JOIN USDid you know that India holds evidence of life from 100,000 years ago, right at its heart in the state of Madhya Pradesh? Only 45 km from Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhimbetka was a dwelling site for ancient cavemen.
Most fascinating feature of these prehistoric caves is the plethora of cave paintings chronicling life during the Stone Age that give visitors a peek into the living conditions of the cave dwellers.
Coming from a family of history lovers and travellers, I had heard of Palaeolithic sites in the Indian subcontinent, but had never heard of Bhimbetka in Bhopal. During one of my trips to Bhopal, I made it a point to spend a few hours exploring Bhimbetka. As I drove down to the site, it was pretty clear that it is not really a tourist hotspot.
Hidden from plain view, the site lies in a forested area, giving out no signs of its existence. This might be both good and bad — good because hidden from tourist frenzy the caves are well-maintained, bad because not many have heard of this unique World Heritage Site. The Archaeological Society of India (ASI) has really preserved the site well. I quickly hired an official guide at the entrance and started the tour.
Rock shelters
The first views I got from the entrance were of interesting rock formations of various sizes. The formations display the work of erosions that have worked their magic over several thousands of years. The insides of the caves are well-preserved, as they have better weathered time and natural elements than the exteriors. There are approximately 700 rock shelters in the extended forested area, only a few open for tourists.
The most prominent rock shelter marked by its high ceilings is called the auditorium rock shelter. It is believed to have served as a gathering area or “auditorium” in the ancient times. The rock shelter is marked with unique cup marks, which date back to 10,000 years.
Cave paintings
As I resumed my visit, I came across numerous cave-like shelters that were distinctly used as dwelling places by Stone Age inhabitants. These were mostly inaccessible, dark and low in height, indicating that the inhabitants could only lie down or just sit upright, but not stand up inside.
The most interesting part was just around the corner, as I reached the caves displaying the artwork of prehistoric humans. The oldest paintings are supposed to date back as far as 30,000 years. The paintings are in different colours, white, red, yellow and green. Most paintings I saw were white. According to the guide, the different colours depict different eras in time when these paintings were made.
I also noticed that the oldest paintings were more linear in pattern and had more primitive structure. The improved patterns demonstrate later periods in time as humans start to learn over a period of time. The paintings evolved to include depiction of a man riding a horse, different states of a peacock (stationary and then flying), men following their leader (with the leader’s horse more ornamental than the others’) etc. The zoo rock shelter is the most popular for its layers of paintings. It depicts different animals including elephants, bisons and deer in action. The different layers and the use of different colours make this a piece of collaborative artwork from different periods of time.
Another popular painting the guide showed me was that of a mythical boar that is towering over a human figure standing in front of it. Since there is no evidence of such huge boars found anywhere in this region, it is believed to be a work of imagination.
The Pandava connection
The place supposedly derives its name from Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers from the Mahabharatha. “Bhim-bethika” means the seat of Bhima. According to my tour guide, one of the forested areas around the caves is called Lakhajur, which locals believe was the site of the Lakshagraha from the Mahabharatha. The Lakshagraha was a palace of lac that the Kauravas built for the Pandavas, to burn their sleeping cousins at night.With these intriguing aspects, Bhimbetka is a must-visit.
How to Reach
It is best to take one’s own vehicle or hire a cab from Bhopal city. There is not much reliable public transport available in the area.
Tips
Bhimbetka closes a little before sundown, so plan your trip accordingly.The site is a forest trail with rugged paths, so wear comfortable shoes. It might not be a suitable place for physically challenged or people with knee pains.