Indian Cave Paintings

In 1958, Dr Wakankar discovered an archaeological marvel. The oldest Indian cave paintings at Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh. These primitive drawings tell a story of an eon some 20,000 years ago. When men and women were still discovering themselves and the world around them.

This was a period of minimal communication, if any at all. There are no oral or written records that tell the tale of our pre-historic ancestors. All we have are their cave paintings. With Dr Wakankar's discovery, an age that had previously been considered lost in time, was revealed. And with it, a wealth of information.

Other Indian cave paintings have been found in Chhattisgarh, Ajanta, Ellora, Bagh and Sitanvasal.

Bhimabetka : Indian Cave Paintings

According to legend, the Bhimabetka caves got their name from Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers. He is said to have rested in these caves. Bhimabetka literally means, the seat of Bhima. There are over 600 such caves that have been discovered, and paintings have been found in over 500 of them.

The cave paintings of Bhimabetka are mainly in red and white, with an occasional use of yellow and green. The paints were made of colored earth, vegetable dyes, roots, charcoal and animal fat. Fibrous plants served as brushes. Scientists are of the opinion that these cave paintings are still intact because of the chemical reaction taking place in the surface of the rocks.

These immortal specimens of prehistoric Indian art depict scenes from everyday life. Hunting is perhaps the most popular theme. There are images of tigers, bisons, lions, elephants, wild boar, lizards, antelopes, crocodiles and dogs. There are also scenes of animals fighting, elephant riders, and people hunting. Household scenes, dancing and music, and religious and ritual images are also present.

It has been found that there are paintings superimposed on each other, suggesting that they are the works of several successive ages. The cave paintings of Bhimbetka have been classified as belonging to seven distinctive historical periods: the Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Chaleolithic, Early Historic and Medieval.