Undavalli Caves

The Undavalli Caves, a monolithic example of Indian rock-cut architecture and one of the finest testimonials to ancient viswakarma sthapathis, are located in Undavalli of Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The caves are located 6 km south west from Vijayawada, 22 km north east of Guntur City of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance.

History
These caves are said to be found in 7th century. They are associated with the Vishnukundi kings of 420-620 A.D.. These caves are dedicated to Anantha Padmanabha and Lord Narashimha. Buddhist monks used these as Rest Houses.

Chronology
These caves were carved out of solid sandstone on a hillside in the 4th to 5th centuries A.D. There are several caves and the best known largest one has four stories with a huge recreated statue of Vishnu in a reclining posture, sculpted from a single block of granite inside the second floor. Undavalli caves are an example of how many Buddhist artifacts and stupas in Andhra were converted into Hindu temples and deities. It was originally a Jain cave resembling the architecture of Udayagiri and Khandgiri. The main cave is one of the earliest examples of Gupta architecture, primarily primitive rock-cut monastery cells carved into the sandstone hills. Initially the caves were shaped as a Jain abode and the first floor abode still retains the Jain style; the vihara exhibits Jain monastics and includes tirthankara sculptures. This first level of the cave is a carved vihara and includes Buddhist art work. The site served as the Bhikkhu monastic complex during ancient period. The walls of the caves display sculptures carved by skilled craftsmen.

The caves are surrounded by the green countryside. From the high hill above the cave overlooking the Krishna River many fine specimens of rock cut architecture can be seen.

Architecture
It is an Impressive Four storey rock cut temple with East facing facade of 29m long, 16m wide. There are variation in depth of each floor. Ground floor is an unfinished low pillared hall with 8 pillars and 7 door openings on façade. First storey accommodates triple shrine at back, each with pillared hall in front, originally dedicated to the Trinity (Siva, Vishnu and Brahma).

Sculptures on the walls represents Vaishnava deities. Second storey has a pillared rectangular shrine of Lord Vishnu on a Serpent. Sculptures of Shiva and Vaishnava and a few like the Vaishnava Alwars are sculptured later on. Top floor was unfinished with a Triple Shrine. Some of the sculptural specimens are attributed to Chalukyan Period. It has 5 meter long statue of Lord Buddha in reclining position.

temples in the village
“Tadapalli Center” comes from the Prakasam Barrage. But there is no bus facility on the brightness barrage. Tadipalli is 2 kms to Vijayawada, 5 kms away from Mangalagiri . It is located 6 km away from the center of Amravati .

Caves
This cave is a mountain complex. Moved from the front of the mountain. In the middle of the pillars, the beautiful carvings and carvings on the walls of the cave are sculptured by the goddess. These are Historians believe that the 4th, 5th century. There are four temples built in the temples. There is a large granite stone carved by Ananta Padmanabhaswamy sculpture. Other temples are intended for the Brahma , Vishnu , and Shiva Goddess of the Trinity . These are one of the sources for the first well-known architectural style of Gupta . There is a large cave in these mountain caves. The statue of Ananthapadmanabhaswamy inscribed with a monolithic 20 feet in the cave. Brahma and Saptars are seated in the temple at the cave with the remnant of the image and the idols of other deities. The statues of the Saptas are carved out of the top of the cave. The only sculpture of the sculptors who built a single mountain as a cave and a monolithic sculpture. Our ancestors told us that these caves had a long way from Mangalagiri to the tunnel. It is known that the kings from this route moved their army without knowledge of the enemy kings.

The architectural style of the caves is similar to the style of Buddhist monasteries. Around the temples are surrounded by green paddy fields.

These caves are From the times of Vishnu Kudi , from 420 to 620. Anantha Padmanabha Swami and Narasimha Swami are the gods that are here.

A support from the Pallava period
Some believe that the symbol of the Vishnukundin – the lion – is seen in the havens and therefore they are dating the times of the Vishnu. Not only the lion , elephants are also in the sculptural palaces – along with those lions. The lions have nothing special. There are sculptures of lions on the floor of the cave pillar. These lions are not similar to semiconductor; There are also lively lions in the caves of Dumulina in Ellora Caves . So these lions are not in the original, and they are called overlapping constructions. These sages are also present next to these lions. They are the devotees of today.

The sculptures of Vishnukundinam are not extensive. They represent the movement of Shiva Parvaswamy Padapadmadhakulas, Shavula, Shiva Shilpa, and Shalva Shilpalipala, but not as pallava sculptures. These sculptures date back to Eastern chrysanthemum but never before. Vatika sculptures Saraswathi and Kumara Vasya Chaitanya Namalakalas are performed by the Satavahanas and Ishwars in the majesty of the temple. After the Buddhists, some of the rulers were ruled by Vishnu Kundi . The depressed body of the victims came into promotion again. However, Nataraja and Mahish Mardini were created not only in this period but also by the Eastern Chalukyas of the Badami Chalukya dynasty. Bejawada Dwarapallu – Today is a man in Madras museum – a reddish body, not from the Eastern Chalukyas of Badami Chalukyanism, but from the Vishnukundinas . These paintings are also found in the Kalyani Chalukulai decorative sculptures. So some of these sculptures are not from the Vishnu Kudiyana period.

Here, the Pallavas formations are the ones that have an infinite statue, papapanapoo, falamulu, flying jumbalas and mahabalipuram anthanasia. It is like the Mahabalipuram and is located in the vicinity of this ancestral cave. Here is a linear staircase on the poles on the pillars of the pedestal, and then the edges of the roots of the cutlery line. The bells are in reddish reddish bells. In the coconut region and in the subtleties, the ruled Pallavas did not raise their sculptures at all, so that the lions were not made by the lions below.

The main symbol of the Pallavas – The idols of the horns of crowns can be pallava. Mogravrajapur and Vijayawati caves are pallava. The pillars were like columns. In front of the Moghalrajapura caves, the nests on the nests, the nostalgia and the chalukalulu, followed by the Chalukyas. One of these words is exactly like the one in the Mahabalipuram Gangaavataranam image and the scarf on the shoulder. Here it is sculpted. The Moghalrajapuram caves are a pallava structure. There are also Pallava sculptures throughout Bezwada caves.

Other temples
Sri Bhaskaraswamy Temple.
Sri Bhimlingheswararaswamy Temple
Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple
International Krishna Chaitanya Sangham (ISKCON) Shyamasundara Building: – The temple is located at Amaravathi Karakotta road at Ullavalli.
Sri Sainath Temple: – The first annual anniversary celebrations of the temple are from March 21, 2017, to 23th December.

Transport
The only means of connectivity for the caves is by road. APS RTC operates bus services from Vijayawada, Guntur and Amaravathi to this location. APCRDA runs Tourist Bus-cum-Boat services through Krishna River from Prakasam Barrage.

Source From Wikipedia