Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves

Duration: 3 hours
All days of the week

What this tour is about: The word 'giri' means mountain or hill. The twin hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri contain a set of 33 rock-cut caves belonging to the Jaina faith, dating from the 2nd century BC. Udayagiri or the Hill of the Rising Sun, has 18 caves. Khandagiri or the Broken Hill has 15 caves. The two hills are separated by a highway.

The caves contain dwelling-retreats of the Jain monks. They represent one of the earliest groups of rock-cut Jain architecture in Eastern India.

The caves have evocative names, based on their motifs. The Hathi Gumpha or Elephant Cave at Udayagiri is of great historical significance since it contains a 117-line inscription about the Chedi King Kharavela and the major events of his rule (193 BC to 170 BC). This inscription has provided much of the information we currently have about the Chedi dynasty who had earlier lost a devastating war to Ashoka. They regained their eminence under Kharavela.

Most of the caves are single-storied, but some like the Rani Gumpha (Queen's Cave) are double-storied. Although the living quarters of the monks are spartan, the exteriors of the dwellings are beautifully embellished with carvings depicting Jain religious motifs, court scenes, royal processions, hunting expeditions and scenes of daily life.

Start point: Your hotel

End point: Your hotel

Cost and How to Book:
Cost varies depending on the number of people. Please write to deepa@magictoursofindia.com or magictours@live.com for details.