We made our onward journey to Bhimbeta from Bhopal. We were certainly amazed to know that since their discovery in 1957 they have become very popular. It was in 1888 that they were first mentioned as a Buddhist site. It is regarded as an Archaeological world heritage site by UNESCO in 2003. You will be awed by the surrounding of the Bhimketa shelters as they have are all located in the southern part of the Vindhya Range. These caves are surrounded by the Satpura range towards the South.
All in all around across a radius of 10 kilometers 700 shelters have been found. In 400 of them there are paintings. All of these caves or shelters highlight the Stone Age. The name Bhimbetka is synonymous to “Bhima” who hails from the folk lore of the Hindu Epic, Mahabharata. The Hindus revere Bhima for his immense physical strength. These caves were first of all discovered in the year 1888.
When you look at the paintings in Bhimbetka all of them have been executed in red and white. Here and there the painters have made use of yellow and green. They have taken themes from the everyday events. You will be able to get glimpses of scenes such as dancing, hunting, horse and elephant riders, music, honey collection, animals fighting, disguises, decoration of bodies, masking and household scenes.
A guide told us that the colors which the cave dwellers used were prepared after mixing hematite, manganese, and soft red stone and wooden coal. Many a time’s the fat of animals and extracts of the leaves was also used in the mixture. Because of the chemical reaction, which resulted from the oxide present on the surface of the rocks the colors have managed to remain intact for many centuries. Behind the caves, you will again be awestruck by the vast landscape of Ratapani Forest.