Sirpur is a village in Mahasamund district in the state of Chhattisgarh 35 km from Mahasamund city and 78 km away from Raipur on the banks of the river Mahanadi. Sirpur was capital of Panduvanshi dynasty in ancient times. The village hosts the Sirpur Group of Monuments consisting of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples and monasteries. These are dated from the 5th to 12th century.Sirpur, also referred to as Shripur, Sripura or Sripur (literally, "city of auspiciousness, abundance, Lakshmi") in ancient Indian texts and inscriptions, is a major archaeological site along the Mahanadi River. Sirpur was capital of Panduvanshi dynasty in ancient times. The site has been significant for its temple ruins of Rama and Lakshmana of the Ramayana fame, as well as those related to Shaivism, Shaktism, Buddhism and Jainism. The site excavations after 1950, particularly after 2003, have yielded 22 Shiva temples, 5 Vishnu temples, 10 Buddha Viharas, 3 Jain Viharas, a 6th/7th century market and snana-kund (bath house). The site shows extensive syncretism, where Buddhist and Jain statues or motifs intermingle with Shiva, Vishnu and Devi temples.
