Bhimbetka
About the city
The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka are in the foothills of the Vindhyan Mountains on the southern edge of the central Indian plateau. Within massive sandstone outcrops, above comparatively dense forest, are five clusters of natural rock shelters, displaying paintings that appear to date from the Mesolithic Period right through to the historical period. The cultural traditions of the inhabitants of the twenty-one villages adjacent to the site bear a strong resemblance to those represented in the rock paintings.Bhimbetka Caves are the exclusive tourist attraction in the place. Done mainly in red and white with the casual use of green and yellow, the scenes of the cave paintings usually depict everyday events like hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals have been depicted in some caves. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently. The drawings and paintings can be classified under seven different periods:
Bhimbetka is the largest collection of prehistoric art in India. It was discovered and explored in 1958 by Dr. V.S. Wakankar, one of India's greatest archaeologists. After unearthing rock shelters in the chambal region he was on hisway to Nagpur. From the train he noticed caves dotting the hills in the distance. HE cut through the deep forests of teak and tendu and climbedup to the caves.The name Bhimbetka is derived from the sanskrit epic Mahabharata, Bhim-bait-ka meaning Bheem sat on these rocks.
Surrounded by the northern fringe of the vindhyan ranges, Bhimbetka lies 46km south of Bhopal. In this rocky terrain of dense forest and craggy cliffs, over 600 rock shelters belonging to the Neolithic age were recently discovered. Here, in vivid, panoramic detail, paintings in over 500 caves depict the life of the prehistoric cave dwellers, making the Bhimbetka group on archaeological treasure. Executed mainly in red and white with the occasional use of green and yellow, with themes taken from eveyday events of eons ago, the scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bisons, tigers, lions, wild boar, elebhants, antelopes, dogs, lizards, crocodiles, etc. Have been depicted in some caves. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently.
The colours used by the cave dwellers were prepared combining manganese, hematite, soft red stone and wooden coal. Sometimes the fat of animals and extracts of leaves were also used in the mixture. The colours have remained intact for many centuries due to the chemical reaction resulting from the oxide present on the surface of the rocks. The superimposition of paintings shows that the same canvas was used by different people of different times. The drawings and paintings can be classified under seven different periods.
Justification for Inscription
Criterion
Bhimbetka reflects a long interaction between people and the landscape, as demonstrated in the quantity and quality of its rock art.Bhimbetka is closely associated with a hunting and gathering economy as demonstrated in the rock art and in the relicts of this tradition in the local adivasi villages on the periphery of this site.
Bhimbetka.... 130 rock shelters.... Biggest repository of prehistoric art in India. Continuous habitation from the Early Stone Age...." One of the earliest dwellings of human beings, Bhimbetka will take you back to the history 35000 years old. In fact, the place has witnessed a cultural sequences right from the late stone age to the early historic period. The pre historic caves which are in true sense "the portal to the ancient gallery of Bhimbetka" preserves some fascinating paintings dating back to Paleolithic times.
They had lived here for one hundred millennium and had created their own stone floors, left behind hand-axes, cleavers, scrapers to remove flesh and fat from the skin of slaughter animals and tiny needles made from hard quartz in all its sharp and colorful forms. Also stone hand mills for grinding grain and nuts and the colourred earth called "Ochers".
Over these caves the Stone Age artists painted their hopes and fears, weaving an enchantment that still ensnares us. These specimen, display great vitality and narrative skill. One sees on the weather worn walls, rhinoceros, elephants, horses, as well as domestic animals. There are scenes of domestic bliss-a women with a child or performing household chores, and documentation of a hunt, raid during warfare. One cannot remain immune to the excitement that slowly builds up- a memorable moment in time when our ancestors were taking the leap from animal to human existence-groping cautiously to achieve social organization. Experimenting with community life.
To really experience the journey back to Stone Age Man one should move around the place gently and examine minutely the whole surroundings because each boulder and every overhanging rock speaks of the magical history.
Barkhera 7 km from Bhimbetka, One of the richest open air Stone Age sites in South Asia. There are thousands of Acheulian tools scattered in the thick teak forest, and fields on the other side of the road. Barkhera was a large camp site of the final Acheulian hunter-gathers.
Early History
Painted mainly in red, white and yellow, the paintings depict religious symbols, tunic-like dresses and the existence of scripts of different periods. Figures of yakshas, tree gods and magical sky chariots reflect their religious beliefs.The figures of this group have a schematic and decorative style, and are painted mainly in red, white and yellow. The association is of riders, depiction of religious symbols, tunic like dresses and the existence of scripts of different periods. The religious beliefs are represented by figures of Yakshas, tree gods and magical sky chariots.