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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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Memories of 2013 - Rediscovering Mumbai

I have lived in Mumbai for almost 30 years, and, having wandered around freely and happily, thought I knew the city well. It is only this year that I realised how little I knew about it, especially its hidden secrets. One of the first revelations was a visit to Sewri with the Travel-Logs, who opened my eyes to the incredible history which remains unknown to most of its inhabitants.

The Parel Shiva Heptad



Nothing exemplifies this more than the Parel Shiva Heptad, this monolithic statue of Shiva with seven faces, dating back to the 5th or 6th Century AD. Equally interesting was the Sewri Cemetery, which I hadn't even heard of before. 

Samhith at the BEST Museum


And then, stuck once more at home during the Diwali vacation, we set out on a Museum trail - starting off with the BEST Museum at Anik Depot, then the RBI Monetary Museum, and finally, the CST Heritage Gallery. If the BEST Museum was a big surprise, the Monetary Museum was informative, and the CST Heritage Gallery was sheer delight! We literally had our jaws dropping as we walked along the corridors of the Central Railways Headquarters, seeing the amazing works of art on the walls and pillars! Yes, I have yet to write about it, and I promise, I shall do it soon! 

At the Central Railway Headquarters, CST


Meanwhile, I enjoyed some more Museum time, visiting the Bhau Daji Lad Museum with Sudha Ganapathy, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum, first with Samhith, and then by myself, to see the well curated exhibitions. First, there was the Egyptian Mummy, which was a fascinating one, and then, the Flemish Masterpieces which have come all the way from Antwerp! With more interesting exhibitions coming up at the Museum, the New Year is surely going to see me making more trips to the Museum!! 

The beautifully renovated interiors of the  Dr.Bhau Daji Lad Museum


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