Deep within the dense forests of Odisha’s Kandhamal district, a team from the State Archaeology Department has located an 8th-century Bhauma-Kara dynasty Buddhist shrine. The site is notable for a set of granite pillars containing silver-leafed inscriptions in the Kutila script, detailing the land grants provided by Queen Tribhuvana Mahadevi for the upkeep of the monastery.
This finding is critical as it highlights the continued patronage of Buddhism by the Bhauma-Kara rulers in the interior highland regions. The shrine also houses a masterfully carved Bodhisattva Padmapani statue, which retains traces of original red and blue mineral pigments, offering a rare glimpse into early medieval Odisha's vibrant artistic traditions.