Udayagiri Caves
उदयगिरि गुफाएँ
Hindu caves from the Gupta dynasty near Vidisha, famous for the giant relief of Vishnu in boar form lifting the earth goddess.
The Udayagiri Caves were carved during the Gupta dynasty in the 4th and 5th centuries. The site comprises about 20 caves and is one of India's earliest groups of Hindu cave temples. The most famous is Cave 5, with its “Varaha Relief”: Vishnu, in boar-headed human form, rescues the earth goddess from the sea, with gods and sages arranged around them in a grand composition. Other features include a reclining Vishnu, an image of the goddess Durga and Gupta inscriptions. Tickets cost several hundred rupees for foreigners. The caves lie about 6 km northwest of Vidisha and 13 km north of Sanchi, making them suitable for a combined day trip with Sanchi.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset
Nearby sights
- Bijamandal, Vidisha
- Heliodorus Pillar
- Sanchi Archaeological Museum
- Chetiyagiri Vihara
- Sanchi Stupa
- Sanchi Stupa No. 2
- Satdhara Stupas
- Maladevi Temple, Gyaraspur