ASI discovers megaliths in Kerala and Buddhist treasures in Odisha

As per reports, in Kerala, near the massive Malampuzha dam in Palakkad, explorers stumbled upon a treasure trove of over 110 megalithic structures scattered across 45 hectares. Meanwhile, over in Odisha, about 100 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, the Ratnagiri excavation has revealed a stunning Buddhist legacy.
The ASI team discovered ancient burial sites dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. They counted more than 110 megaliths—think cists (stone-built coffin-like boxes), stone circles, urns, dolmens, and dolmenoid cists. Most of these are crafted from massive granite slabs and boulders. Some were of laterite stones too.
Megaliths aren’t new to India—southern states like Karnataka (Brahmagiri) and Tamil Nadu (Adichanallur) have their share—but finding this many in one spot is surely a game-changer. These structures were often graves for the dead. The cist graves, some single, some multi-chambered, stand out as small but mighty monuments of the past.
Also read: Exploring Lamayuru: The ‘Moon Land’ of Leh; a complete guide
And in Odisha’s Ratnagiri, the ASI has uncovered a different kind of site. About 100 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, this ongoing dig is revealing a buried world of Buddhist art, architecture, and culture, one layer at a time. Some of the spectacular finds were three colossal Buddha heads, a brick stupa with a crisscross design, a rectangular chaitya complex, and a slew of votive stupas featuring deities like Tara, Chunda, and Manjusri.
The Ratnagiri haul doesn’t stop at big statues. The team also found Sanskrit inscriptions on sealings and sculptures, along with a rich stash of greyware pottery, and hundreds of monolithic and structural votive stupas—some with tiny niches cradling divine figures. The mix of architectural pieces and Buddhist icons paints a picture of a thriving monastic complex that once buzzed with spiritual life.
Also read: Uttar Pradesh Unveils 248 km Waterway Project Linking Kanpur to Prayagraj
In Kerala, it’s the gritty, stone-heavy world of the Iron Age. In Odisha, it’s the refined elegance of early medieval Buddhism. Both sites are proof that India’s been a hotspot of human ingenuity for millennia.