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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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Oriental Garden Lizard

The Garden Lizard is a common reptile we see all the time. However, I still can not resist photographing it, especially when it decides to pose for me. Here are some photos of Garden Lizards taken at the Nehru Park on Fateh Sagar Lake....





In the breeding season, the male's head and shoulders turn bright orange/red and his throat black. From the pics, it seems the breeding season may just have started, for there is just a tinge of red on the head/shoulders while the throat is black.






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  1. diyaJuly 26, 2025 at 5:08 PM

    Lizards don't go away even after we do so many things. Good option is to seal the entry points. Installing nets on the windows, vents and exhaust is also important.

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