According to accounts, investigators discovered a wealth of more than 110 megalithic buildings dispersed over 45 hectares in Kerala, close to the enormous Malampuzha dam in Palakkad. Meanwhile, the Ratnagiri excavation in Odisha, which is roughly 100 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, has uncovered a magnificent Buddhist legacy.
Ancient burial sites from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages were found by the ASI team. They identified over 110 megaliths, including dolmens, urns, stone rings, cists (boxes made of stone that resemble coffins), and dolmenoid cists. The majority of these are made from enormous granite boulders and slabs. Some also featured laterite stones.
Megaliths have long existed in India; southern states like Tamil Nadu (Adichanallur) and Karnataka (Brahmagiri) have their share, but seeing so many in one location is undoubtedly revolutionary. Frequently, these buildings served as burials for the deceased. Small but powerful reminders of the past are the cist graves, some of which are single-chambered and others of which have many chambers.
Additionally, the ASI has discovered a distinct type of site near Ratnagiri, Odisha. One layer at a moment, this continuous excavation, located around 100 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, is uncovering a hidden world of Buddhist art, architecture, and culture. Three enormous Buddha heads, a rectangular chaitya complex, a brick stupa with a crisscross pattern, and several votive stupas with images of Tara, Chunda, and Manjusri were among the amazing discoveries.
Types of Megalithic Burials Found
ASI officials confirmed that the discovered burials belong to different categories, including:
- Cist Graves – Small coffin-like stone boxes used for burial.
- Stone Circles – Circular arrangements of large stones marking the burial sites.
- Urns – Large pots used to contain cremated remains.
- Dolmens – Table-like stone structures with massive slabs.
- Dolmenoid Cists – A variation of dolmens with enclosed chambers.
The Iron Age is depicted in Kerala as a harsh, stone-dominated environment. In Odisha, it embodies the exquisite grace of early medieval Buddhism. Both sites demonstrate that India has been an epicenter of human creativity for centuries.
The Ratnagiri haul doesn’t stop at big statues. The team also found Sanskrit inscriptions on sealings and sculptures, along with a rich stash of greyware pottery, and hundreds of monolithic and structural votive stupas—some with tiny niches cradling divine figures. The mix of architectural pieces and Buddhist icons paints a picture of a thriving monastic complex that once buzzed with spiritual life.
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