Known by the name Solampur Vihar during the
Bhaumakara era, Solampur is a village famous for a large number of Mahayanic and Tantric Buddhist images that have been found here. The images found here are significant for their preciseness and artistry, which single them out as some of the finest specimens of their kind.
Of the various images, Avalokiteshwara image on a lotus throne is similar to that found in
Ratnagiri and the Vaisravana image found in Udaygiri. The decorations on the outer wall of the Raghunath temple illustrate the artistic temper of Ratnagiri. Solampur also contains the ruins of an old brick fort believed to have been built by Kapilendra Deva, king of
Orissa.
A visit to Solampur offers the chance to explore the glimpses of Buddhist heritage of Orissa. Solampur is around 170 km from
Bhubaneswar.
