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The state of Orissa represents great heritage and cultural history of India. Udayagiri and Khandgiri Caves are one of the major tourist attractions in Orissa, located near its capital Bhubaneshwar. A few km away from the west of Bhubaneshwar city centre there are two hills, facing each other, full with caves. These caves are called Udayagiri and Khandgiri Caves.
Khandgiri Caves are located on the hillside, just 6-km from Bhubaneshwar. Buddhist and Jain ascetics from the 1st century BC created these stone carved caves. A sudden path that divides halfway up the hill, reaches the Khandgiri Caves. Ananta cave is to the right of the path. Here the carved figures of a woman and elephant are worth a visit. The Khandgiri hill houses near about 15 caves and the Ananta cave is the most notable one there. A short path takes to the top of the hill, and from there a panoramic view of the city of Bhubaneshwar is available. Caves no. 1 and 2 of the Khandgiri Caves are called Parrot caves. They are so named because of the images parrots carved on the arches of the doorways of these caves. These caves are known as ‘Tatowa Caves’ also.
Udayagiri hill is known as Sunrise Hill. There are approximately 18 caves on the Udayagiri hill. The caves start from the base of the hill itself. All the caves have numbers, and some of them have names too. Rani Gumpha cave is the main cave of the Udayagiri Caves, located at the base of the hill. This is one of the double storied caves on the hill. It is the largest cave and has undergone some renovation work. Some of the beautiful scenes of festivity on king’s victorious return are portrayed on the wall of this cave.
Ganesh Gumpha is another important cave here in the Udayagiri hill. The cave is located above the Rani Gumpha. There is a hall known as Buddhist Chaitanya Hall. Once the hall was used as the worship hall for the Jain monks. Bagh Gumpha is another major cave in the Udayagiri Caves series. The entrance of the cave is carved in the shape of a tiger’s open mouth. There is another cave on the Udayagiri hill known as Hathi Gumpha.
The caves have numbers and descriptions on the wall. The carvings on the wall of the cave portray images of women and children, athletes, lions, bulls and many other animals. The paintings are different in all the caves. Most of the caves have a row of cells. They are either open directly to the passage or to the open space in front. There are pilasters on the doorways of the cells, adorned with animal figures. Besides the caves, there are some famous Jain temples on the hill. There is a temple devoted to Mahavira - the 24th Tirthankara.
Overall, Udayagiri and Khandgiri Caves are a fascinating experience. Udayagiri and Khandgiri Caves are some of the greatest historic monuments in Bhubaneshwar. The caves are open from sunrise until sunset. The best time to visit the caves is during October and March.
To know about Tourist Attractions in and around Bhuabaneshwar go to:
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