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Khandgiri Cave Sculptures
The caves on the Khandagiri, can be reached either by the
walking from the road, or cutting directly across from Hathi
Gumpha via steps that drop down from cave 17. The latter route
brings you out at caves 1 and 2, known as the "Parrot Caves"
for the carvings of birds on their doorway-arches. Cave 2,
excavated in the first century BC, is the larger and more
interesting. One can find some faint lines in Brahmini script
in one of the caves, which are supposed to be 2000 years old.
The Ananta Gumpha or Snake Cave has a decoration in the shape
of a serpent at the entrance. It contains the best of the
sculpture on Khandagiri hill. The best place to wind up a
visit to Khandagiri is the modern Jain Temple at the top of
the hill. Apart from some old Tirthankars in the shrine room,
the building itself was erected during the 19th century on the
site of a much earlier structure.
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Udaigiri Cave Sculptures
Udaigiri caves occupy a fairly compact area around the south
of the hill. Cave 1, the Queen's Cave, is tucked away around
the corner. The best
sculpture can be seen on the pillars, arches and to the rear
of the courtyard, and across the back wall of the upper
storey. A long frieze
shows rampaging elephants, panicking monkeys, sword fights and
the abduction of a women. These carvings are thought to
illustrate the life of
Kalinga's King Kharavela. Other interesting caves are numbers
3 and 4 - a double-storied cave containing sculptures of a
lion holding its prey,
elephants with snakes wrapped around them and pillars topped
by pairs of peculiar winged animals. The Ganesh Gumpha, has an
appearance of the elephant-headed Ganesh on the rear wall of
the cell. The ledge at the very top of Udaigiri hill is
considered the main place of worship for the Jain monks.
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Dev sabha
It is an area where thousands of relics are scattered.
There is also an ancient tank which is said to have water
called Akash Ganga (Ganga from the heavens). |
