Udaigiri, located in the state of Orissa,is an important pilgrimage of Buddhist, as well as Jains . The city is 20Kms northeast of Cuttack, and 100 Kms from the state capital Bhubaneswar.Udaigiri is famous for its caves, which houses the antiques and architecturally important Buddhist sculptures. Udaigiri was a learning centre of Buddhism, and the ruins of the ancient monasteries, stupas and other Buddhist items still narrate its rich history. The ancient caves of Udaigiri are considered sacred as this was the place from where Lord Mahavira addressed the people of the region. The 35 meters high Udaygiri hill has archaeologically significant caves, which are nearly 2300 years old. These caves were built around 1st - 2nd century B.C, for the Jainmonks. The thirteen years lithic record of King Kharavela, engraved in Hati Gumpha, is present near Udaigiri. It is a massive specimen of Pali records found in the country
Attractions of Udaigiri :
» Archaeological excavations - The archaeological excavations at Udaigiri unearthed important Buddhist items, like the magnificent brick monastery with many Buddhist sculptures. The sculptures that have been discovered include sculptures of Buddha in the mediatingposture. In addition few Bodhisattva images has also been excavated. Behind the excavated places the Udiagiri hill stands, which offer a perfect background to the place. The hill full of inscriptions and sculptures is a major attraction for tourists.
» Caves - Cave 1, also known as Rani Gumpha has beautiful images of elephants, monkeys, sword fights and abduction of women etc. All the images have the connection with King Kharvela. The images with rich artistic expressions, is a great attraction for history lovers. Some of the caves are completely in ruins, while cave 3 and 4 are known for itsmassive sculptures and architectural splendor.
» Dev Sabha -
Situated near Udaigiri, thousand of relics are scattered here. An ancient tank lies here, it is said that the tank have water called Akahh Ganga(Ganga from the heavens).
» Khandgiri Cave Sculptures - Among the caves, Cave2 is the biggest one which was excavated in the first century B.C. In one of the caves one can view some faint lines in Brahmini script, which are assumed to be 2000 years old. The Anata Gumpha (Snake Cave), has a serpent shaped decoration at the entrance. The cave contains the best sculptures of the hill. The Jain temple situated at the hilltop is another attraction here.
» Ratnagiri - Ratnagiri is located near Udaigiri,which is famous as the Buddhist pilgrimage. The place has connections with Lord Buddha and some of his disciples. Ratnagiri is popular for it's ancient monasteries of 6th and 12th century. The massive carvings of Buddha, stupas and other ancient sculptures are spread all around.
Accessibility :
Udaigiri has not its own airport, Bhubaneswar (100 Kms) Kms) is the nearest airhead. Cuttack (20 Kms) is also very close to Udaigiri.
» By Air - Bhubaneswar airport is well connected toDelhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad etc.
» By Train - Udaigiri is very close to Bhubaneswarand Cuttack railway stations, which are well connected to all major cities of the country.
» By Road - Udaigiri is well connected to the cities Bhubaneswar, Cuttack etc. through the road network. It is connected to rest of the India via national highways. The buses run regularly from nearby towns to Udaigiri, one can also hire private taxis.
Accommodation :
Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are ideal base for visiting Udaigiri. The hotels offer a pleasant stay to guests. There are plenty of options for stay,according to ones choice and budget. In Cuttack Hotel Akbari Continental (3Star) is a good place to stay, while in Bhubaneswar the famous hotels are the Trident and the Oberois.
Best Time to Visit :
At Udaigiri, the temperatures soars during summers and falls in winters.During monsoons heavy rainfall observed here, so the ideal time to visit Udaigiri is between September and March.
