BUDHAKHOL : A LESSER KNOWN BUDDHIST HERITAGE SITE OF ODISHA

:by anil dhir

Bhubaneswar:12/11

Budhakhol is a lesser known Buddhist heritage site located near  Buganda in  Ganjam District.  The old heritage is known for its beautiful trees, caves, temples and a perennial waterfall. The place is a mix of both Buddhism and Hinduism

The presence of a group of five Shaivite temples inside the complex makes it an important shrine of the area. The five temples are Makareswar,  Gangadhareswar,  Jagadishwar,  Siddheswar and  Budheswar, collectively known as the Panchu Mahadeva.

The name  Budhakhol is derived from Badhesvara, meaning the Buddha in a  meditating pose.  It is  believed that Buddha  had visited the place. Huein Tsang also visited the place and  written about the monastery where the  teaching of  the Buddha was done. 

The number of Buddhist remains found at the place is suggestive of a  Buddhist settlement in the early era. There are many rock cut caves in the vicinity. One of the  cave,  Siddha Gumpha was used by Buddhist monks to  meditate. Another cave named Dayana is also present on the main hill. 

A perennial stream called Panjuria forms a waterfall.  Water from the falls trickles down 25 feet through the fronds of an ancient banyan tree. A real sylvan and serene heritage site.