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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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Earth Day - Images from Dandeli

On the occasion of Earth Day, I am sharing with you, some of my images from Dandeli, in Karnataka.




Not too long ago, Dandeli was at the heart of the mining operation. The land was rich in iron ore, and the place was dotted with iron mines, and, as the forest was cleared, with paper mills. Soon, the forest started disappearing, and the the mighty Kali River became a trickle.



Thankfully, the people woke up, and efforts began, to reclaim the land and restore it to its former glory. That was just over a decade ago, and this lush greenery is proof enough, that it has indeed worked. 





The forest is back, and is today a protected area, the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. While the big cats have indeed returned, it is the Malabar Pied Hornbill which is the pride of this forest. These birds need the forest to survive, and are thus the best indicators of the health of the forest. That we saw flocks and flocks of them wherever we went in Dandeli, can only speak volumes about the effects of conservation. 





On this Earth Day, let us hope that we are able to preserve what is left of our beautiful planet... for ourselves, as well as our children. 



I visited Dandeli in Jan 2014 on an invite from Dandeli.com a website which helps promote tourism in an environment friendly manner in the area. 
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Comments

  1. Wynn BextonApril 22, 2014 at 10:54 AM

    Your blogs are always so intereseting such excellent photos! Thanks for sharing. Ruth K.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 22, 2014 at 12:21 PM

    I have been to Dandeli and it is indeed a beautiful place

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarApril 23, 2014 at 8:14 AM

      good to hear that, Rathina Sankari! Its really a beautiful place.

      Delete
  3. NatalieGApril 23, 2014 at 8:17 AM

    You get such great pictures of birds. I really enjoy seeing the native species that you photograph during your travels. Thanks for such an interesting blog! I always look forward to your posts.

    ReplyDelete
  4. R Niranjan DasApril 29, 2014 at 8:50 PM

    Wonderful captures from Dandeli.

    ReplyDelete

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