About Bhimbetka

Country: India | State: Madhya Pradesh

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Bhimbetka: Bhopal (45 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Bhimbetka: July to March

Peak Season: October to February

At a distance of 9 km from Obaidullaganj, and 45 km from Bhopal, Bhimbetka is an archaeological site located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is one of the popular places of heritage in India, and among the must include places in Madhya Pradesh tour packages.

The archaeological site of Bhimbetka is situated inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, embedded in sandstone rocks, in the foothills of the Vindhya Range. It was discovered in the year 1957, but only in the 1970s that the scale and true significance of the Bhimbetka was discovered and reported. It came under the management of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1990 and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003. The name 'Bhimbetka' is derived from the historic tale of Mahabharata. Legend has it that Bhima, one of the Pandavas sat in this place during their exile, and thus the place got its name 'Bhimbetka', which means the sitting place of Bhima. It is one of the famous heritage places to visit near Bhopal.

The site consists of seven hills namely Vinayaka, Bhonrawali, Bhimbetka, Lakha Juar (east and west), Jhondra, and Muni Babaki Pahari, and around 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km (6.2 mi), which are the prime attraction of Bhimbetka tour packages. The Bhimbetka group contains 243 of these, while the Lakha Juar group nearby has 178 shelters. The rock shelters and caves provide evidence of a 'rare glimpse' into human settlement and cultural evolution from hunter-gatherers, to agriculture, and expressions of prehistoric spirituality. The Bhimbetka site has the oldest-known rock art in India, as well as is one of the largest prehistoric complexes. Among all other caves, Auditorium Cave is one of the significant features of the site. Surrounded by quartzite towers, the Auditorium Cave is the largest shelter at Bhimbetka, and among the prominent Bhimbetka tourist places.

Out of the 750 rock shelters, 500 are adorned with interesting paintings and the earliest are about 30,000 years old. However, only 15 caves are opened for visitors. The paintings in the caves are completely diverse in nature as the caves have been around for millennia. Executed mainly in red and white with the occasional use of green and yellow with themes taken from the everyday events of the people who lived in the caves including childbirth, hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animal fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bison, tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, antelopes, dogs, lizards, and crocodiles have been abundantly depicted. In some caves, popular religious and ritual symbols also appear often.

Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal is the nearest airport which is about 55 km from Bhimbetka. It has well connected direct flights from Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi. Bhopal Junction Railway Station, about 45 km from Bhimbetka, is the nearest railhead which has well-connected trains from Hyderabad, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Kochi, Amritsar, Gorakhpur, Nagpur, Mumbai, Goa, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Chennai, Bilaspur, Lucknow, Puri, Pune, Bareilly, Kanpur, Indore, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Chhattisgarh, Kolhapur, Vishakhapatnam, Jodhpur, Jhansi, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Rameswaram, Haridwar, and New Delhi. Bhopal Bus Station, around 45 km from Bhimbetka, is the nearest bus stand which has well-connected buses from all the major cities of Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Pune, and Ahmedabad. One can hire an auto, cab, or bus to reach Bhimbetka from Bhopal.

Since Bhimbetka is more of a tourist spot rather than a complete city, most of the accommodation and eating revolves around the city of Bhopal. Highway Treat, Bhimbetka is the only option for those who want to stay near Bhimbetka Rock Shelters and is maintained by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department.

The best time to visit Bhimbetka is from July - March. Winter is the best season for a visit to Bhimbetka with a pleasant climate and a lovely ambiance. Monsoon season is also a nice time to visit, especially for the budget travellers, who will find less crowd and the slowly but gradually blooming beauty in Bhimbetka. While, summers should be avoided, owing to the hot, and humid climate.

Timings: 7 AM - 6 PM

Bhimbetka Rock Shelter Entry: Rs. 25 for Indians, Rs. 500 for Foreigners, Rs. 100 for 2-Wheelers, Rs. 300 for Cars

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Average
STD Code: 0755
Languages Spoken: Hindi, Bhojpuri, Sindhi, Gujarati, Urdu & English
Major Festivals: Details Not Available
Notes/Tips:
Since the ticket counter is about 2 km from the site, it is suggested that you travel the distance in a vehicle instead of walking.

