The two-day long Buddha Mahotsav in the Buddhist site Udayagiri in Jajpur district ended on Tuesday. The festival attracted many Buddhist scholars, researchers, artisans, dancers, poets, singers and other performers.
The aim of the festival is to spread the message of peace and love, and to educate people about the teachings of Buddha and cultural heritages of Udayagiri, said Badachana MlA Amar Satapathy.
For centuries, Udayagiri area has been a pilgrimage center for Buddhists. Buddhism can be explored through its beautiful monasteries, sculpture, paintings and its colorful festivals. One such festival is Buddha Mahotsav, said Mahotsav convener Maheswar Bal.
People came from far and wide for the festival to add to the enthusiasm and joy with which it was celebrated.
Notably, Udayagiri is the largest Buddhist complex in the State. It is composed of major stupas and monasteries. Together with the nearby complexes of lalitgiri and Ratnagiri, it is part of the Puspagiri University. The heritage sites are also known collectively as the Diamond Triangle.
This Buddhist complex, preceded by the Ratnagiri and lalitgiri sites, with their monasteries, is believed to have been active between the 7th and the 12th centuries.
“We are doing many developmental works to attract more tourists. The State Government will organize an international Buddhist conference at Udayagiri in February 2017,” said Jajpur Collector Ranjan Das.