Part 1: Odisha Road Trip – Prologue
Part 2: Odisha Road Trip – Vizag (Day 1, 2, and 3)
Part 3: Odisha – Bhubaneshwar – Part 1

Day 6 – 18/4/2022 – Monday

Today’s itinerary included visits to the Udayagiri caves and the Khandagiri Hills. We had our buffet breakfast at the hotel and then went sightseeing.

This was a 20-minute drive from the Pushpak Hotel. There was parking in front of the caves/hills. We opted to hire a local guide to explain the history and intricacies of the caves. Centuries ago, the caves and slopes were all part of a single hill known as Kumaragiri Hills. With the passage of time and warfare (Kalinga wars), the hills were split into two, with caves on one side and hill on the other. The location is around 2200 years old.

Udayagiri Caves

This is known as a rising hill, and it has 18 caves. The Utkala (the word in the national anthem) Kingdom was active then. When the Kalinga war was waged, the local King was stationed here. From here, he could see the Kalinga battle occurring in the Dhauligiri hills, which is another 20 kilometers away. I was told that a 15-kilometer tunnel ran from here to Dhauligiri, providing the King unfettered direct access to the Warfield. According to the inscriptions, men, women, animals, and even children were part of the Kalinga conflict.

On a clear day, one could view the runway of Bhubaneshwar airport, Lingaraj Temple, and Dhaulagiri peaks from the top of the caves.

The main cave is known as Rani Gumpha or the Queen’s Cave. This cave has two levels. It bears inscriptions from the Ramayana on one floor and the Mahabaratha on the other. The caves contain ventilated meditation rooms, open gallery halls, a communication system, and a rainwater catchment pipeline system.

Other caves include Ganesh Gumpha (Lord Ganesha’s cave), Sarpa Gumpha (Snake Cave), and others. Until 1947, the caves were neglected. The majority of the natural pillars were damaged and replaced with temporary artificial pillars.

The swastika emblem represents the importance of Jainism and Hinduism in numerous caves. Inscriptions of twenty-five Tirthankaras are also found in the caves.

Udayagiri Caves

Foggy/Smoggy day – Cannot see much beyond those towers

Swastika Symbol – Symbolizing the importance of Jainism/Hinduism

Vyaghra Gumpha – Entrance carved like a tiger’s mouth

Rani Gumpha – Double Storeyed Queen’s cave

Open Gallery halls – Sofas

Pipeline System with rainwater harvest (remember this is 2200 years old)

A communication system purely through echos and the science of sound (again 2200 years old)

Well-Ventilated Meditation Halls

Inscriptions that show men, women, animals, and even children got involved in the bloody Kalinga war

Ganesh Gumpha

Well Maintained Lawn

Khandagiri Hills as seen from Udayagiri Caves

Khandagiri Hills

Khandagiri hills are also known as Broken hill. It has 15 caves. One of the main caves here is called Barabhuji. There are twenty-five Tirthankara figures on the walls of the cell on three sides, with Parsvanatha repeated twice. Their individual Sasanadevis may be located beneath the Tirthankara. The cave is named Barabhuji after Chakareswari, who is shown with 12 arms. The figure is now revered as a Brahmin god. The Somavamshi dynasty contributed these sculptures to the caves in the 11th century.

Durga and Kali were positioned within the sanctum sanctorum and Hanuman was in the center. It was claimed to me that this is the only site in India where Durga and Kali may be found together. The site is crowded once a year for 8-9 days, similar to the well-known Kumbh.

In 1953, a new Jain temple was erected at the hilltop. We couldn’t go since it was being renovated.

Twenty-five Tirthankaras

Jain Temple – Under Maintenance

We returned to our room for lunch and ate at Truptee Veg Restaurant. They served dosas, and that’s when I realized how much I missed them. After lunch, we had a little respite before departing for Dhaulagiri (15 kilometers from our hotel), the site of the historic Kalinga conflict.

Dhaulagiri Hills

The legendary Kalinga War was fought here between the Mauryan Kingdom and the Kalinga Kingdom, and Emperor Ashoka, after winning the war, was taken aback by the magnitude of the death toll and damage. More than 200,000 men are said to have died in this brutal battle. The carnage was so extensive that the whole Daya River had turned scarlet. This is where he opted to pursue the Buddhist path as penance.

To commemorate this conflict and Ashoka’s later change, a memorial in the form of a stupa, known as the Shanti Stupa or Peace Pagoda, has been constructed on these hills. Another significant feature of these hills is the location of the Ashokan Rock Edicts, which bear witness to Emperor Ashoka’s change, as these edicts include messages of peace and the teachings of the peaceful religion of Buddhism.

Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda) – Again under maintenance

Daya River – Imagine if the entire river turned blood red !! Today it is a serene and peaceful place

Dhabaleshwar temple is an ancient Hindu temple, which is located behind the DhauliGiri Shanti Stupa. The presiding deity of the shrine is Lord Shiva.

Following this, we returned to Bhubaneshwar and went shopping. Preethi wanted chaat for supper. So we decided to check with the hotel, and they readily agreed. We called it a day.