Deep within the forested borderlands between Chhattisgarh and Odisha, researchers have located a 6th-century 'Naga' dynasty temple. The structure is built using massive laterite blocks and features a unique 'Siddha-Sopana' (stairway of the perfected ones) carving style on its entrance, which is characteristic of the early esoteric Shaivite traditions of the region.
The temple’s triangular spire architecture suggests a link between the post-Gupta styles of North India and the emerging Kalinga style of the coast. Inside the ruins, archaeologists found a monolithic lingam with a rare five-faced (panchamukha) carving, largely intact despite centuries of exposure to the elements. This site is now being considered for emergency protection by the state archaeological department.