A significant archaeological find has been reported in the Kendrapara district of Odisha, where ruins of a 10th-century temple have been excavated during a routine land survey. Attributed to the Bhauma-Kara dynasty, the structure features a unique hydraulic system known as 'Solar Siphons,' which were designed to channel purified rainwater over the 'Navagraha' (nine planets) slab during specific celestial alignments.
The excavation also yielded several chlorite stone idols of the Buddhist goddess Tara, highlighting the syncretic religious culture of the period when Tantric Buddhism and Hinduism coexisted in Odisha. This finding provides crucial evidence of the advanced engineering skills used by ancient Odiya architects to integrate seasonal weather patterns with ritual practices. The Archaeological Survey of India has taken over the site for formal documentation.