BHIM BETIKA

Bhimbetka is a world heritage site located at 45 km south of Bhopal . Bhimbetka was first mentioned in Indian archeological records in 1888 as a Buddhist site.The earliest paintings on the cave walls are believed to be of the Mesolithic period. If one is interested to see the famous caves then he/she can go by Hoshangabad road, which takes only 30 minutes to reach there.

There are superimposition of paintings in the caves which shows that the same canvas was used by different people at different times. The drawing and paintings can be classified under seven different periods.

Period 1 - (Upper Paleolithic): These are linear representations, in green and dark red, of huge figures of animals such as bisons, tigers, and rhinoceroses.

Period II - (Mesolithic): Comparatively small in size the stylised figures in this group show linear decorations on the body.

In addition to animals there are human figures and hunting scenes, giving a clear picture of the weapons they used: barbed spears, pointed sticks, bows and arrows. The depiction of communal dances, birds, musical instruments, mother and child pregnant women, men carrying dead animal drinking and burials appear in rhythmic movement.

Period III - (Chaleolithic) Similar to the paintings of chaleolithic, these drawing reveal that during the period the cave dwellers of this area had come in contact with the agricultural communities of the Malwa plains and started and exchange of their requirements with each other.

Period IV & V - (Early historic): The figures of this group have a schematic and decorative style and are painted mainly in red white and yellow. The association is of riders, depiction of religious symbols, Tunic-like dresses and the existence of scripts of different periods. The religious beliefs are represented by figures of Yakshas , tree gods and magical sky chariots.

Period VI & VIl - (Medieval) : These paintings are geometric linear and more schematic, but they show degenerations and crudeness in their artistic style. The colours used by the cave dwellers were prepared combining manganese haematite soft red stone and wooden coal