Bhimbetka

One of the most primitive dwellings of human race, Bhimbetka boasts of a history of 35000 years old. The Bhimbetka Caves are located about 45 km from Bhopal, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. They are beautifully surrounded by the forests of Sal and teak. There are 838 caves, which are spread in the total area of 1850 hectares. Out of these 15 of the most exotic caves have been opened for the tourists. Bhimbetka caves are oldest one among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In fact, the place has witnessed a cultural sequence right from the late stone age to the early historic period. The flamboyant paintings that depict the living styles of primeval mankind are definitely a treasure house of information and a precious narrative in the history of man. As the name itself suggests, this historic place is closely related to the legendary figure Bhim, the second in the Pandavas. The popular belief is that, it was here that Bhim took a brief rest during his exile. The word Bimbetka literally means Bim’s lounge. These caves were found by the famous Indian archaeologist, Dr. V.S. Wakankar of the Vikram University, Ujjain, in the year 1958. It took more the 17 years to fully excavate these caves. The local inhabitants around the Bhimbetka caves have the deep religious thoughts attached to it. They relate these caves with the Mahabharata (An Indian Ancient Epic).