Udaigiri Caves/Udayagiri Caves, Rock Cut Cave No. 5, Udaigiri, Madhya Pradesh.

The visit to this Rock Cut Cave No. 5, Udaigiri Caves, was a part of the “Bhopal, Udayagiri Rock Cut Caves, Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Sanchi, Bhojpur, and Khajuraho – of Madhya Pradesh Heritage walk” organized by the எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு, between 25^th and 28^th December 2024.

This group of 20 caves dates from the 5th Century CE. Caves Nos 1- 18 and 20 caves are near the top, while the remaining ones are at the foot of the Hill. Cave No. 20 and possibly No. 1 also are Jaina Caves. All the rest are Hindu. Some of these caves Notably No 5 and 6 possess fine figure sculptures. The most interesting among them is the huge image of the Boar, the incarnation of Vishnu. Caves 6,7 and 20 bear Sanskrit inscriptions in Gupta Characters, one dated in Gupta Samvat 82 (401-02 CE) and another in Gupta Samvat 106 (425-26 CE). Two of these mention the name of the famous Gupta Emperor Chandragupta-II. Cave No. 7 states that the emperor visited this spot during his conquest and that the cave was made by Virasena, the minister for war and peace who accompanied his master.

The ruins of a large temple and a monolithic pillar are on top of the northern half of the hill.

The Gwalior Archaeological Department conserved the caves in 1921 CE, during the reign of Maharaja Madhava Rao Scindia Alijah Bahadur of Gwalior.

LEGENDS

There is a mythological story behind the scene that when the demon Hiranyaksha captured the earth (goddess Bhudevi) and hid her in the deep waters. Then lord Vishnu appeared as Varaha (boar) to save her from the demon. Then Varaha killed the demon and rescued the earth from the cosmic world by lifting her on his right tusk and restoring Bhudevi to her place in the universe.

Maha Vishnu as Varaha is shown with a Boar’s Head and Human body. Varaha is in a standing posture, keeping the left foot on Nagadeva and the right foot on the floor. The right hand is on the hip and the left hand is on the thigh. He is wearing ornaments around the neck and a vana mala. The dress below his waist is shown with frills in between the legs.

After Varaha with Bhudevi came out of was worshipped by Goddes, Devas, Rishis, etc., and are shown in the form of miniature sculptures, and Nagadeva, Chandra Gupta-II, and his minister Virasena are shown in large size. To represent the ocean/Sea, waves are shown in curved lines on the wall.

The sculpture panel contains the images of ….

Vishnu as Varaha, Bhudevi- Goddess Earth as Prithivi, with damaged head hanging from Varaha’s tusk, Brahma (sitting on lotus), Shiva (sitting on Rishabam), Aditya (with solar halo), Agni (hair on fire), Vayu (hair airy, puffed up), Ashta Vasus (as per Vishnu Purana), Eleven Rudras (ithyphallic, third eye, believed to be formed through the lacrimal drops of Shiva), Ganadevatas in flying postures, Kinnaras, Rishis (Vedic sages, wearing barks of trees, a beard, carrying water pot and rosary for meditation), Samudra (Ocean), Gupta Empire minister Virasena, Gupta Empire king Chandragupta-II

Chandra Gupta-II and his minister Virasena are shown in large size, on the back of Nagadeva.

(Head is damaged), Nagadeva, Mahalakshmi, More Hindu sages (these include the Vedic Saptarishis), Sage Narada playing, Mahathi (Tambura), and Sage Tumburu playing Veena.

To represent the ocean/Sea, waves are shown in curved lines on the wall.

Ref

Archaeological Survey of India Display board.

LOCATION OF THE CAVES: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---