Description:
These rock cut caves, around 8 kms from Bhubaneshwar on the hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri; belong to 1st and 2nd century B.C. These caves built during the reign of Kharavela King, were meant to be prayer halls and dwelling places for the Jain monks. Some of the caves have been exquisitely carved and beautifully ornate with some of the finest specimen of carvings of that era. The Rani Gumpha or the queen's cave and the Hathi Gumpha or the elephant cave is of particular importance. The Rani Gumpha particularly has the most exotic carvings and the Hathi Gumpha shows the chronicles of the reign of King Kharavela.
