khandagiri and udaygiri caves

5/22/2018 Khandagiri and Udaygiri Caves

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KHANDAGIRI AND UDAYGIRI CAVES (c. first century BC):Just 7 kms west of Bhubaneswar are the twin hills of Khandagiri and Udaygiri, the next major Odishan

historical monument after Ashokas rock!cut edict"

#he rocks of the Khandagiri and Udaygiri hills were car$ed andtunneled, to create this multi!storied ancient a%artment residence for

Jain monks" #hey were the work of the first known Odishan ruler, King

Khara$ela, and %robably begun in the first century B&" Khara$ela was aking of the 'ahamegha$ahana dynasty, who is known for ex%ansion ofthe Kalinga em%ire and his installation of %ublic im%ro$ements, such as

canal systems" (is )ueen was e$idently )uite a %atron of the arts, and

%robably had much to do with the im%ressi$e scul%tural decoration of

the ca$es"

As you a%%roach the site, Khandagiri, with its *+ ca$es will be on theleft" Udaygiri will be on the right" #he * ca$es of Udaygiri include the

famous Hathi Gumpha-.le%hant &a$e/ with its famous inscri%tion of Khara$ela" 0rom the inscri%tion, we learnmuch about Khara$elas military ex%loits, and also that his royal city had gate towers, bathing and drinking

tanks, and was the scene of formally organi1ed music and dance %erformances, as well as s%orting and sociale$ents" #he city, says the inscri%tion, 2 was made to dance with joy2" Khara$ela was e$idently a skilled

musician, and it seems as if he created a remarkable center of the arts"

#he famous Rani Gumpha-3ueens &a$e/, also on Udaygiri, has u%%er and lower stories, a s%aciouscourtyard, and elaborate scul%tural frie1es" #he car$ings show %o%ular legends, historical scenes, and religious

functions, as well as many dancers" #he style seems )uite well!de$elo%ed, and of a singular grace and

li$eliness"

#he Ganesha Gumpha, which is reached by a walkway from the lower storey of the Rani Gumpha, is isolated,

and %erha%s for this reason, better %reser$ed" 4ts two dwelling!s%aces with $erandah in front are reached by a

short staircase from the courtyard"

All of the ca$es are small, and follow the natural configurations of the li$ing rock" #he scul%ture throughoutexhibits a strong, li$ely folk element, which has been executed with a sure and confident hand" Already, the

s%aces are filled with animal, human, and di$ine %ersonages and decorati$e details, showing at an early stagethe lo$e of the Odishan artist for richly elaborated scenes"

Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves

The twin hills Udayagiri and Khandagiri (Lat. 20.16 N; Long. 85.47! are lo"ated in the #i"inity o$ %h&'aneswar town. TheNational ighway No.5 )asses thro&gh the "lose )ro*i+ity o$ the hills. These two hills re)resent one o$ the earliest gro&)s o$,aina ro"-"&t ar"hite"t&re in eastern /ndia in the $ield o$ ar"hite"t&re art and religion. These "a#es were $irst 'ro&ght to thenoti"e 'y . tirling in 1825 .3.

ising a'r&)tly a+idst a wide e*)anse o$ arid lateriti" soil 'oth the hills se)arated $ro+ ea"h other 'y a narrow row thro&ghwhi"h )asses +odern road 'etween %h&'aneswar and handa-a. The an"ient na+es o$ the twin hills o$ Udayagiri andKhandagiri are K&+ari and K&+ara )ar#atas res)e"ti#ely. . There are total ro"- "&t "a#es on 'oth the hills o&t o$ whi"h 18"a#es are e*"a#ated on Udayagiri hill while 15 are on the Khandagiri hill. enerally "a#es are single storied '&t a $ew o$ the+are do&'le storied also.

These hills are honey"o+'ed with e*"a#ated ro"-"&t "a#es essentially +eant $or the dwelling retreats o$ the ,aina re"l&ses.n the 'asis o$ ins"ri)tional e#iden"es these "a#es were $irst e*"a#ated 'y -ing Khara#ela o$ hedi dynasty and his

s&""essors who were de#o&t ,ainas d&ring the $irst "ent&ry %.. The ,aina o""&)ation was "ontin&ed here with o""asional'rea-s down to the )resent day. The ,ain te+)le on the to) o$ the Khandagiri hill was "onstr&"ted in late 19th "ent&ry is &nderworshi) e#en at )resent )reser#ing the "ontin&ity and tradition o$ the glorio&s )ast o$ the hill.

The "rest o$ Khandagiri on whi"h ,aina te+)le stands is 7.5 + high .96 + higher than that o$ Udayagiri. The s&'stan"e o$the ro"- is "oarsegrained sandstone o$ a #aried te*t&re. owe#er later on these sandstones were d&ly e*)loited 'y thete+)le '&ilders o$ %h&'aneswar d&ring +edie#al )eriod.

:eant $or the residen"e o$ ,aina as"eti"s noted $or their sel$ +orti$i"ation the "a#es )ro#ide a little a+enities. :ost o$ the "a#es"onsist o$ a row o$ "ells o)en either dire"tly to the #erandah or to the o)en s)a"e in $ront. These are essentially dor+itories anin$eren"e s&'stantiated 'y a slo)ing rise o$ the $loor to ser#e the )&r)ose o$ a )illow. The doorways o$ the "ells ha#e )ilasterson either side with "rowning ani+al $ig&res and ar"hes o#er the+ are de"orated with $lowers "ree)ers and ani+al +oti$s. Thes"&l)t&ral and de"orati#e art o$ the "a#es in"l&de )anels$rie


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i+)ortan"e lies to the $a+o&s ins"ri)tion o$ -ing Khara#ela engra#ed on its 'row. The 17 line ins"ri)tion re"ords the e*)editionso$ -ing Khara#ela in"l&ding #i"tory o$ :agadha and retrie#al o$ ,aina "&lt i+age ta-en away 'y the Nanda -ing long 'e$ore. Thede)i"tion o$ 24 Tirthan-aras along with asanade#is in the %ara'h&?i "a#e &rya a?ala-s+i and ,aina sy+'ols in the nanta&+)ha o$ Khandagiri in rele$ are nota'le a"hie#e+ent o$ early +edie#al /ndian art.

%esides re+ains o$ an a)sidal str&"t&re was &nearthed in 1958 ato) the Udayagiri.is the $irst earliest str&"t&re o$ its -ind ineastern /ndia.

The +on&+ent re+ains o)en $ro+ s&nrise to s&nset.

ntry $ee $or iti


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khandagiri and udaygiri caves

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