A significant 3rd-century BCE Mauryan-era temple foundation has been unearthed in the coastal Bhadrak district of Odisha. The structure, dedicated to the Vedic deity Varuna, features a massive circular ritual platform made of burnt bricks and remains of a polished sandstone railing, indicating royal patronage from the time of the Mauryan expansion into Kalinga.
The discovery is the first of its kind in eastern India to show a dedicated temple structure for a Vedic god during the early historical period. Excavators also found several terracotta seals with Brahmi inscriptions and fragments of Northern Black Polished Ware, suggesting the site was a major religious hub along the ancient maritime trade routes connecting the coast to the hinterland.