BHIMBETKA CAVES, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

Bhimbetka Caves, in a very short span of time have become the most visited attraction in Madhya Pradesh and have earned a place in the list of one of the best in India. Situated just 46 km from Bhopal, these exquisite caves are surrounded by the northern limits of Vindhya mountain Range. As the legend goes, these hills got their name after Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers. The name 'Bhim-bet-ka' means 'where Bhim sat down'. There are more than 600 caves that have the collection of oldest Prehistoric paintings in India. These caves were found by Dr. V.S Wakankar, the famous Indian archaeologists in the year 1958. It took around 16 years to excavate the entire area covered by these caves. Although there are more than 600 caves , only 12 are open for tourists at the moment, but they show you the best paintings that are there in all other caves. And out of the 24 world heritage sites that have been recognized by UNESCO in India, Bhimbetka caves are the oldest one.