India is a country that is completely endowed with nature. Being one of the oldest civilizations in the world, India boasts of many age-old wonders as compared to other countries. The treasure of tourism is hidden for the tourists in every direction here. From the snowy mountains in the north to the waterfalls and seas in the south, from the golden deserts of the west to the verdant greenery of the east, it's all here. Similarly, the ancient and huge caves hidden inside the forests and valleys of India are famous for not one but thousands of miraculous stories. Most of the natural caves in India are Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cave temples. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about the famous caves of India which have become a center of attraction for pilgrims and history buffs. Let's know about these caves...

Ajanta Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
The caves of Ajanta-Ellora, located near Aurangabad city of Maharashtra, have been made by cutting huge rocks. 29 caves are in Ajanta and 34 caves are in Ellora. Now these caves are being protected as World Heritage. The Ajanta caves depict Buddhism from 200 BC to 650 AD. In the caves of Ellora, the effect of Triveni Sangam can be seen in the faith shown towards the three religions of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. These caves came into existence from 350 to 700 AD. From the research of Archaeological and Geologist, it was found that no common man or today's modern technology can make these caves. There is a tunnel here, which takes it to the underground city. Pitalkhora caves are also famous in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.

Badami Caves, Karnataka
Badami Caves located in Karnataka, South India are very ancient caves. Badami Caves have shown Chalukaya's great love for architecture. These magnificent caves are also among the top tourist attractions in Karnataka. Here you will find four cave temples. They are dedicated to Lord Shiva, two temples of Vishnu, and one Jain temple. The 5th-century Agatirtirtha pond is nearby and the equally lovely Bhutnath temple. This rock-cut cave is made of red sandstone and is built on a hill. The caves date back to the 6th and 7th centuries AD and they are located at the mouth of a valley. The architecture seen here is of the Nagara style of North India and South India.

Amarnath Cave, Jammu, and Kashmir
Amarnath Cave is located in Jammu and Kashmir and is one of the most famous Hindu temples. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is claimed to be over 5,000 years old and forms an important part of ancient Hindu mythology. This cave is situated at an altitude of about 3,888 meters and about 141 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The main Amarnath cave has an ice stalactite that resembles a Shiva Linga that expands and contracts with the cycle of the moon. According to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort Parvati.

Borra Caves, Visakhapatnam
The Borra Caves, located in the Ananthagiri Hills of the Araku Valley in Visakhapatnam district on the east coast of India, is one of nature's most amazing formations. The Borra Caves are the largest in the country, situated at an altitude of about 705 meters. Let us tell you that the Borra Caves are limestone formations that extend to a depth of 80 meters, and are considered to be the deepest caves in India. The combination of sunlight and darkness presents a mesmerizing view deep in the Borra Caves, which is truly unimaginable.

Chanda Devi Caves, Chhattisgarh
Ancient Buddhist Caves of Chanda Devi The caves of Chanda Devi, located in the Singhadhruv region, are situated on the banks of the Mahanadi, about 25 km from Sirpur town in the Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh. The Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna meditated here. There are many caves in Chhattisgarh, but the Sitabeng cave is located in the Ramgarh hills of Ambikapur in Surguja district. These are 2 caves – one Sitabeng and the other Jogimara. To reach here, you have to go through the natural tunnel Hatipal. You can reach Kailash Cave, Dandak Cave, and Kutumsar Cave only after passing through the hilly areas and dense forests of Chhattisgarh. It is near the Kangar Valley National Park. There are many caves in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

Undavalli Caves, Andhra Pradesh
About 8 km from the city of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, the Undavalli Caves are situated on the banks of the Krishna River. The caves are said to have been built by the Vishnukundin kings and date back to the 7th century AD. The ancient caves are believed to have been carved out of solid sandstone and are dedicated to Ananthapadmanabha Swamy and Narasimha Swamy. Of the many cave structures found here, the best is the four stories containing a colossal idol of Lord Vishnu in a reclining position.

Mausamai Caves, Meghalaya
Located at a distance of 6 km from Cherrapunji, Mawsai Caves are one of the most popular caves in India, located in the abode of clouds, in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. The caves are famous for being the only cave that has a lot of light to enable tourists to explore their natural formations. These limestone caves are very long. However, only 150 meters of it is open to tourists. The cave houses many stalactites and stalagmites in various shapes and forms. These are the result of years of natural abrasion and seepage. Mawsai Cave is one such cave that is easily accessible and one of the few caves in the country that can be explored without a guide.

Bhimbethika Caves, Madhya Pradesh
The Bhimbetka Caves located at Bhianpura in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh provide a different look at the prehistoric age of India. Bhimbethika Caves are like natural galleries which combine paintings from prehistoric to medieval times. Bhimbetka is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and this site has been declared a World Heritage Site in 2003. More than 750 rock shelters have been found on the hill of Bhimbetka, one of the seven such hills, which is spread over an area of about 10 kilometers. Traveling here and exploring the caves is nothing less than an adventure. It preserves the remains of art-rich rock shelters, Bhimbetka Citadel and Mini Stupa. indicating Buddhist influence. Several inscriptions have also been found here, which belonged to a reluctant era as well as the Sunga, Kushan, and Gupta periods. Bhimbetka is an ideal place for history lovers and one of the best places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.

Arjan Cave, Kullu
Jagatsukh is situated at a distance of 5 kilometers from Kullu. Jagatsukh was the capital of King Jagat Singh of Kullu. The temples of Bimbakeshwar and Gayatri Devi are particularly attractive at this place. There is a place named Hamta near it. Here is the famous Arjun cave. There is a huge statue of Arjuna. Two kilometers away from here is a place called Triveni, where there is a confluence of Vyas Ganga, Dhomaya Ganga, and Somaya Ganga. At a distance of 1 kilometer from this is the hot water spring Kalat Kund and Kapil Muni's ashram is also here. There is also a famous cave monastery called Toba here.

Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, Bhubaneswar
The ancient Udayagiri Caves are located near Bhubaneswar in the state of Odisha. Udayagiri Caves are famous for 33 rock-cut chambers displaying Hindu and Jain sculptures and wall paintings. The history of these caves dates back to around 350-550 AD in the Gupta period, the era of the foundation of Hindu religious thought. The most famous structure in the Udayagiri cave is a 5 feet high statue of the boar avatar of Vishnu with devotees standing by its side. These caves are located at a distance of about 6 km from Bhubaneswar. These caves are said to be one of the earliest caves made by the Jain community. There are 18 caves located in Udayagir and 15 in Khandagiri, out of which Rani Gufa is considered the most special.

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