Prehistoric rock-art in Aravalli hills puts Rajasthan village on tourist map

Nestled in the Aravali Ranges, the sleepy Hajipur Dadikar village in Rajasthan's Alwar district is now buzzing with activity as historians and tourists flock to take a look at the pre-historic rock paintings in its hills depicting scenes of dance, hunting and animal figures.

Discovered in 2001, the paintings are spread over an area of 10-12 sq km.

District Tourism Officer Tina Yadav said rock paintings in the hills of Hajipur Dadikar have been included in the list of tourist places in the district.

“Dadikar has emerged as a new tourist point in recent years. Tourists from more than 50 countries have visited this place,” Tejpal Gurjar, a local tourist guide said.

He said the rock paintings depict swastika, lion, elephant, sword, peacock, fish, sun, shepherd grazing goats, fighting animals, animal skins and other wild animals.

Tractor-trolleys are used to take the tourists to the last motorable point and from there the trekking starts.

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“The site is now getting popular. Several tourists who come to Alwar, which is famous for the Sariska tiger reserve and other sites like Silisedh, reach Dadikar for trekking and for the rock paintings,” he told PTI.

According to the guide, tourists from Australia, America, Mexico, England, France, Thailand, Poland, Ireland, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, Spain, Sri Lanka, Japan etc. have undertaken trips to the hills to see the rock paintings.

Nirvana Bodhisattva, the founder of Nirvanavan Foundation, who has been living in Dadikar for nearly 30 years, said the government should make every possible effort to preserve the site.

“This is a historic site and many people have started visiting it. The government should make all efforts to preserve it,” he said.

Dr Neeta Dubey, member of the Indian National Trust for Art Culture and Heritage (INTACH), an organisation working on heritage conservation, said the subjects of the prehistoric rock paintings in Hajipur Dadikar are human figures, scenes of dance after hunting, scenes of hunting with nets, animal figures like bulls, lions, elephants, goats, nilgai etc.

Principal of the Government Higher Secondary School Bhaveda, Alwar, Dr. Komal Kant Sharma said information about the rock shelters and rock paintings of Hajipur Dadikar area was given to archaeologist Premlata Pokrana by a bank worker, which was based on information given by shepherds.

An extensive research work was then carried out in this area.