Excerpt from The Modern Buddhism: And Its Followers in Orissa
In November 1908, I was required to accompany the Feudatory Chief of Mayurabhanja on an Arch?ological tour in the interior of his territories. We paid a visit to Khiching, which was once an important seat of the Bhanja Rajas. I mixed with the humble people of the neighbouring villages, and from this close contact with them observed some curious customs and manners amongst them which bear little affinity to those of the Hindus. At this stage a band of merry lads of the Pan caste entertained me with their songs, which were all upon the texts of the Dharmagita. The songs interested me very much, as in the texts I found distinct indications of the tenets of Mahayana Buddhism. Shortly after this I met some old men, who recited the songs of the Pala Kings of Bengal. These also belong to the period of the Buddhistic ascendancy. I was now convinced that Buddhism was not altogether a lost religion in Orissa. My curiosity being thus roused, I hunted after and soon laid my hands upon some old Oriya MSS. which proved that Buddhism flourished in this part of the country so late as the 16th and 17th centuries. I now studied with care the sacred books of the Mahima-dharmists and some other sects, who inhabit Khiching and various parts of Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and other gadajats; and found that these people unmistakably profess Buddhistic tenets inspite of their not being recognised as Buddhists by the people.
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