Ancient · Hindu · India

Udayagiri Caves

Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh · 23.5381°, 77.7728°

Vishnu and Shiva, with one cave dedicated to the Jain tirthankara ParshvanathaGuptaearly Gupta rock-cut architecture

Sacred since

300 CE

first attestation / structure

Standing structure

early 3rd–5th c.; principal caves consecrated 401 CE

Gupta

History & significance

A hillside of rock-cut sanctuaries near Vidisha holding some of the oldest surviving Hindu temple architecture and iconography in India, including the great Varaha panel, and the only Gupta site with securely dated royal inscriptions.

Sthala katha — the legend

The Varaha panel shows Vishnu in boar form lifting the earth goddess Bhudevi clear of the demon Hiranyaksha.

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Sources

Wikipedia

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Gupta