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Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves:

Udayagiri&KhandagiriCavesOne of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut shelters, the caves

of Udayagiri (Hill of Sunrise) and Khandagiri (Broken Hills) command a unique position in the

filed of history, rock-cut architecture, art and religion. The two hills rise abruptly from the

coastal plain, about six km west of Bhubaneswar, separated by a highway.

Called lena, in the inscriptions, the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagin are essentially dwelling

retreats or cells of the Jain ascetics, opening directly into the verandah or the open space in

front. Mostly excavated near the top of the ledge or boulder, they simply provided dry

shelter for meditation and prayer, with very little amenities even for small comforts. The

height being too low, does not allow a man to stand erect.

Each cell was tenanted by several monks. The cells are austerely plain, but their facades are

encrusted with sculptures depicting auspicious objects worshipped by Jains, court scenes,

royal processions, hunting expeditions and scenes of daily life. The austere later additions,

when Jainism no longer enjoyed royal patronage in this part, show 24 Jain tirthankars. At

present, all the important caves have been numbered for to avoid confusion in

nomenclature.

Udayagiri

From Bhubaneswar, Udayagiriis the hill on

the right and access to its 18 caves is provided by a flight of steps. The largest and the most

beautiful, Cave 1, Rani GumphaorQueen's Cave, off the pain path to the right is double

storeyed. Excavated on three sides of a quadrangle with fine wall friezes and some recentlyrestored pillars, not exactly architectural marvel, but has some beautiful sculptures.

The right wing of the lower storey consists of a single cell with three entrances and a

pillared varandah. On the walls, flanking the terminal pilasters of the verandah, are carved

two dwara palas (sentries). The pilasters of entrances to the cell are embellished with side

pilasters crowned by animals. Over them there are toranas (arches) relieved with religious

and royal scenes-couple standing reverentially with folded hands, a female dancer with

accompanying female musicians, etc.

The main central wing, consisting of four cells, has themes apparently indicating victorymarch of a king, starting from his capital and returning back after passing through various
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lands. At the angles, where the right and left wings meet, are two small guard rooms which

are lavishly decorated-springs cascading down the hills, fruits laden trees, wild animals,

sporting elephants in lotus pools, etc.

In the better preserved Upper Storey there are six cells, one each in the left and right wings

and four in the rear. All the four cells of the main wing are provided with two doorways

each, flanked by two pilasters, from which springs a ornately carved torana (arch) with

auspicious Jain symbols (snake and lotus), and friezes depicting scenes laid in wild

surroundings story reminiscent of Dushyanta's first meeting with Sakuntala, a dance

performance for the royal couple, etc.

Cave 2, Chota Hathi Gumpha, or Small Elephant Cave, is notable for its facade having

masterly carving of six vigorous elephants flanking its entrance. Cave 4, Alakapuri Gumpha,

contain sculptures of a lion holding a prey, in its mouth, and pillars topped by pairs of

winged animals, some human and some bird headed. Cave 5, Jaya Vijaya Gumpha, is double

storeyed and a bodhi tree is carved in the central apartment. The high sanctity of the tree isrepresented by an umbrella over it and being worshipped by a couple on either side.

Cave 9, Manchapuriand Swargapuriup the hill and around to right house a damaged relief,

the subject of which is worship of some Jain religious symbol. The assemblage on the right is

a group of four, votaries with folded hands, dressed in long dhotis, scarves and heavy

kundalas (ear rings). The second crowned figure from the left is thought to be the Chedi

King, Vakradeva, whose donative inscription occurs on the roof-line of the facade of the cell

to the right side of the varandah.

Cave 10, Ganesh Gumpha, about 50 m from the top of the steps takes its name from thefigure of Ganesh carved on the back of its right cell. The carvings tell the story of the

elopement of Bassavadatta, Princess of Ujjayini, with King Udayan of Kausambi in the

company of Vasantaka. Proceeding to the top of the Udayagiri Hill by a pathway to right, the

visitor will reach the ruins of an apsidal structure, unearthed in 1958. This Chaitya hall was

the place of worship by the monks and in all probability once housed the legendary Kalinga-

Jina that Kharavel recovered after it had been removed by Nanda king of Magadha.

