Podagada Archaeological Site

Podagada Archaeological Site is an ancient fortified settlement located at Podagada village in Umerkote block of Nabarangpur district, Odisha. Excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India, the site features extensive brick fortification walls, a surrounding moat and habitation deposits dating from around 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE. Notable for Jain relics and early historic urban planning, it provides evidence of a significant regional centre in southern Odisha.

Visitors can expect an open, rural archaeological landscape with remains of a large rectangular brick fortification, traces of a moat, and low mounds marking ancient habitation areas. The site is largely undeveloped for tourism with exposed brick structures, scattered pottery and stone fragments, and information about Jain-associated finds. The surroundings are agricultural fields and small village settlement with no major built structures, offering a quiet heritage walk and observation of early historic town planning.

Podagada is an early historic fortified settlement excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India. The brick fortification, moat and habitation layers are dated from around 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE, covering Mauryan to post-Mauryan and Satavahana periods. Finds include Northern Black Polished Ware, brick structures and Jain artifacts, indicating it was an important urban and religious centre in the ancient Atavika region of southern Odisha.

The site is noted for its association with Jainism, with recovered Jain images and architectural fragments suggesting a Jain religious centre during the early historic period. It reflects early urban planning, fortification traditions and cultural interactions in southern Odisha.