The 113 coarse sandstone monastery caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri near Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India (Lat. 20.16 N; Long. 85.47E) was built in about second century BC. Conceived as the secluded enclaves for the Jain and Buddhist ascetics, it contains the megalithic chronicles of the great king Kharavela in Pali, who reigned from 168 till 153 BC. These adjacent caves rise up to 40 meters from the lateritic ground level. There is an 18th century temple dedicated to Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara at the top of Khandagiri. One of the most fascinating Buddhist archaeological remains of Orissa is the imposing square central brick Stupa of Udayagiri.Saturday, 16 February 2008
ROCK CAVES OF KHANDAGIRI AND UDAYAGIRI
The 113 coarse sandstone monastery caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri near Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India (Lat. 20.16 N; Long. 85.47E) was built in about second century BC. Conceived as the secluded enclaves for the Jain and Buddhist ascetics, it contains the megalithic chronicles of the great king Kharavela in Pali, who reigned from 168 till 153 BC. These adjacent caves rise up to 40 meters from the lateritic ground level. There is an 18th century temple dedicated to Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara at the top of Khandagiri. One of the most fascinating Buddhist archaeological remains of Orissa is the imposing square central brick Stupa of Udayagiri.