1. ASI finds Buddhist caves, and temples in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in M.P-The HINDU-29-09-2022

1. ASI finds Buddhist caves, and temples in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in M.P.
GS-1
Art and culture
Context :
The ruins of temples at Bandhavgarh reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
About
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) earlier this year discovered Buddhist caves and stupas, Brahmi inscriptions, dating back to the 2nd century, Hindu temples from the 9th-11th centuries, and possibly the world’s largest Varaha sculpture also dating to the same period, at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
Varaha sculpture:
The Varaha sculpture is among the many monolithic sculptures of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu that were discovered by an ASI at the national park earlier this year. The exploration took place 84 years after the last such effort in 1938. God Vishnu’s third incarnation, Varaha (wild boar), has been widely represented in ancient Indian sculptures, paintings and even in modern prints.
The ASI team discovered 26 mostly Buddhist caves dating back to the 2nd and 5th centuries. The caves and some of their remains had ‘Chaitya’ (rounded) doors and stone beds typical of Mahayana Buddhism sites.
The inscriptions mention sites such as Mathura and Kaushambi, Pavata, Vejabharada and Sapatanaairikaa. The kings they mention include Bhimsena, Pothasiri and Bhatta.
The remains of 26 temples date to the Kalachuri period between the 9th-11th centuries. In addition to this, two Saiva mutts have also been documented. The Kalachuri dynasty, which spread over parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, is also associated with the earliest Ellora and Elephanta cave monuments.