Travel to the 5 Ancient Caves in India

The rich history of India is visible all throughout the country and travellers visiting its various parts are left in awe by what the get to see. The many monuments, palaces, forts and temples of old gives an insight into its glorious past. There are also many caves in India which speaks volume about the country's history.

There are many popular caves in India where travellers can head to and explore. These caves were either built by Buddhist monks, Jain gurus or Hindu sages. It gives a vibrant insight into the history of the period when they were built and also tells you a lot of beliefs and traditions that existed during that time. Here is a gude to 5 ancient caves that travellers must visit in India.

Dungeshwari Cave Temple
The Dungeshwari caves houses a Buddhist temple and is popularly known as the Mahakala caves. These caves are believed to be the place where Buddha spent a lot of years meditating, before going to Bodhygaya and attaining enlightenment. The place is a tourist hub, especially for those who follow Buddhism. Meditation and spiritual time can be spent in these caves, which offer optimum peace and serenity to the souls.

The temple inside the cave.
Photo Courtesy: Chanchal Rungta

Tabo
Travellers can find spiritually vibrant caves in Tabo which offers them a chance to meditate. Situated in the Spiti Valley, the rugged and rocky ridge is located at a very high altitude. The town is dotted with many caves that aid the local Buddhist monks in meditating peacefully. You can explore a lot of small and big caves here as the mountains here house many of them resulting in many visitors annually.

View from within the cave.
Photo Courtesy: Michael Scalet

Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves
The Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves are located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Orissa. The landscape is dotted with many ancient caves but Udayagiri which is also known as the Sunrise Hills has the most interesting caves. There are many ornately carved caves which are believed to be once occupied by Jain aesthetics. It also has a mysterious Tiger Cave which has an entrance shaped like that of a tiger's mouth and the Queen's Palace Cave which has many Jain symbols.

Scenic view of the Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves.
Photo Courtesy: Sourav Das

Badami Cave
The Badami cave is very attractive due to the presence of the many beautiful cave temples. The four temples are open daily for a specific time period. The four caves are dedicated to individual deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and the Jains. These caves overlook the 5th century Agastyatirtha Tank and also the beautiful waterside Bhutanatha Temples.

Travellers exploring the Badami Caves.
Photo Courtesy: Sankara Subramanian

Ajanta and Ellora Caves
The Ajanta and Ellora caves are the most famous caves of India. They are carved into the hillside rocks and are located in the north of Maharashtra. Tourists needs to see these caves to truly understand the magnificence of their beauty and form. There are in all 34 caves at Ellora which date back to the 6th and 11th centuries AD. There are 29 caves at Ajanta which date back to the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. The caves at the Ajanta are all Buddhist caves. However the caves at Ellora are a mix of Buddhism, Hinduism as well as Jainism.

Picturesque view of the Ajanta and Ellora Caves.
Photo Courtesy: Pr1delhi