Buddhist Bronzes of Odisha

The discovery of ninety-two bronze icons, the majority of which are Buddhist from Achutarajpur of Banpur in 1963 was rather unusual. Never before so many metal objects connected to Buddhism were found from any part of the state despite Odisha being an important center of Buddhism. It is rather strange that no scholar ever tried to study the evolution of Buddhist images in the religion which started opposing idolatry. Though none of the bronzes bear any name on these belonged to 7th-8th century AD its body, yet it can be suggested that all when Odisha was an important center of Buddhism. With dissension creeping into the religion after Buddha’s Nirvana, Buddhism virtually was divided on the issues of ethics and metaphysical ritualistic doctrines. Both Hinayana and Mahayana agree on Buddha as Sakyamuni, being born to Mayadevi. While Hinayana regards him as Progenitor of law and calls him a man with extraordinary intellect, Mahayana portrayed him as a Divine being. Thus the misogynistic religion accommodates female divinities into turned into more flexible to the pantheon. This proximity to female divinities gave birth to another sect, Vajrayana-Tantrayana. The Banpur hoard contains images of Heruka, Vajrahunkara, Kurukulla thus Vajrayana. These images make an making it clear that it was a center of interesting study in the context of the evolution of Buddhist deities.