Paradip, May 23: The lack of funds has delayed the construction of a museum at the famous Buddhist monastery in Lalitgiri.
The museum would house the relics of the Buddha apart from other artefacts.
The proposed museum would be a treasure trove of Buddhist sculptures, relics and artefacts that were unearthed from the surrounding areas of Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri.
There are many sites in both Kendrapara and Jajpur districts that have Buddhist remnants. There are many unprotected antique Buddhist idols and sculptures in these parts of the state. The museum would protect this wealth, said officials of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
"The completion of the museum has got delayed," said superintendent of the ASI Bhubaneswar wing A.K. Patel.
"A central grant worth Rs 9.41 crore was released a couple of years ago for the project. The ASI had later handed over the museum construction to the central public works department. The department had undertaken the construction work and had spent nearly Rs 1 crore from its own resources. Though the letter of sanction was received, funds were not received and the work had to be stopped midway. We hope to resume work shortly as funds are expected to be released at the earliest," Patel said.
The Buddhist relics would be the main attraction at the museum.
"The rare relic of Lord Buddha had been unearthed in 1986 at Lalitgiri. Seven consecutive sessions of archaeological spadework unearthed a huge stupa on a hilltop at Lalitagiri. Several stone images of Buddha and three Buddha vihars were unearthed. But the most magnificent discovery at Lalitagiri was a golden casket containing tiny bones, presumed to be the relics of Lord Buddha and his favourite disciple. The relics were kept like a Chinese puzzle box in four independent caskets one inside the other. The caskets are of khandolite, stupa-shaped, pale grey soap stone, with silver and gold enclosed. The casket was discovered from among the ruins of a stupa on the Lalitgiri hill," said Harish Chandra Prusty, a historian.