Below the ruins is Cave 12, Bagh Gumphaor Tiger cave, so called on account of its front

carved into the shape of a tiger's mouth, with distended upper jaw, full of teeth, forming the

roof of the verandah and the gullet forming the entrance. The Cave 14, Hathi Gumpha orElephant Cave is a large natural cavern and on the walls are scratched a few names.

Architecturally plain, but a 117 line famous inscription of king Kharavel is important. It

relates to the life history of Kharavel, his expeditions and exploits off the battlefield

inscribed in the Magadhi characters.

Khandagiri


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Coming down to the main road by a flight of

steps in front of Cave 17 of Udayagiri and going up the road for about 15m, the visitor will

find a track to his left leading to the summit of the Khandagiri hill. Following this track for a

few meters, brings you at Cave 1 and 2, known as Tatowa Gumpha or Parrot Caves, known

so from the figures of parrots carved on the arches of their doorways.

Guarding the entrance to Cave 1, are two sentries in dhotis and scarves and armed with

swords. Between the two arches of the doorways providing entrance to cell is a one line

inscription calling the cave that of Kusuna. Cave 2 is more spacious and its decorations more

elaborate. On the back wall of the cell are Brahmi inscriptions in red pigment, of the first

century BC to first century AD, presumably scrawled by a monk in attempt to improve his

handwriting.

Farther ascending by the same flight of steps, the path goes to Cave 3, Ananta

Gumphaor Snake Caveafter the figures of twin serpents on the door arches. It is one of themost important caves on the Khandagiri hill on account of its unique motifs in some relief

figures of boys chasing animals including lions and bulls, geese with spread wings holding in

its bill the stalk of a lotus bud or a blue lotus, a royal elephant flanked by a smaller one

carrying lotus flower, a female figure driving a chariot drawn by four horses and the Lakshmi

in a lotus pool being bathed with water from pitchers held by two elephants.

On the back wall of the cell is carved a nandipada on a stepped pedestal flanked on either

side by a set of three symbols-a triangle headed symbol, a srivatsa and a swastika,

auspicious to the Jains. Cave 7, Navamuni Gumpha, called so due to the figures of nine

(nava) tirthankars carved on the back and right walls and Cave 8,Barabhuji Gumpha, namedso from two 12 armed (bara-bhuj) figures of sasana-devis carved on the side walls of the

verandah, both also have relief of Hindu deities.

The last noteworthy Cave out of 15 Caves of Khandagiri, Cave 9, like Cave 8 was also

reconverted in medieval times. Ranged along the three sides of the chamber is the relief of

24 robeless tirthankars. Except for the three standing images of Rishabnath, the rest of

images exhibit some crude workmanship.

The 18th century, Jain Temple, at the top of the hill dedicated to Rishabnath, was most

probably built on the site of an earlier shrine. The temple enshrines some old tirthankarsand affords a panoramic view across the plains. The site, every year, late in January, for a


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week attracts holy men who assemble on the hillside to intone verses from Hindu epics and

meditate. A lively fair comes up at the foot of hills attracting crowds who enjoy the religious

spectacle and the shops set along the roadside do brisk business.

Mukteshwar Temple

Founded In:950 AD

Dedicated to:Lord Shiva

Mukteshwar temple, one of the most prominent

temples of Bhubaneswar, has been constructed in

the style that is quite similar to the one used in

the Kalinga School of Temple Architecture. The

splendid Torana of the temple, an ornamentalarched gateway, is very much reminiscent of the

influence of Buddhism in Orissa. Established in

the year 950 AD, Mukteswar temple is dedicated

to Lord Shiva. Its major highlights consist of the exquisite carvings that depict ascetics in

different meditative pose. On the eastern side of the temple, there is a large well.

