Chelitalo was an important port in Ancient Odisha, in northeast India, lying on the Chandrabhaga river in Konark. [1] The Chandrabhaga and Kushabhadra rivers were navigable in ancient times and may have been used to ship huge blocks of stone for constructing the Konark Sun Temple. [2]
The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang, who visited Orissa in the 7th century AD, described Chelitalo as a busy port. The port has been identified with Konark, Puri and (perhaps most likely) with the archeological site of Manikpatna. [3] By the 7th century AD, the city was a noted seat of Mahayana Buddhism. Hiuen-Tsang described it as surrounded by strong and high walls, containing five great convents adorned with images of Buddha and Bodhisattva. [4] It was connected to Cuttack by roads and waterways. [5]