A huge Buddhist monastery measuring 29x29 metre was unearthed from the Godavari River in Kantikiari village, 48 km from Kendrapara, by researcher Harischandra Prusty on Thursday. Several artefacts made of clay and rock were also discovered from the site.Prusty said the discovery was made after one Damodar Rout of Kanhapur village informed him about the presence of a monastery about 8 feet under the water.The monastery has 18 rooms. Remains of the upper cells, side walls and partition walls of the Sangharma (resting place of Buddhist disciples) have also been found from the site. While the rooms measure 10x9 feet each, the brick walls and partition walls measure 8x3 feet.Prusty said the size of the bricks used in the monastery is rare. Rock lamps, cooking pots and pots dating back to the Kushan dynasty have also been found.
