Buddhism under the Ganga’s reign

[Full title: Political and Religious History of Orissa (15): Buddhism under the Ganga’s ]

After the Somavamsis’s Buddhism was in a declining phase. The successors of the Somavamsis were the Gangas in the second decade of the twelfth century CE and they ruled till the fifteenth century CE. The Korni plates of Chodagangadeva dated to Saka year 1034 (1112 CE) reveal that he re-established the Lord of Utkala who is identified with Karnadeva. This speaks about the occupation of Utkala by the Gangas by 1112 CE (Sahu, Mishra & Sahu 1991:186). Not much is known about the state of Buddhism in Orissa during this phase. In one reference about Chodaganga’s rein, it is stated that he was a Saivite before his conquest of Utkala but later in about 1112 CE he changed his religion and embraced Vaishnaivism. He is also credited for bringing in accord between the Buddhists and Brahmans of Orissa. He was not only a popular king among the Hindus but was equally famous in the Buddhist world. This is attested to by dint of his entering in to a matrimonial alliance with the Buddhist King of Sri Lanka (Mishra 1971:40-41).

But on the basis of evidences and data available it is proved that Buddhism was not in a very good state of affairs. In one instance, a tradition recorded in the Mandalapanji states that Madana Mahadeva (Rajarajesvaradeva), the successor of Kamadeva is said to have drove away the Buddhists residing in the caves of Sara, Pamra, Bindhyesvari, Banivakrisvara, Yamunajhadapada, Aragada and Dhauli hills (Dey 1958:44). But from the excavated remains at Ratnagiri and the scattered Buddhist remains at different Buddhist sites, it is seen that the religion was not much affected during the rule of the Gangas. Though no royal patronage may have been extended to the Buddhist but it kept getting local patronage from the traders and local devotees. For in the excavations at Ratnagiri, from within a stupa a Ganga fanam was found (Mitra 1978:19).

During the Muslim invasion in Northern and Eastern India, Orissa had become a refuge for the Buddhist, in the Jayashram Vihara of Jagati Village and Jagadal Vihar of North Orissa, which were important Mahayana centers from the ninth to the twelfth century CE. Many Buddhist mendicants moved in to Orissa when Baktiyar Khilji attacked Nalanda, Vikramshila and Dantapuri; like Mahakar Gupta, teacher of Nikayas, Bibhuti Chandra, teacher in Philosophy and Subhakar Gupta, teacher of Tantricism (Patra 1991:31-34). From the excavated remains at Ratnagiri, Udaygiri, Lalitgiri and Langudi and surface finds from other sites of the state it is seen that Buddhism was not in an well off condition after the thirteenth century CE (Mitra 1978:19).