Greetings list members,

On page 10 of H.K. Mahtab's "Culture of Orissa," The Orissa Historical Research Journal 30, nos. 2-4 (1984), he states:

"A statue of Matsyendranath in the form of Padmapani Avalokitesvar at forest of Rajnagar under Deravisi Block of Kendrapara Subdivision is still worshipped by the Nathas of the surrounding villages. The inscription on both sides of the statue is in Kutila-lipi or proto-Udralipi. [...] The prototype of the same statue is seen at Kendrapara bus stand with the same inscription and another at Trilochanpur village under Mahajajpur Gram Panchayat near Bahugram is also worshipped by the Nathas of the surrounding villages."

This statement is widely quoted in the works of J.P. Singdeo, O.B. Kabikany, and others.

Do any photographs exist of the abovementioned statues or inscriptions? Is there any corroborating evidence of the worship of Matsyendranath as Avalokitesvara in Orissa (or anywhere else outside of Nepal, for that matter)?