APSC Prelims 2025 Daily Notes: ASI excavation in Ratnagiri

Objective of the Excavations

• In December, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) resumed excavations at the 5th-13th century Buddhist site in Ratnagiri, Odisha, after a 60-year hiatus. 
• Led by D. B. Garnayak, the team aimed to further uncover the Buddhist complex and investigate its links to Southeast Asian culture.

Key Discoveries

• The team unearthed significant artifacts, including a colossal Buddha head (3-4 feet tall), a massive palm (5 feet), ancient walls, and inscribed Buddhist relics, estimated to date back to the 8th-9th century AD. 
• These findings underscore Ratnagiri’s historical and cultural importance as a Buddhist center.

Odisha’s Role in Buddhism and Southeast Asia

• Odisha’s maritime trade with Southeast Asia historically facilitated the spread of Buddhism. 
• The Baliyatra festival commemorates these 2,000-year-old trade links with regions like Bali, Java, Sumatra, and Burma. 
• Mauryan Emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism after the Kalinga War further elevated the state’s Buddhist prominence.

Ratnagiri as a Learning Center

• Between the 7th and 10th centuries, Ratnagiri rivaled Nalanda as a hub for Buddhist learning, especially for Mahayana and Tantrayana (Vajrayana) sects. 
• Scholars believe the site was visited by Hiuen Tsang during 638-639 AD and played a pivotal role in the region’s intellectual and religious history.