How to Reach Bhimbetka

By Air

Nearest Airport: Bhopal - Raja Bhoj Airport (55 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Bhopal Junction Railway Station (45 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Bhimbetka Bus Stop (0 Kms)
Bhopal (45 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

#1 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters & Cave Paintings is an archaeological site situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the top places of heritage in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must-include places in Bhimbetka Packages.

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, the archaeological site of Bhimbetka is situated inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, embedded in sandstone rocks, in the foothills of the Vindhya Range. It was discovered in the year 1957, but only in the 1970s that the scale and true significance of the Bhimbetka was discovered and reported. It came under the management of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1990 and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003.

The site consists of around 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km (6.2 mi). The Bhimbetka group contains 243 of these, while the Lakha Juar group nearby has 178 shelters. The rock shelters and caves provide evidence of a 'rare glimpse' into .....

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#2 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, Auditorium Cave is an ancient rock-cut cave situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent caves in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Complex, and among the must-include places in Bhimbetka tour packages.

Among the 15 rock shelters opened for the public, the Auditorium Cave or Cave 3 is the largest shelter, as well as the significant features of the archaeological site of Bhimbetka midst its 750 numbered shelters spread over 10 kilometers on either side and nearly 500 locations where rock paintings can be found. Surrounded by quartzite towers which are visible from several kilometers, the Auditorium Cave comprises a large horizontal tunnel roughly 25 m long leading to a cavernous high-ceilinged chamber with three passageway exits.

The whole cave gallery resembling a 'cathedral-like' atmosphere, with its Gothic arches and soaring spaces. The main entry points to the east. At the entrance, there is a boulder with a .....

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#3 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, Turtle Rock is a natural rock formation situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent attractions in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Complex.

Turtle Rock in Bhimbetka is not a cave or painting of a turtle in the cave. This is a natural rock formation in the form of a turtle. Located in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary, the wilderness surrounding it is breathtaking. From this rock, one can gaze at wide stretches of the wildlife sanctuary. Looking out, one begins to imagine why this was an ideal settlement ground for the earliest inhabitants of our country. The rock shelters provided ideal vantage points to observe the nearby surrounding forests, to search for food, and also to prepare against any incoming danger.

The viewpoint holds an incredible panoramic view of the countryside below which was once a thick Jungle and Bheembetka Caves were Man's refuge from the forest and animals. Only once you come here and .....

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#4 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, the Zoo Rock Shelter is a cave situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the prominent caves in the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Complex, and among the top places to visit in Bhimbetka as part of Bhopal Tour Packages.

Among the 15 rock shelters opened for the public, the Zoo Rock Shelter was the most exciting of all, as well as the significant features of the archaeological site of Bhimbetka midst its 750 numbered shelters spread over 10 kilometers on either side and nearly 500 locations where rock paintings can be found. Also known as Cave 4, it has a large number of animal paintings of all the caves.

There are 453 figures in this shelter comprising 252 animals of 16 different species and 90 human figures. It contains paintings from 10,000 BC - made by lime and from 5,000 - 3,000 BC that were made by vegetable colors and iron. These drawings depict an array of animals that comprise Elephants, Bison, Sambhar, all varieties .....

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#5 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 3 km from Bhimbetka Bus Stop, the Bhimbetka Kuldevi Temple is an ancient temple situated in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the top places to visit in Bhimbetka as part of Bhopal Packages.

Kuldevi Temple at Bhimbetka is dedicated to the goddess Vaishno Devi. According to history, the temple was set up by the Pandavas during their exile for their Kul-Devi, Maa Vaishno Devi. It is a large cave-temple inside a mountain. Outside the temple is a large Rock-seat that overlooks the entire valley, termed 'Bheem ki baithak'or seat of Bheem used by him, while he was in exile.

