The Bhimbetka Rock Shelter has the oldest known rock art in India, and is one of the largest prehistoric complexes in Asia. Located in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, the UNESCO world heritage site consists of seven hills and over 500 rock shelters disturbed over 10 kilometres. They contain evidence that people inhabited these shelters and caves as far back the Lower Paleolithic period, more than 200,000 years ago. The shelters are painted with scenes depicting local birds and animals, mythological figures, and everyday scenes of people hunting, playing, and carrying weapons. The earliest paintings date from the Upper Paleolithic Period about 30,000 years ago, though to the medieval era in India. One of the Pandava brothers, Bhim, was said to have stayed in these caves after he and his four brothers were banished from their kingdom. “Bhim betka” means “the place where Bhim sat”.
Picture Credit : Google