The Hindu Business Line : Where Bhima once sat...

Dr Vishnu S. Wakankar, an archaeologist, was travelling between Bhopal and Itarsi on a train, when he noticed some unusual rock formation in the forests en route. Intrigued, he got off at the next station, and walked back to the forests. There he stumbled upon a priceless treasure trove. Before him were rock shelters with paintings, believed to be among the oldest in the world, dating back to the Neolithic age.

Dr Wakankar discovered these cave dwellings in 1956-57.

Today Bhimbetika, 46 km from Bhopal, is a World Heritage site. Legend has it that Bhima, the Pandava prince in the epic Mahabharata, sat on one of these rocks, and hence the name.

Situated amidst the verdant forests of the Rata Pani Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, there are over 700 rock shelters in Bhimbetika, of which only about a dozen are open to visitors. An archaeological treasure, the paintings depict the everyday life of the prehistoric cave-dwellers. Scenes such as hunting, dancing, and horse and elephant riders are portrayed vividly.

Prehistoric panorama: Vivid sketches depicting the everyday life of the prehistoric dwellers.

Elephants, tigers, bison, dogs and lions are some of the animals etched in red or white. Green and yellow colours have also been used occasionally. The paintings are largely found on the ceilings and walls of the caves and on the rock face. The oldest of them are said to be about 12,000 years old, while others are as recent as 1,000 years old.

There are clear directions to get to the rock shelters. One sign, which caught our attention, read: Zoo Rocks. These are a series of rocks shaped like animals... Prominent among these is the turtle rock.

One of the rock shelters in Bhimbetika.

Tread carefully on the jungle path inside the site, which teems with scores of millipedes and other insects. Also look out for rare flowers and plants along the way.

The place literally packs a whiff of fresh air. Visitors are few in number though, "due to the lack of efforts to promote the State's immense tourism potential", as one Bhopal resident put it. On the positive side, thanks to the UNESCO recognition, the site is relatively litter-free and well maintained.

Pictures by the author

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