Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves
Bhubaneswar West, Bhubaneswar
About this place
Carved as residential monasteries for Jain ascetics during King Kharavela's reign (1st–2nd century BCE), these twin cave complexes feature 33 surviving caves from an original ~117. Udayagiri has 18 caves including the Hathigumpha (Elephant Cave) with Kharavela's famous Brahmi inscription detailing his conquests. Khandagiri contains 15 caves. The intricate sculptural friezes depict court life, mythology, and religious scenes.
Hathigumpha inscription records Kharavela's campaigns; 117 original caves, 33 survive
1st–2nd century BCE · Rock-cut Jain (Lena style)
Getting there
Similar places
Nandankanan Zoological Park
Barang, Bhubaneswar
India's first WAZA-member zoo and world's first white tiger breeding center, sprawling 437 hectares with 1,580+ animals across 166 species.
Odisha State Museum
Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar
Odisha's premier museum housing extensive collections of sculptures, tribal art, palm leaf manuscripts, traditional crafts, and historical artifacts.
Rajarani Temple
Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar
An exquisite 11th-century Kalinga temple famous for ornamental spires and intricate carvings. The absence of a presiding deity makes it unique.
Regional Museum of Natural History
Gajapati Nagar, Bhubaneswar
Ministry of Environment museum (est. 1986) at Acharya Vihar — geology, biodiversity, tribal ecology, live aquaria, and eastern India natural heritage exhibits.