Today, the importance of the temple is that the first bonfire of Holi is lit here and when it is spotted in the plains below, the rest of Holi festivities commence. It is also known for the annual Ram Navami fair. A large number of devotees visited the temple during this time to get the blessings of Maa Vaishno Devi.

Timings: 7 AM - 6 PM

Bhimbetka Rock Shelter Entry: Rs. 25 .....

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#6 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 8 km from Bhimbetka, and 51 km from Bhopal, the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected reserve located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the popular wildlife sanctuaries in India, and among the major places to visit as part of Bhimbetka Tour Packages.

Situated in Vindhya Range in central India, the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary stretches across 823 sq. km in the Raisen and Sehore districts of Madhya Pradesh. The area was declared as a sanctuary in 1976 and got the status of tiger reserve under the Project Tiger by the Government of India recently. The landscape is undulating, with hills, plateaus, valleys, and plains. Many seasonal streams irrigate the site in the monsoon, and water is retained in some pools along these streams even in the summer. Two large reservoirs, namely Barna Reservoir and Ratapani Dam (Barrusot lake) are among the major water bodies adjacent to or inside the sanctuary.

The forest of Ratapani is a dry deciduous .....

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#7 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 45 km from Sanchi, 193 km from Indore, 194 km from Pachmarhi, 195 km from Ujjain, 320 km from Jhansi, 324 km from Jabalpur, 354 km from Nagpur, 370 km from Khajuraho, 407 km from Gwalior, 506 km from Udaipur, 582 km from Ahmedabad, 599 km from Jaipur, and 607 km from Lucknow, Bhopal is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of Bhopal district. It is one of the top places to visit in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must include places in India tour packages.

The city of Bhopal is often called the 'City of Lakes' as it features a pair of artificial lakes - Upper Lake and Lower Lake, among the must include places in Bhopal tour packages. One of the greenest cities in India, the city can be divided into two parts, the old city towards the north comprising of rustic mosques, .....

Distance (From Bhimbetka): 45 Kms
Trip Duration (From Bhimbetka - Including Travel): Full Day
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#8 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 30 km from Bhopal Junction, and 34 km from Bhimbetka, Bhojpur Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh. Also known as Bhojeshwar Temple, it is one of the beautiful shrines located near Bhimbetka and among the popular places to visit as part of Bhopal Tour Packages.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Bhojeshwar Temple is an incomplete Hindu temple believed to have started in the 11th century CE, during the reign of the Paramara king Bhoja. The Jain writer Merutunga, in his Prabandha-Chintamani, states that Bhoja constructed 104 temples in his capital city of Dhara alone. However, the Bhojpur temple is the only surviving shrine that can be attributed to Bhoja with some certainty. The construction was abandoned for unknown reasons, with the architectural plans engraved on the surrounding rocks. The temple has been protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Bhojpur Mandir is a simple square with an outside portion .....

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#9 of 9 Places to Visit in Bhimbetka

At a distance of 12 km from Vidisha, 21 km from Raisen, 46 km from Bhopal, 105 km from Bhimbetka, 238 km from Indore, 282 km from Jabalpur, 285 km from Jhansi, 289 km from Orchha, and 329 km from Khajuraho, Sanchi is a small historical town in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Famous worldwide for its Buddhist monuments, it is one of the popular places of heritage in India, and among the must include places in Madhya Pradesh tour packages.

The town of Sanchi is the center of a region with innumerable age-old stupas, monasteries, temples, monolithic pillars, and other remnants of the rich Buddhist culture. The monuments at Sanchi today comprise a series of Buddhist monuments starting from the Maurya Empire period (3rd century BCE), continuing with the Gupta Empire period (5th century CE), and ending around the 12th century CE. The sculptures and monuments present at .....

Distance (From Bhimbetka): 105 Kms
Trip Duration (From Bhimbetka - Including Travel): Full Day
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