Ratnagiri

Ratnagiri (Odia: , meaning "hill of jewels") is the site of a ruined mahavihara, once the major Buddhist monastery in modern Odisha, India. It is located on a hill between the Brahmani and Birupa rivers in Jajpur district. Together with the nearby Buddhist sites of Lalitgiri and Udayagiri it is known as the Diamond Triangle. Ratnagiri is located 100 km (62 mi) from the state capital Bhubaneswar and 70 km (43 mi) from the former state capital Cuttack. The Buddhist monuments were constructed from the 5th century CE onwards, with the last work in the 13th century, and the peak period of work done between the 7th to 10th centuries. After perhaps the 16th century the site ceased to be used and fell into ruins. These were little known until the 1960s when major excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India ("ASI") revealed the site, producing large quantities of very fine sculpture. Monastery 1 has been described as "the finest in terms of carved stone decoration to have survived in India". Some of this was removed to museums elsewhere, with much left on site. A museum at the site houses many pieces. The main elements were an impressive stupa (Stupa 1) surrounded by several hundred smaller stupas of varying dimensions, three quadrangular monasteries (Monasteries 1 to 3). Monastery 1 is by far the largest, with a beautiful carved doorway, spacious open courtyard, cells

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