SAD to excavate Manikpatna to unravel hidden culture

Bhubaneswar,Jul 26(UNI) To unravel the hidden rich culture, the Orissa government today asked the State Archaeology Department(SAD) to conduct excavation in Manikpatna in Puri district, Jaugada in Ganjam and the basin of the Rusikulya river.

Culture Minister Suryanarayan Patro said the government took the decision after a survey conducted in the coastal areas of the state revealed the evidence of rich culture lying hidden in these areas.

The Minister said the SAD was also asked to undertake excavation of at least six Buddhist sites, located closed to Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri, early period Buddhist sites, known as golden triangle in Jajpur district.

He said during the last three years the SAD had identified nine sites known as Kaima, Tarapur, Deuli, Deolpur, Neulpur,Brajagiri, Kantigadaia, Pankuri and Radhanagar close to the golden triangle for excavation.

While the excavation and preservation of Kaima, Tarapur and Deuli had been completed, the government asked the Archaeology department to undertake the excavation of the rest six places.

Mr Patro said he had also asked the Tourism and Archaelogy department to prepare a project report to make a Buddhist circuit comprising of these place in a bid to promote tourism.

The Rural Development and Public Works Department were asked to provide road connectivity to these places.

The Minister said excavation undertaken in Kapileswar in the outskirts of the capital city and in three places in Kenduli, the birth place of Jaydev, a great poet, had led to the discovery of several important articles of historical importance from the sites.

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