10 must-visit caves in India every history buff should explore

Caves are mysterious areas which depict the lifestyle of ancient times through paintings and carvings on the walls. These caves will definitely leave you awe‑struck with their beautiful sculptures. One can find a lot of caves in India, each depicting the stories of ancient times, religious art, and how civilization came into being. All history lovers must visit these silent and mysterious caves which have a lot to tell about the past!

Let’s get into it:

This cave is has rock‑cut sculptures and paintings that depict the finest examples of ancient Indian art and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. These caves were excavated out of a vertical cliff and there are aroud 30 in number, including the unfinished ones. Some of the caves belong to Buddhism, where Buddha was worshipped in his symbolic form. The caves have mural paintings on them and also have pillars, brackets, and door jambs which are decorated with beautiful sculptures. Ajanta cave is considered one of the greatest achievements of Buddhist rock‑cut architecture. Cave 16 and 17 of Ajanta caves are the best preserved and have well‑known paintings that depict elaborate narratives from the Jataka tales.

These caves are a UNESCO World Heritage site and are located in Maharashtra. Ellora caves comprise 34 caves—monasteries and temples. These caves are devoted to Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain religions. Since one can see caves of different religions, they depict the spirit of co‑existence and religious tolerance that existed among people in earlier times. The caves are dated from AD 600 to 1000. Cave 16 is the largest single rock excavation in the world as it has a Kailasa temple with a chariot‑shaped monument dedicated to Shiva. Some depictions on rock here show the two great epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata.

This cave is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in Bhopal. These caves are natural formations and depict the background of human civilisation. It is believed that the cave got this name because Bhima, during the Pandavas’ exile, sat here. These caves are the perfect combination of natural beauty and ancient history. The paintings in these caves are stunning examples of ancient artistry, more than 30,000 years old, and give us a glimpse of the daily lives of early humans here. The drawings and paintings are from different periods; some depict battle scenes while others depict religious symbols and ways of life.

This cave is located in Mumbai and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is named after an elephant found on the island which is known as ‘Gharapuri’. There are seven cave excavations under this group dated around the 6th–7th centuries AD. This cave is famous for its beautiful and breathtaking sculptures. Some of the panels in these caves represent a form of Shiva with combined male and female energies, and on the other side, a depiction of Shiva and Parvati playing Chausar. The most famous sculpture here is known as Mahesha-murti, which depicts the three forms of Shiva.

These caves are an architectural marvel with a combination of two different architectural styles: a mix of North Indian Nagara and South Indian Dravidian styles. These caves have carvings from vibrant red sandstone by local craftsmen and are dated around the 6th to 8th century AD. These caves will leave you awestruck if you see them at sunset as the light highlights perfectly the red tint of the sandstone. The Badami cave temple here is dedicated to the forms of Shiva as the god of souls, spirits, and ghosts.

This cave is located in Madhya Pradesh and depicts Jain architecture and spirituality. Most of the carvings in this temple depict Jain iconography and one can see statues of the 24 Tirthankaras here. It is believed that these were built during the 14th to 15th century CE. These statues were defaced or destroyed under the rule of Mughal Emperor Babur and then restored after the fall of the Mughal dynasty.

These caves are located in Bhubaneswar in Odisha. They consist of both man-made and natural caves. These caves were built around the 2nd century BCE during the period of King Kharavela. These caves were built for Jain monks and also offered them a place to stay and meditate. Out of 117 caves, only thirty‑three survive now. The beautiful sculptures in these caves are carved by hand using basic tools. One depiction in these caves is that of the Kalinga War where women are also seen fighting.

These caves are located in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh and are considered to be some of the largest caves in India. These are limestone caves formed over 150 million years; they are still transforming as small streams flow into the cave, causing a reaction between calcium carbonate and limestone and creating stalagmites on the ground and spear‑like stalactites hanging from the ceiling. These formations are considered to resemble sculptures of mother-child, Shiva-Parvati, monkeys, and more. These rock formations will definitely captivate its visitors. Anthropologists have found stone tools which are 30,000 to 50,000 years old.

These caves are the oldest and also the smallest rock‑cut Buddhist sites in Maharashtra. This is a paradise for history lovers as in the Karla caves one can find the Chaitya Hall, which is the largest and best‑preserved hall. In these caves, one can find beautiful Buddhist sculptures. What makes this a unique cave is that it is a multi‑storey cave, not generally found in this type of architecture. The inscriptions inside these caves depict the economic activities of earlier times, as donations by monks, kings, and others are inscribed here.

These caves are a group of 22 rock‑cut caves that date to around the 2nd century. These are considered the perfect example of Buddhist cave architecture. This cave gets its name from the Bhaja village located below the cave. There are two kinds of caves here: Chaityas or prayer halls and Viharas or monastic caves. This cave is a testament to the legacy of the Mauryan Empire in South India. Inside these caves, one will find names of three renowned monks inscribed on the walls: Sanghadina, Ampinika, and Dhammagiri. These names depict the tranquility the monks found here.