India is one of the most renowned countries which have many hidden treasures of our ancient times. Apart from mountains, forts, landscapes and temples one of the rare explored but iconic wonders to visit are the natural caves in India. These caves surely take us to the roots of our history and are a live example of the talent that people in the past used to hold.
Magnificent Caves in India You Must Visit Once
Each cave has religious importance or showcases extraordinary sculptures and carvings which are worth seeing. So, here we have listed down some of the best caves in India that will take you to an adventurous and thrilling ride:
1) Ajanta Caves in India
Ajanta Caves are one of the most popular and oldest caves in India. Located in the Jalgaon city of Maharashtra, Ajanta caves have 29 caves which are all dedicated to the Buddhist religion. All of them display ancient sculptures and paintings which will leave you awestruck with its intricacy. The artwork features in Ajanta caves are a true example of the complexed artwork from the 2nd century BCE to about 480CE.
2) Ellora Caves in India
Ellora Caves is 2 hours away from Ajanta caves and, have almost 100 caves but only 34 are open for public display. All the caves include Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples with detailed sculptures and complexed paintings built during the 6th and 9th centuries. The major cave which grabs everyone’s attention is, Cave No16, the great Kailasa.
3) Krem Liat Prah, Meghalaya
Situated in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, this cave is one of the longest caves in India and is also an unexplored hidden treasure of the ancient times. These caves are not very famous among the common public but many surveys keep on going here. The length is almost 24 Kilometres long and it’s not easy to visit here because the passage to go inside is quite complicated and have hurdles in between. At times people also have to crawl to explore the wild truth of this natural cave.
4) Borra Caves
Borra Caves is one of the most popular caves in South India. The naturally formed Shiva Lingam inside these caves makes it unique and venerable. It is spread in the huge area and around the lush green forest with breathtaking views of the landscape. Though these caves were formed because of the chemical reaction in water with stones, people started relating these incredible structure shapes to God Shiva-Parvati and thus, it became a worshipping place.
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5) Kadia Dungar Caves
When it comes to Buddhist caves in India, then Kadia Dungar caves is something you cannot miss. Located in the Bharuch district of Gujarat, there are 7 Buddhist caves in Kadia Dungar and, as per the locals, these were made by the Pandavas and, some believe that they are of the Kshatrapa period. The major attraction of these caves is the sculpture of lion pillars in its foothills and the temples that are built near them.
6) Badami Caves, Karnataka
Badami caves are one of the most famous caves in India and also the finest example of rock-cut architecture. Located on a hill in red sandstone, Badami caves have four caves out of which two are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one to God Shiva and other to Jains. All these caves are connected with each other through stairs. There is also an Archeological museum inside which is worth seeing.
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7) Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra
These caves are a popular tourist attraction and especially people who visit Mumbai do plan to go here. The only way to reach Elephanta caves is, by a ferry. There are 7 rock-cut caves built back in 6th century AD. Among all, the one which is most of the people’s favourite is the epic cave depicting Lord Shiva in three forms- the aghora, tatpurusha and vamadeva.
Most Visited Caves in India: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How far are Ellora caves from Ajanta caves?
It takes almost 3 hours via Aurangabad to reach Ellora caves from Ajanta caves.
Q2: What is Borra Caves famous for?
Borra caves are famous for the sculptures which look like God Shiva and Parvati inside.
Q3: Where are Kadia Dungar caves exactly located?
Kadia Dungar is located near Zarpor village of Zagadiya Taluka in Bharuch district of Gujarat.
Q4: Which is the longest cave in India?
Krem Liat Prah on Jaintia Hills in the state of Meghalaya is the longest cave in India.
Q5: What are the timings to visit Ajanta caves?
You can visit Ajanta caves between 8 am to 5 pm.
Q6: Which is the most famous Buddhist cave in India?
Ajanta and Ellora caves are the most famous Buddhist cave and also part of the UN heritage site.
