Siddhachal Caves

The Siddhachal Caves are a stunning example of Jainism-related cave monuments and statues carved into the rock face inside Gwalior Fort in northern Madhya Pradesh, India. Built over time starting in the 7th century, these monuments were mostly dated to the 15th century CE. The site is home to all 24 Tirthankaras, depicted in both seated and standing postures, in the typical naked form of Jain iconography. The reliefs behind some of them narrate scenes from the Jain legends.

The Siddhachal Caves are a part of nearly 100 Jain monuments found in and around the Gwalior city, all dated to be from the 7th to 15th century. The Siddhachal colossi are located inside the fort of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, near the Urwahi road, immediately below the northwestern walls of the fortress. The Siddhachal cave temples are near the Urwai road and most are dated to be from the 15th century, built in an era when Delhi Sultanate had collapsed and fragmented, a Hindu kingdom was back in power in Gwalior region and before Babur had ended the Delhi Sultanate and replaced it with his Mughal dynasty. The inscriptions found near the monuments credit them to the Tomar kings, and they range from the 1440 to 1453 CE. The Siddhachal Caves were complete by about 1473 CE.

The Siddhachal Caves have a rich history, but unfortunately, many of the statues were defaced and destroyed under the orders of the Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb of the Mughal dynasty in the 16th century. Babur ordered the destruction of the idols, which he described as “perfectly naked, without even a rag to cover the parts of generation.” The Jain cave temples within the Gwalior Fort were not destroyed, but mutilated by chopping off the faces, the sexual organs and their limbs. Centuries later, the Jain community restored many of the statues by adding back stucco heads on the top of the damaged idols.

Despite the damage, the Siddhachal Caves remain an important historical and cultural site. Visitors can marvel at the impressive colossi and reliefs that adorn the cave temples. The Siddhachal Caves are rock-cut monuments with Jain colossi. They are found on both sides of the slope of the Urwahi road in the fort, along the Urwahi valley. The monuments include many caves, small reliefs on the walls, as well as 22 colossi. The largest of these are for Rishabhanatha (Adinatha), identifiable by the bull emblem carved on the pedestal under his foot, with a height of 57 feet (17 m). Other colossi include a seated Neminatha (shell icon on his pedestal), Parshvanatha with serpent cover over his head and Mahavira (lion icon on his pedestal).

In conclusion, the Siddhachal Caves are an incredible example of Jainism-related cave monuments and statues carved into the rock face inside Gwalior Fort in northern Madhya Pradesh, India. Despite being damaged and mutilated in the past, the site remains an important historical and cultural site. Visitors can still marvel at the impressive colossi and reliefs that adorn the cave temples and take in the fascinating history of this unique and beautiful site.