Bhimbetka Rock Shelters in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Series of natural rock shelters in the foothills of the Vindhya Range, central India, Bhimbetka rock shelters are located approximately 28 miles (45 km) south of Bhopal, in west-central Madhya Pradesh state. Comprising around 700 shelters, the complex is discovered in 1957 and is one of the largest repositories of prehistoric art in India. Surrounded by the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, its shelters are the world’s greatest testimonies to the first traces of homosapiens, i.e. the modern humans. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 2003, this place has managed to leave its imprint on the international map.   

Deriving from the mythological association of the place with Bhima, one of the Pandavas in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the place Bhimbetka was named after him. Sketching the human journey from the Palaeolithic Age to the Medieval Period, the Bhimbetka caves boast geometric figures, linear representations, and paintings which are more than 30,000 years old. Listed amongst the must-visit attractions on a tour to Bhopal or Madhya Pradesh, a glimpse at the caves paintings of this popular rock shelter is meant to blow its visitors’ mind. Go aghast while reading through a sequence of cultural development to discover how from early nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled cultivators to expressions of spirituality, homo-sapiens have grown. And, find a resemblance of the present-day cultural traditions of agrarian people inhabiting the nearby villages with those represented in the Bhimbetka cave paintings.

Experiences exquisiteness:

Replete with dense forests and a rugged canvas, Bhimbetka Caves of Madhya Pradesh is all about solace amidst the lofty quartzite rocks and craggy cliffs. Depicting humans’ experimentation with creativity during different periods of time, this cave stores a bounty of mysteries to be resolved. The major highlights of this rock shelter include, silhouetted paintings of elephants, tiger, peacock, bulls, and some 16 different species; drawings of humans; dancing figures of men and women, and much more.