A visit to Barabar near Gaya in Bihar, which is an isolated location away from the mainstream, makes one imagine the activities at the place in ancient times, as the abode of the mendicants. Not much seems to have changed in the timeline of history, if one spends some time to meditate inside the caves which still bear the Mauryan Polish in a way as if it had been polished just yesterday. Several inscriptions are to be seen on the caves. The Hills have always remained mysterious and convey a spiritual reverberation.

The Hills were first excavated for the Ajivikas during the reign of Asoka and were occupied during the following centuries by different groups of sages and mendicants. The present condition of the caves is not very good, and needs more attention towards their preservation. I could see scramblings on the walls near the caves which totally spoil the ambience. The Boards put up by the ASI also seem to be years old, and some directions on the road to Barabar in the English language seem to have been put in the British era.

I visited the Hills at Barabar in July, 2005 during my stay at Gaya. About 16 miles to the north of Gaya in Bihar, near Belaganj, there are several groups of granite hills, called Kauwa-Dol, Barabar, Nagarjuni and Dharawat. All of these possess several remains of the ancient times.

In the Barabar Group of hills there are several distinct peaks, of which the most conspicuous are the Murali Peak to the north, and the Sanda Giri on the south, both of which join the Barabar or Siddheshwara peak on the east. On the summit of the Barabar peak there is a small Hindu temple dedicated to Mahadeva, which contains a lingam called Siddheshwara, and which from an inscription in one of the caves mentioning this name we know to be at least as old as the 6th or 7th century.

To be continued.....