These Ancient Caves are located in the Tala tourism zone of Bandhavgarh national park. It is impossible to miss seeing the Bandhavgarh fort and the caves in the area around the park. The most prominent and the one which can be seen from inside is the Badi Gufa (Big Cave). The gate of this cave is kept closed, allow your guide to open it for you. If the gate is open then avoid entering the cave, as times prior these caves were used by tigers, sloth bears, and lots of horseshoe bats. This is the biggest cave in the area with few individual small caves/rooms for meditation inside and broad stone pillars.
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These caves were most likely used by sages for meditation, though they may have served other purposes as well. Strategically located at the base of the fort, they are visible from several key points within the fort complex. According to Indian mythology and ancient scriptures, human life is traditionally divided into four stages.
The first is Brahmacharya (student or bachelorhood), followed by Grihastha (householder or family life). The third stage is Vanaprastha—derived from Vana meaning forest and Prastha meaning departure—where a person withdraws from worldly responsibilities to live a simple life in the forest, depending on minimal food, clothing, and shelter.
Not everyone completes this stage; some return to worldly life. The final stage is Sannyasa (renunciation), where one severs all material ties and devotes themselves entirely to meditation and spiritual realisation.
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There are around 39 ancient caves spread across the area surrounding Bandhavgarh Fort. Some of these caves bear inscriptions in the Pali script, an ancient language that predates modern Hindi. Several of them are deep and include roof ventilation, indicating a thoughtful architectural design meant for extended use.
Although the interiors are mostly plain, they feature primitive drawings of tigers, bears, snakes, and other wildlife. Interestingly, the caves have low ceilings—just high enough for an average-height Indian, approximately 5 feet 8 inches, to stand upright comfortably.
Many of these caves can be seen while on safari in the Tala zone. Below is a list of the ancient caves found in Bandhavgarh.
S.No.
Name of the Cave
Location
1.
Vrihad – Lekhi
Near Chakradhra
2.
Nritya – Khoh One
Near Vrihad Lekhi
3.
Yogi Khoh
Near Barhi Sheshshaiya
4.
Nritya – Khoh Two
Near Nritya – Khoh One
5.
Ashdhatu temple
Near Barhi Sheshshaiya
6.
Kachhari
On drive to Sheshshaiya
7.
Astbal One
On drive to Sheshshaiya
8.
Astbal two
Right to Sheshshaiya drive
9.
Guard Room
Near Astbal two
10.
Day Shelter
Between Gopalpur & Ganesha Hill
11.
Change Room
East of Day Shelter
12.
Kachchap
South-east of Day Shelter
13.
Sarthik
North-east of Kachchap
14.
Sandy Cave
Near Kachchap (downhill)
15.
Marhwa
Near Sandy Cave
16.
Chatra
Right of Marhwa
17.
King’s horse’s Cave
Adjacent to Chatra
18.
Sentry Room One
Right of Day Shelter – Bhitri path
19.
Sentry Room Two
Near Sentry Room One
20.
Daan Kuan
Near Sentry Room Two
21.
Sitamandap Cave
Near Sitamandap
22.
Natural Cave
Sitamandap
23.
Mrityudand Machiya
On Ganesha hill
24.
Rani ki Jhiriya
Near Kachhari
25.
Cave Temple
East of Rani ki Jhiria
26.
Ganpathi Temple
Near Cave Temple
27.
Rest Room
Foothills of Ganesha hill
28.
Guard Room One
On Hanuman hill
29.
Guard Room Two
On Hanuman hill
30.
Amatyakhoh One
500 m west of Gopalpur pond
31.
Amatyakhoh Two
500 m west of Gopalpur pond
32.
Traders’ inn One
3 kms. west of Gopalpur pond
33.
Traders’ inn Two
3 kms. west of Gopalpur pond
34.
Guild Meeting Place
One & half Km south-west of Gopalpur
35.
Vaishravan Khoh
One & half Km south-west of Gopalpur
36.
Meditation Cave
Near Sidhbaba – right of Charanganga
37.
Aquifer Cave
On Chakradhra – Bathan Road
38.
Thatha Khoh
On Rigveda hill
39.
Reech Khoh
On Rigveda hill
40.
Sajiwan
On Rigveda hill
41.
Yugaantar
South of Bandhavgarh mountain (Khirki)
42.
Hanuman Khoh
On Narayan Kot (Bandhavgarh mountain)
43.
Dwarf cave
Near Raghuraj Dhara (Bandhavgarh mountain)
44.
Tarvaar Khoh
On Bandhavgarh mountain
45.
Nirad Khoh
Backside of Ganesha hill
46.
Rishi Khoh
On Ramgiri hill
47.
Meditation Room One
Sidh hill
48.
Meditation Room Two
Sidh hill
49.
Meditation Room
Sidh hill
