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$ed and
tunneled, to create this multi!storied ancient a%artment residence for
Jain monks" #hey were the work of the first known Odishan ruler, King
Khara$ela, and %robably begun in the first century B&" Khara$ela was a
king of the 'ahamegha$ahana dynasty, who is known for ex%ansion of
the 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$es will be on the
left" Udaygiri will be on the right" #he *, ca$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 learn
much about Khara$elas military ex%loits, and also that his royal city had gate towers, bathing and drinking
tanks, and was the scene of formally organi1ed music and dance %erformances, as well as s%orting and social
e$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$e/, also on Udaygiri, has u%%er and lower stories, a s%acious
courtyard, and elaborate scul%tural frie1es" #he car$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$ing rock" #he scul%ture throughout
exhibits a strong, li$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 stage
the 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. The
National (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&re0 art and religion. These "a#es were $irst 'ro&ght to the
noti"e 'y 1. 2tirling in 1825 1.3.
4ising a'r&)tly a+idst a wide e*)anse o$ arid lateriti" soil 'oth the hills se)arated $ro+ ea"h other 'y a narrow row thro&gh
whi"h )asses +odern road 'etween %h&'aneswar and 5handa-a. The an"ient na+es o$ the twin hills o$ Udayagiri and
Khandagiri are K&+ari and K&+ara )ar#atas res)e"ti#ely. . There are total 66 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. 7enerally "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#es0 essentially +eant $or the dwelling retreats o$ the ,aina re"l&ses.
8n the 'asis o$ ins"ri)tional e#iden"es0 these "a#es were $irst e*"a#ated 'y -ing Khara#ela o$ 5hedi dynasty and his
s&""essors who were de#o&t ,ainas d&ring the $irst "ent&ry %.5. The ,aina o""&)ation was "ontin&ed here with o""asional
'rea-s down to the )resent day. The ,ain te+)le on the to) o$ the Khandagiri hill was "onstr&"ted in late 19th "ent&ry is &nder
worshi) e#en at )resent0 )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 stands0 is 67.5 + high0 6.96 + higher than that o$ Udayagiri. The s&'stan"e o$
the ro"- is "oarse.grained sandstone o$ a #aried te*t&re. (owe#er0 later on0 these sandstones were d&ly e*)loited 'y the
te+)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$i"ation0 the "a#es )ro#ide a little a+enities. :ost o$ 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 $ront. These are essentially dor+itories0 an
in$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 )ilasters
on either side with "rowning ani+al $ig&res and ar"hes o#er the+ are de"orated with $lowers0 "ree)ers and ani+al +oti$s. The
s"&l)t&ral and de"orati#e art o$ the "a#es in"l&de )anels;$rie<es de)i"ting )o)&lar legends0 histori"al e)isodes0 religio&s
o'ser#an"es0 dan"ing )er$or+an"es. %esides0 indi#id&al g&ards0 'ra"-et $ig&res0 #idyadharas0 $loral and geo+etri"al )atterns
are noteworthy. The artisti" e+'ellish+ent in the early "a#es o$ Udayagiri.Khandagiri a))ear to ha#e dis)layed a de"ided
ad#an"e on the wor- o$ %har&t and 2an"hi o$ :adhyadesa.
4anig&+)ha and 2warga)&ri.:an"ha)&ri "a#es are do&'le storied and the largest in si<e. 4anig&+)ha or the =&een>s )ala"e
is the ar"hite"t&ral +ar#el o$ the entire "o+)le*. Tho&gh0 ar"hite"t&rally the (athi g&+)ha is insigni$i"ant '&t its histori"al
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*)editions
o$ -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$ore. The
de)i"tion o$ 24 Tirthan-aras along with 2asanade#is in the %ara'h&?i "a#e0 2&rya 7a?ala-s+i and ,aina sy+'ols in the 1nanta
7&+)ha o$ Khandagiri in rele$ are nota'le a"hie#e+ent o$ early +edie#al /ndian art.
%esides0 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 in
eastern /ndia.
The +on&+ent re+ains o)en $ro+ s&nrise to s&nset.
ntry $ee $or 5iti<ens o$ /ndia and #isitors o$ 21145 (%angladesh0 Ne)al0 %h&tan0 2ri Lan-a0 @a-istan0 :aldi#es and
1$ghanistan! and %/:2T5 5o&ntries (%angladesh0 Ne)al0 %h&tan0 2ri Lan-a0 Thailand and :yan+ar! . 4s. 5 )er head and
$or ea"h $oreigner is 4s. 100.00 or U2 A2.00 and $ree entry $or "hildren 'elow 15 years.