The visit
to this Rock Cut Cave Nos. 15 to 18, 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 25th and 28th 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.
On the top
of the Northern half of the hill lie the ruins of a big temple and a
Monolithic Pillar.
The Caves
were conserved by the Gwalior Archaeological Department in 1921 AC during the
reign of Maharaja Madhava Rao Scindia Alijah Bahadur of Gwalior.
Caves
15-18
One of the
earliest known Ganesha reliefs.
Cave 15 is a small square cave without a separate sanctum and pitha (pedestal).
Cave 16 is a Shaivism-related cave based on
the pitha and iconography. The sanctum and the mukha-mandapa are both squares.
Cave 17 has a square plan. To the left of
its entrance is a single dwarapalaka. Further left is a niche with a Ganesha image.
On the right of the entrance is a niche with Durga in her Mahishasuramardini
form. The cave ceiling features an intricate symmetric lotus set in a geometric pattern on
the ceiling.
Cave 18 is notable for including a four-armed Ganesha. With him is a devotee who is shown carrying a banana plant.
LOCATION
OF THE CAVES: CLICK HERE
--- OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
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