Bagh Caves

 Remarkable blend of art and contemplation

The Bagh Caves are a collection of nine rock-cut monuments located on the southern slopes of the Vindhyas near Bagh, Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, India. They were developed around the 6th century A.D. These are known for mural paintings by ancient Indian master artists. The term “cave” is a misnomer because these are not natural caves, but rather examples of Indian rock-cut construction.

• They are located on the banks of the Baghani River in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district.
• The most beautiful paintings known to have been created by prehistoric man can be found in these rock cut caverns. Only 5 of the original 9 caverns have survived.
• Time of development – According to mythology, Buddhist monk Dataka constructed these caves. The caves were carved between the late 4th and early 6th centuries AD.
• These caves were first discovered in modern times in 1818.
• The Bagh caves, like the Ajanta caves, were carved out of the perpendicular sandstone rock face of a hill on the far bank of the Baghani, a seasonal stream.
• Only five of the nine caves have survived, despite their Buddhist inspiration.
• All of them are ‘viharas,’ or monks’ resting places, with a quadrangular design. The ‘chaitya,’ or prayer hall, is a tiny chamber usually found toward the back.
• Cave 4, also known as the Rang Mahal, is the most important of the five caves that still exist (Palace of Colors).
• Mural Paintings are well-known in Bagh Caves. A thick mud plaster of a brownish orange colour was used to cover the walls and ceilings before painting.
• Lime-priming was applied over the plaster, and then the paints were applied.
• The employment of a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of coloured pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder media is referred to as tempera technique.
• A reddish-brown grainy and thick mud plaster was spread out on the walls and ceilings to prepare the ground.
• Only Caves 3 and 4 had survived the ravages of time when the Bagh caves were discovered. Bagh’s murals exemplify the “golden age” of Indian classical art.
• Tempera was used to paint the Viharas of Bagh’s walls and ceilings, with shards still evident in Caves 3 and 4 (remnants also observed in Caves 2, 5, and 7).
• Cave 2, popularly known as “Pandava Cave,” is the cave with the best preservation.
• These artworks are more worldly than spiritualistic in nature.