ASI plans a new museum at Lalitgiri; one exists at Ratnagiri
Heritage sites, Historical places, Jajpur, Museums, Odisha history April 25th. 2011, 11:43amFollowing is from http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=71775.
The Buddhist relics found during an excavation at Lalitgiri in Orissa are proposed to be housed in a museum. The Excavated Buddhist Site, Lalitgiri was notified as Centrally Protected in the year 1937. The site has been extensively excavated by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) during the year 1985-1992. The remains of a massive Stupa including a relic caskets consisting of four containers made of Khondalite, Steatite, Silver and Gold containing corporal remains have been recovered during the excavation, besides other important structure and archeological remains. At present, the relic caskets are in the safe custody of Superintending Archaeologist, Bhubaneswar Circle, ASI, Bhubaneswar, Orissa. Further, In order to set up a site museum at Lalitgiri the site has been inspected and preparation of detailed drawing (Plan, Elevation, Design) of the proposed museum building have been initiated by the Bhubaneswar Circle, ASI.
The relic –caskets containing Buddhist bone relics would be housed and displayed for the public under adequate security and surveillance
Note that a similar museum exists at Ratnagiri. See http://asi.nic.in/asi_museums_ratnagiri.asp.
In the facebook note http://on.fb.me/puspagiri-links we have collected various links about Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, Udaygiri and Langudi hills. We are trying to find out what archaeologists and historians think regarding the existence of ancient Buddhist Universities in Odisha. The information about Madhavapura Mahavihara (in Udaygiri) at http://asi.nic.in/asi_exca_2005_orissa.asp looks interesting in that regard.