94th Monks, Caves & Kings at Khandagiri-Udayagiri

Travellers rate trail at Twin Hills as one of the `best’ walks in the world
Bhubaneswar: Avid travelers, photographers, heritage enthusiasts, HR professional, economist, teacher and student constituted the group which enjoyed their time at 94th Monks, Caves and Kings heritage trail today at the Twin Hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri. Many of them, globetrotters, termed the heritage trail at the famous Jain site of First Century BC as a pure heritage walk with no frill attached to it.
Magesh, a travel enthusiast and into sports management activity as a professional said “the pure heritage experience catered by the Monks, Caves and Kings is a unique thing and we would definitely tell all our friends to explore this when they are in Bhubaneswar.’’
Magesh’s wife Poornima, a photographer-turned fashion designer said “we have been travelling across the globe and joined many heritage walks at different cities but today’s walk at the Twin Hills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri was unique.’’
Magesh and Poornima are settled in Bengaluru and the latter added that during their college days she once came to Khandagiri and Udayagiri and today’s heritage walk was very special to her as the trail brought her beautiful memories of the past.
Like Poornima economist from Kolkata Saikat also termed the heritage walk as a special one as in the past in Eighties he also came to Bhubaneswar with his friends to explore the Twin Hills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri. “There has been a tremendous change in the city since my earlier visit in the Eighties, but the memories were with me and I felt very happy after the walk,’’ he added.
Another walker from Kolkata Rahul termed the Monks, Caves and Kings trail under the Ekamra Walks as an interesting, engaging and great learning platform on knowing the Kalingan history and the contributions of Emperor Kharavela. “I am staying here for last two years, but never had an encounter with this event and today I am really happy that I could know so many things about the beautiful monuments,’’ he added.
Human Resource (HR) professional from Delhi Hemant Gupta came to the heritage trail of Monks, Caves and Kings along with wife Kavita and son Aarav. “I have seen many heritage walks before but I found the heritage walk in Khandagiri-Udayagiri caves as the best and unique one,’’ he added.
Kavita, who teaches Commerce in a Delhi-based college, said “the walk is an excellent learning experience for students and interested pupils could join the same to learn many great things like the famous Hati Gumpha inscription and the stories of Kharavela and his contribution towards building a robust Kalingan empire.
Aarav, their son in Class IX said “this is my first encounter with a heritage tour, but I found Monks, Caves and Kings as a brilliant historical tour. I will be thankful to my father as he asked me to get up early in the morning and be ready for the tour. I am very happy and would definitely tell my friends in Delhi to explore this when they would be coming to Odisha.’’
Debasish Mishra, photographer working with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and one who had almost clicked all monuments under the national conservation body, also joined the walk today.