Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves (An Old and Rare Book)

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This book is based on Dr. Mohapatra's doctoral thesis who is the Curator of Orissa State Museum, Bhubaneswar. Illustrated and fully documented, the book gives a lucid account of the importance of the twin caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri in the development of Indian art and architecture. After giving a factual description of the caves, the author than analyses the peculiar significance of the cave architecture that flourished in Ancient India especially under the impact of Buddhism and Jainism. As these caves were beautifully sculpted, Mohapatra brings out their sculptural significance in a long chapter which is a book in itself.

Dr. Mohapatra does not look at Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves merely from the point of view of Indian art and architecture but takes pains to analyse the religious and social impulses that shaped them. To do so he unravels the iconography of the sculptural representations and writes critically about the Inscriptions that are found in the caves. The chapter describing the builders of the caves is full of human interest throwing lights on the social condition of the age.

Besides being a museologist of long standing, Shift Dr. R.P. Mohapatra M.A. Ph. D., is a reputed archaeologist with a diploma from Archaeological Survey of India. He is one of the few scholars in Orissa who was, it may be said, BORN FOR ARCHAEOLOGY, to borrow a phrase made famous by the most noted archaeologist in India H.D. Sankalia. Dr. Mohapatra has visited almost all the museums in India as well as excavated sites and monuments. He is the author of many research papers which have been published in India and abroad. At present working as curator in charge of Archaeology. Orissa at Bhubaneswar, Dr. Mohapatra is currently engaged in Jain Antiquities of of Orissa, Military History of Orissa and Rock-cut Caves and Peintings in Orissa.

The caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri were first noticed and partially described by A. Sterling in "An account, Geographical. Statistical and Historical of Orissa proper or Cuttack" in the 15th volume of the Asiatic Researches published in 1825. Fergusson visited the caves in 1836 but was not able to examine them in detail as the time at his disposal was too limited. At that time the important caves of the place were occupied by wandering mendicants who did not tolerate any intrusion in their premises. In 1837-38 Lieutenant Kittoe twice visited the place and published his account with few sketches. His visit too did not enable him to study the caves in detail and produce comprehensive plans and designs. Since then the caves have been photographed by Col. Dixon, Murray and others but without description or plans, so that they are of very little use for our present purpose.

In 1868-69, R. L. Mitra with a batch of students and Draughtsmen from the Government School of Art conducted a visit to Bhubaneswar. Their labour, however, was almost exclusively directed to the temples at Bhubaneswara, he himself making only personal notes of the caves. A second exepedition was arranged under the leadership of C. C. Locke of the same Government School of Art which resulted in obtaining plans of the principal caves and casts of all the more important sculptures. These were placed before R.L Mitra who utilised them in his monumental work "The Antiquities of Orissa" Vol. II, originally published in 1880. These plans, drawings, and casts were also utilised by Fergusson simuItaneously for preparation of the book The Cave Temples of India" published in 1880 under the Joint authorship of Fergusson and Burgess. These two books, besides publishing a number of sketches, designs, plans, and photographs give an account of the leading caves of the place. R.L. Mitra's account of these caves along with the monuments of Orissa provided a basis for study of Orissan history and archaeology Similarly the approach of Fergusson helped us to understand the peculiar architectural pattern of cave-dwellings in Orissa in their all India perspective. But the interpretation of the friezes, age of the caves, their builders as well as their religious affiliation have not been satisfactorily dealt with by these two eminent scholars.

Hunter and Cunningham also noted these caves in the seventees of the last century and gave their account in their work, 'Orissa' published in 1872, and the reports of the Archaeological Survey of India for the years, 1874-76 respectively. Hunter's account is very brief and general. Cunningham made a some what systematic approach in locating the important caves of the place with a note on each of them.

The monuments of Udayagiri and Khandagiri rank in point of antiquity, with those of Boddhagaya, Bhärhut, Sanchi, Bhaja and Pitholkhorã, but no comprehensive study of these monuments has yet been attempted by any scholar. Sri Mohapatra has attempted such a study and has embodied this in his work. Their critical assessment, minute details and above all a very large number of illustrations which themselves will bear ample testimony to his laboures and asseduity. The condition of the monuments at Udayagiri and Khandagiri is fast deteriorating and therefore by preparing their illustrative reproductions Sri Mohapatra has done a great service to Indian Archaeology. He has spent more than five years in preparing this work. The author has the opportunity to see and study most of the ancient caves and temples of India and while preparing this work he has got in to use his knowledge of all India Archaeology.

His approach to the subject has been critical and unbiased and his language is simple, clear and lucid. The work is a creditable achievement of the author.

Location of the Hills

"It is indicated in the maps by the name Khandagiri, but the people in the neigh bourhood assign different names to its four separate prominences. The north-eastern mound is called Udayagiri or "Sun rise hill, the second Khandagiri or 'broken hill'; the third Nilagiri or 'blue hill'; and the fourth Dhavalagiri or the 'white hill: the mont blanc of Orissa. The first two are separated by a break caused by unequal upheaval of the rock; the fractured surfaces on the opposite sides being such that if the farthest ends of the two hillocks could be tilted up the opposing ends would coalesce and form one rock. The chasm is scarcely fifty yards wide in its broadest part, but at the base the two portions touch each other. This fracture has given its specific name to the second hill in question, and the generic name to the entire range. The separations between the second and the third, and the third and the fourth are indicated by slight depression only!"

But as it appears, the depression between the first and the second is artificial probably due to clearing the debris to find out solid rock for excavation of the caves in Khandagiri hill. The same depression was subsequently used for the road passing through it. The third and the fourth hills which R. L. Mitra names as Nilagiri and as Dhavalagiri respectively on the basis of local traditions, can more conveniently be identified with other independent hillocks of the region than with the prominences of this hill. In this connec tion, a hillock known as 'Gumpha mundia' located near village Nuäpalli in the same range may be taken as Nilagiri.

**Contents and Sample Pages**