Udaygiri & Khandagiri

Udaygiri Tour of Odisha turns out to be a very refreshing experience. Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, partially natural and partially artificial caves close to capital city Bhubaneswar in Odisha, are having their own importance in archaeological, historical and religious sides. Located on two adjacent hills – Udayagiri and Khandagiri – the caves are mentioned as Kumari Parvat in the inscription of Hathigumpha. Tour of Udaygiri and khandagiri is liked by a number of tourists due to the numerous amazingly and elaborately carved caves located here.

Most of these caves are believed to be carved out as residential blocks for Jain monks during the rule of King Kharavela. Udayagiri houses a total of 18 caves while Khandagiri bears as many as 15 caves. In the inscriptions, Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves are referred as lena.

If you ask about Odisha Udaygiri, Ranigumpha a double storied monastery, here is considered as the most important cave among all these. However about Odisha khandagiri you may have a disappointment after knowing that many of the Jain caves on the Khandagiri side are facing encroachment problems as several local Brahmins have converted them into Hindu shrines and wrapped up some of the Jain iconography in order to earn money.

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