Udayagiri

The three Buddhist Monasteries or Vihars are contemporary to Nalanda and Taxila. According to some historians, the Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri complex was the famed Pushpagiri Mahavihara, mentioned by the Chinese traveller Xuanzang who visited the monasteries in the 7th century CE. According to archaeological evidence, the monasteries were constructed in the 5th century CE and remained functional until the 13th century CE. They peaked between the 7th and 10th century CE. The site was most probably abandoned in 16th century CE and fell into ruins. The sites were identified as historically important way back in the early 1900s, but excavation started in the mid 20th century CE. It was only in the 1980s full-fledged excavation revealed huge structures consisting of large monasteries and giant stupas. It was only in the 1990s an excavation in Langudi confirmed that the sites were indeed part of Pushpagiri Mahavihara, which was visited by Xuanzang.