Bhimbetka

The total straight line distance between Ujjain and Bhimbetka is 236 KM (kilometers). The miles based distance from Ujjain to Bhimbetka is 475.3 miles. This is a straight line distance and so most of the time the actual travel distance between Ujjain and Bhimbetka may be higher or vary due to curvature of the road .

Bhimbetka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, just 56 km from Bhopal. The region features a rocky landscape, dotted with forests featuring varieties of flora and fauna.

Bhimbetka Overview

Bhimbetka is famous for its ancient rock paintings, depicting the life style of man from the Stone Age. These paintings offer information related to the history of the early settlement of mankind. Some of the rock paintings of the Stone Age spotted in the caves of Bhimbetka is about 30,000 years old.

As suggested in the name, this place is associated with the mythical figure Bhim, the second brother of the Pandavas. Bhimbetka, literally meaning ‘the lounge of Bhim’, encourages a local belief that during the period of exile, Bhim took refuge in this very site.

Bhimbetka is primarily famous for housing a number of prehistoric rock paintings in South Asia. The Rock Shelters found at Bhimbetka show the earliest traces of human existence in India. According to archaeologists, these caves were inhabited over 30,000 years back. In 1888, for the first time, Bhimbetka found its mention as a Buddhist site in the Indian archaeological records.

The rock paintings of Bhimbetka depict the transformation of the ancient people to civilised hunters and gatherers. Array of activities are demonstrated on the wall, ranging from sketches of women to paintings of animals like bears, rhinoceroses, tigers, hunting scenes, etc. The paintings also depict childbirth, religious rites, ceremonies and many more occasions.

It seems that each painting of Bhimbetka holds a specific history of ancient human civilisation. Hence, this location is an ideal spot for those who want to explore the primordial society. Until date, over 700 rock shelters have been found at the site. Archaeologists have also revealed traces of Stone Age at the site.