Buddhism and Other Religious Cults of South-East India (An Old and Rare Book)

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In one of its early meetings of the Prachi Valley Cultural, Academic and Historical Society, held at Puri, the primary function of the Society was delineated as to create public awareness to help to preserve everything that is ancient. It was further resolved that the scope of the Society be enlarged to include so as to bring out manuscripts highlighting the historical monuments of South-East India, particularly pertaining to Buddhism and Jainism. The Society is the brain-child of Professor K.K. Mishra, who is the Secretary and myself its Vice-President right from the day of its inception. Since I had a considerable experience of writing historical articles earlier and had some field experience as well after having visited most of the historic sites and museums of India, I volunteered myself to do the job of selecting two hitherto unexplored historically important Valleys of Kusabhadra and the Prachi river giving particular emphasis on Buddhism and other religious cults of South-East India. The proposed project, however, went beyond to include other minor religious cults, to trace out the dynastic rule in South-East India and to cover architectural and sculptural studies of the monuments.

How far I have been successful in my attempt, it is the job of the scholars to judge. But, those scholars who were kind enough to go through the manuscript did recognize its worth, both in public and in press. I shall feel amply rewarded if the materials of this book help in further researches.

I wanted to give as many photographs as required but, due to the non-availability of good photographers in the vicinity, this could not be possible.

While preparing the manuscript I have been greatly benefited by number of well- wishers and scholars on the subject. I must express my gratitude to Shri Babraj Pradhan, the Antiquities Registration Officer of Puri zone for having supplied me with enough of books. I needed for reference; to Santosh Mitra, Lecturer in History at Kakatapur College; to M/s. Kailash Sahu of Agrakothabad; to Bichitranand Sen of Tulsipur, Tantric Guru Ashok Dixit of Kakatapur; to Bijay Dash of Gopinathpur (Cuttack); to Brundaban Sahu of Narsimhapur; to Subhas Mohanta of khanga and to the members of Prachi Valley Culture Academic and Historical Society and to the inhabitants of the villages of Shoagrapur and Betenda.

South-East India covers the vast extensive area between the two mighty rivers- the Ganga and the Godavari. Hemmed also at the West by the thick jungleclad mountainous ranges, and at the east by the sea, this area forms the ideal ground which makes for a unique history. The original inhabitants of this area, which the anthropologists believe to be the strains of the Austric and proto-Australoid reces, and about whom we shall later on deal within some details, came in contact with other races that infiltrated into this area bringing in new cultures, religious and traditional values, and as such there happened an ideological osmosis bringing in a new form of synthesised culture that was essentially local. This culture became most pronounced in India, because the Hindu period was longest in this area and that the dynasties that ruled the area were all long-lived and sufficiently strong to maintain the integrity of this geographical unit.

Buddhism and other religious cults together with the basic tenets thereof, and their iconographical, cultural traditions made the impact on the land from the very period of their inception. Each such cult, coming in contact with the local culture, got metamorphosed into something new that was not originally contained in its ideology. Buddhism, remarkable by its lofty idealism, got changed into Vajrayana in this land which was never thought of earlier. Vaishnavism, Santism and Saivaism and other cults-about which we shall go in details later on, profoundly influenced the local aborigines cult that veered round the worship of Jagannatha.

This area is known as Utkala or Odisa, the anglicised form of which is Orissa. Although its political map shows much a shrunken size nowadays, yet for realising its history its original size should always be borne in mind. The oftquoted Sanskrit sloka which seeks to glorify all that is in Utkala, is:

Varshanam Bharata Sreshthah desanam Utkala sruta, Utkalasya sama desah, nastiiha mahitale.