Sunday, August 7 2005 17:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: In a rare archaeological find, three stupas, besides pottery and terracota remains traced to the Asokan period, were excavated at a few places in Jajpur district of Orissa, the state's Minister for Culture, Damodar Rout, said here today (August 7, 2005).

The excavation, undertaken by the Orissan Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies under the Department of Culture, was made at Tarapur, Deuli, Kayama and Radhanagar under Dharmasala police station in Jajpur district, Rout told reporters.

Square-shaped stupas made of laterite blocks, burnt bricks, railing pillars, cross-bars and other architectural features of Asokan stupas were unearthed as well as pottery and terracotta remains of that period.

Saying that the brick sizes were of Mauryan period, Rout pointed out that no image or icon was found in those hills which proved that the stupas were constructed in the early phase of the Hinayana Buddhism during Asoka's time.

The excavation at Tarapur, he said, had helped in the identification of 'Kesa stupa' besides confirming the donation made by 'Bhikh Tapusa' for the construction of the stupa at Tarapur.

A number of plain railing pillars were also discovered.

Three of them were inscribed with early Brahmi characters and three in proto-Oriya and Oriya script. The pillar had the inscription 'Kesa Thupa', the second 'Bheku Tapusa Danam' and the third 'Kaligaraja.'

Rout said that these inscriptions were deciphered by Dr Jaya Prakash, Deputy Superintending Epigraphist of Archeological Society of India.