Thread by @pattaprateek

In the Tantric schools of Buddhism, a mystical land by the name of Oddiyana or Uddiyana is mentioned. Believed to be the 'land of dakinis' & the homeland of Vajrayana, it is also known as Oda, Odra, Odivisā. Considering everything, it can be safely said that Oddiyana is Odisha.

The King Indrabhuti, himself a Mahasiddha, according to Buddhist accounts, was the King of Sambhala in Oddiyana - Sambala-pura (Sambalpur) in Odisha. Unsurprisingly, king Indrabhuti begins his celebrated treatise 'Gyanasiddhi' with a prayer to Jagannatha.

Around the 7th c, there emerged a group of mystic Buddhist saints who came to be known as the 'Mahasiddhas' 'great masters'. Many of them were from Odisha and have written in Odia. The tales of their lives are very engrossing - so I thought I'd narrate a few in a thread.

There were eighty four Mahasiddhas and I will touch upon the hagiographies of the ones from Odisha, based on Tibetan sources and Odia legends. Some familiar names for Odia readers, that will come up at some point in this thread are Hadipa, Kanhupa, Sabaripa and Luipa.

Xuanzang referred to Odisha as 'Udyāna'. The middle indic form of Udyāna according to scholars is 'Oddiyāna'. Udyāna of course refers to garden in Skt. Buddhist texts describe Oddiyana as a green, fertile land inhabited by peaceful people, with great respect for learning.

The hallowed country of Oddiyana is central to the Buddhist Tantric schools. Almost every great Tantric Buddhism master from India is associated with Oddiyana. Several Buddhist texts mention Oddiyana as the place of composition. Odisha was the heart of Vajrayana in ancient India.

Dakinis (ଡାଙ୍କିଣୀ-ଡାଙ୍କୁଣୀ-ଡାହାଣୀ) or Yoginis (ଯୋଗଣୀ) are believed to be benevolent and kind in Buddhist thought. They guide sādhakas towards attaining their goal. Oddiyana was believed to be full of potent dakinis. There are two rare yogini temples in Odisha.