The Kalinga Dynasty ruled parts of Sri lanka in the Twelfth Century,” revealed Professor Anura Manatunga of the University of Kelaniya of the island nation while speaking at the inaugural session of the Second International Buddhist Conference here on Saturday.
Prof Manatunga, Director of the Centre for Asian Studies of the University of Kelaniya, along with a number of Buddhist scholars from India and abroad, elaborated that the centrality of Odisha in the Buddhist heritage dates back from the time of lord Buddha himself. The three-day conference is being attended by 14 international delegates from six countries, Thailand, Sri lanka, Australia, Poland, France and Nepal, besides 21 national delegates from various centres of Buddhist learning and 75 local scholars.
State Tourism and Culture Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee compared Buddhist learning centres of Odisha like lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri with the Nalanda Mahavihars and suggested initiating a proposal for a Buddhist Knowledge Establishment in the area. He advised the Collector Jajpur not to permit the hills around the major Buddhist heritage sites for extraction of minor minerals. Dr Padhee observed that success of the conference would pave way to declare these sites in Odisha as World Heritage sites.