Description of the attraction
Bhimbetka Rock Caves is a truly unique place located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in the Raisen region. Bhimbetka is one of the earliest sources from which one can judge the "culture" and way of life of prehistoric man. According to research by scientists, some of these caves were used as shelter and shelter by the humanoid homo erectus a hundred thousand years ago. So, some of the rock paintings found there are more than 30 thousand years old.
The name of the caves is associated with the name of the divine hero Bhim from the famous folk epic Mahabharata, who was known for his incredible power. The word "Bhimbetka" comes from "Bhimbaithka" which means "the place where Bhima is sitting."
Bhimbetka Caves are located 45 kilometers from the city of Bhopal, on the southern side of the Vindhya mountain range. This entire area is covered with lush vegetation and has a rich fauna.
For the first time, archaeologists became interested in this place in 1888, thanks to the stories of local tribes. Later, starting from the middle of the 20th century, it was studied in more detail by the famous Indian archaeologist Vishnu Sridhar Vakankar. Since then, more than 700 caves-shelters have been discovered on this territory, of which 243 belong to the Bhimbetka group, and are amazing caves of various sizes, the smooth walls and rounded shapes of which led scientists to the idea that this area was once under water.
The caves gained immense popularity due to the large number of rock paintings depicting various scenes from life that inhabited them at that time. For example, there you can see scenes of the birth of a child, ritual dances, honey gathering, hunting, "funerals", as well as images of plants and animals.
The rocky caves of Bhimbetka are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
