Khandagiri and Udaygiri  caves

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently warned about these caves eroding rapidly.

About the caves

• Situated in Odisha, these are one of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut architecture in Eastern India.
• Built around 1^st and 2^nd century BC by King Kharavela of Meghavahana dynasty.
• The cave complex has both man-made and natural caves possibly carved out for residence of Jain monks.
• There are 18 caves in Udayagiri and 15 in Khandagiri.
• Each of these caves has various inscriptions either in Brahmi script or Devanagari script.
• Hathigumpha Inscription is a seventeen line inscription in Prakrit language incised in Brahmi script in a cavern called Hathigumpha in Udayagiri hills, inscribed by Jain king Kharavela.