BarabarHillCaves are oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, dating from MauryaEmpire, some with Ashokan inscriptions, located in Jehanabad, Bihar.
📷The famous carved entrance of Lomas Rishi cave, dated to approx 250 BC, making it 1st known Maurya relief.
1/1
#CavesOfIndia
#BarabarHillcmCaves were used by ascetics from the Ajivika sect, founded by Makkhali Gosala, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism & of Mahavira, the last & 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. The Ajivikas had many similarities with Buddhism as well as Jainism.
2/2
Most #BarabarHillCaves consist of two chambers, carved entirely out of granite, with a highly polished internal surface, the "Mauryan polish" also found on sculptures, and exciting echo effects. It contains 4 caves: Karan Chaupar, Lomas Rishi, Sudama and Visvakarma.
3/3
📷1: The Visvakarma cave, also called Viswa Mitra, is accessible by the📷2: "steps of Ashoka" carved into the cliff. It is a hundred meters and a little east of the main granite hill.
4/4
#HistoryEncyclopedia #BarabarHillCaves #CavesOfIndia
The cave of Visvakarma was offered by Ashoka to the Ajivikas in the year 12 of his reign, about 261 BCE:
"By King Priyadarsin, in the 12th year of his reign, this cave of Khalatika Mountain was offered to the Ajivikas. "
— -Dedicatory Ashokan inscription from Visvakarma Cave.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.