The historic town of Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, at the convergence of beautiful Beas and Betwa rivers, is extraordinarily rich in ancient monuments and historic places. The city is known to have been an important trade center in the 6th and 5th century BC and was an important city during the rule of Emperor Asoka. The city has been referred time and again in the memoirs of Kalidasa and Meghadoot. During that time, the town was referred as Besnagar, a short distance to the north of the present town, and was abandoned in the 6th century. This city was the capital of the Sungas and enjoyed a privilege position during that time. The town ruled thereafter by the Malwa Sultan and the Mughals before falling under the supremacy of the Scindia rulers.

Udaygiri Caves :

 Located about six km from Vidisha town, Udaigiri caves are the rock-cut caves on a sandstone hill. The name of the site in ancient times is not directly attested. Udayagiri, literally the ‘mountain of the sunrise’, first appears in inscriptions of the eleventh century and it is now the name attached to a small village at the foot of the hill. The caves of Udaigiri are an exquisite illustration of the local art form. 

Numbering14, five of the caves shouldn’t be missed. Cave 3 is popular for its brilliantly structured architecture and sculpture of war God Skanda. Cave 4 is famous for exquisitely carved Shiva Lingam. Cave 5: Varaha, Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as a boar is the most famous structure in Udaygiri Caves. Cave 6: Apart from figures of Lord Vishnu and Siva Gangadhara, there are also images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Durga. Cave 13: The cave is famous for sculpture of Lord Vishnu.

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