The hills known for its caves, represents some examples of Jain and Buddhist art of the 2nd Century B.C. These hills have monasteries, Chaityas and Stupas that symbolize the rich culture, which flourished here. The Buddhas culptures and the rock cut out sculptress of the hill attract large number of people. Another attraction of these hills is archaeologically important brick monastery.
Accessibility :
Ratnagiri has not its own airport, nearest airport is Bhubaneswar. The nearest railhead is Cuttack (70 Kms). So it is better to first reach Cuttack to start the tour of Ratnagiri.
» Air - Bhubaneswar is the nearest airhead from Ratnagiri. Bhubaneswar is connected to most major cities like Delhi,Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad etc.
» Rail - Cuttack (70 Kms) is the nearest railway station from Ratnagiri. Cuttack has the trains from all major cities across India.
» Road - Good motorable roads connect Ratnagiri with Cuttack (70 Kms) and other nearby cities. Regular buses run between Ratnagiri and Cuttack.
Accommodation :
The base should be either Cuttack or Bhubaneswar. The hotels at Cuttack or Bhubaneswar offer plenty of accommodation choices to visitors.
Best Time for visit :
The climate of Ratangiri is somewhat extreme, the temperature soars during summers. It rains heavily in monsoons. So the best time to visit Ratnagiri is September-March.
