Odisha: Heritage lovers stumble upon Buddhist influence on Hindu divinities

Key Highlights

• At Nagarjuna Peeth in Kalyanpur village, local residents have traditionally worshiped two ancient idols as manifestations of Lord Vishnu.
• However, upon closer inspection, these figures are clearly not representations of eternal Hindu deities but are directly linked to Buddhism: One is Bodhisattva Manjushri, and the other depicts Gautama Buddha in his descent from the heavens (Devavatran).
• The presence of such Buddhist icons amid a region dominated by Shiva-Shakti worship is both remarkable and thought-provoking, inviting deeper inquiry into the site’s layered historical narrative.
• Although no definitive evidence confirms the Buddha’s personal visit to Odisha, the ancient Kalinga region stood as a prominent stronghold of Buddhism.
• The Pali text Anguttara-Nikaya records that two Odia merchant brothers, Tapussa and Bhallika, became disciples of the Buddha and received a lock of his hair, which they enshrined in Odisha, initiating the spread of the faith there.