It is said that, taking a dip in the holy well cures a person of infertility. Mukteshwar temple

exudes magnificence and delicacy. It is a perfect blend of ancient and modern designing and

this is what makes it simply outstanding. This architecture is one of the basic reasons why

Mukteswar temple is also known as the 'Gem of Orissa architecture'. It has undergone adramatic makeover, but still retains its essence. The temple stands within an octagonal

compound wall that is based on the lines of structures built in the bygone times. However,

today, the wall has been reduced to nothing more than small fragments.

Rajarani Temple


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Rajarani Templeis an 11th-centuryHindu templelocated inBhubaneswar,the capital city

ofOdisha,India.The temple is originally believed to be known as Indreswara and locally

known as "love temple" on account of the erotic carvings of women and couples in the

temple. Rajatemple is built on pnahcratha style on a raised platform with two structures; a

central shrine namely the vimana(sanctum) with the bada(the curvilinear spire) over its

roof raising up to a height of 18 m (59 ft) and a viewing hall calledjagamohanawith a

pyramidal roof . The temple was constructed of dull red and turbid yellow sandstone locally

called "Rajarani".

Various historians place the original construction date between the 11th and 12th centuries

and have placed it roughly belonging to the same period of theJagannath TempleatPuri.

The architecture of other temples in central India is believed to have originated from the

temple, with the notable ones being theKhajuraho templesand Totesvara Mahadeo temple

in Kadawa. The are various sculptures in the walls around the temple and

the vimanadepicting scenes of marriage of Shiva, Nataraja, Parvati, tall slender

sophisticated nayikasdepicted in various roles and moods such as turning her head from an

emaciated ascetic, fondling her child, holding a branch of tree, attending to her toilet,

looking into mirror, taking off her anklet, caressing her pet bird and playing instrument.

Rajarani temple is maintained by theArcheological Survey of India(ASI) as a ticketed

monument.

Dhauli

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Shanti Stupa at Dhauligiri

Dhaulihills (Oriya:) are located on the banks of the riverDaya,8 km south

ofBhubaneswarinOdisha(India). It is a hill with vast open space adjoining it, and has

majorEdictsofAshokaengraved on a mass of rock, by the side of the road leading to the

summit of the hill. Dhauli hill is presumed to be the area where theKalinga Warwas

fought.[1]

Ashoka's Rock edict in 1895

TheRock Edictsfound here include Nos. I-X, XIV and two separateKalingaEdicts. In Kalinga

Edict VI, he expresses his concern for the "welfare of the whole world". The rock-cut

elephant above the Edicts is the earliestBuddhistsculpture of Odisha. The stone elephant

shows the animal's foreparts only, though it has a fine sense of form and movement.

Ashokahad a special weakness for Dhauli, where the battle was fought. TheDaya riveris

said to have turned red with the blood of the many deceased after the battle, and enabled

Ashoka to realize the magnitude of horror associated with war. He saw to it that Dhauli

became an important centre of Buddhist activities. He built

severalchaityas,stupasandpillarsthere. He got abodes excavated for the recluse,
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instructions inscribed for officials, expounded the main principles of dandanitifor the

public, provided special status to his new kingdom including the stupas at Dhauli.[2]

On the top of the hill, a dazzling white peace pagoda has been built by theJapan Buddha

Sanghaand the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sanghain the 1970s.

The nearby region also houses Ashokan edicts and possibly aStupaat Bhaskareshwar

temple at Tankapani road as argued by scholars. The Dhauligiri hills also has an

ancientShivatemple which is the place for mass gathering duringShiva RatriCelebrations.

Dhauli Giri, Bhubaneswar

Shanti Stupa at Dhauli giri,

Bhubaneswar

Visitors throng the Shanti Stupa at

Dhauli giri, Bhubaneswar
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Buddha statue at Dhauligiri

Statue of a lion at the Shanti Stupa at

Dhauli looks over the Daya river

plains, Bhubaneswar

Buddha statue at Dhauligiri,

Bhubaneswar

Lion Structure at Dhauli at

Sunrise
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Buddha Statue

Shanti Stupa
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