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Odisha Part 11: Discovering the Jaina Heritage of Odisha at the caves of Udaygiri and Khandgiri

The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
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When stories come alive - An Encounter with a Hanuman Langur

Bheema, it is said, once came across an old monkey, lying with his tail across the path. Not wanting to step over the tail, Bheema asked the monkey to move. The monkey replied that he was too tired, and could Bheema himself move the tail, since he was so strong? Bheema, always confident and proud of his strength, bent to lift the tail, but was surprised that he couldn’t even shift it an inch! After trying multiple times, he finally gave up, acknowledging that his strength was no match for the monkey. Pleased, the monkey revealed his true form. He was Hanuman, the older son of Vayu, the wind, and thus Bheema’s elder brother. He then blessed Bheema, promising to stay by his side in the great war which was to come.




I remember being fascinated by this story when I was a kid, because of the way my mom told me the story… of Bheema and Hanuman’s conversation, and Bheema’s futile efforts to lift the monkey’s tail. As I grew older, the story continued to fascinate me, since it is one of those events which binds the two greatest epics – the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha!



Recently, I was reminded of the story once again, when a Hanuman Langur sat in our path, tail extended, refusing to move!!!  



We were on a safari in the Satpura National Park, while visiting the Denwa Backwater Escape, on an invite from Pugdundee Safaris. The morning safari had been a washout, the animals keeping well away! We were returning, rather disappointed, when this langur stopped us, and made us smile, at his stoic behavior!




As someone so fascinated by mythology, legends and their origins, I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable experience!!! 


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  1. shreyaNovember 24, 2014 at 11:57 AM

    The article seems to be so interesting. Yes i have heard about the story of Bheema and Hanuman. But I never experienced such a thing. Thank u for sharing your memorable experience with us.

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