Situated in the Undavalli village of Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh, the ancient Undavalli cave structure is a monolithic example of Indian rock-cut architecture.
Located on a hill overlooking the Krishna River, the ancient caves were built between the 4th and 5th centuries by the Gupta dynasty. The caves have been carved out of solid sandstone.
One of the prominent attractions here is a huge statue of Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture. Situated on the second floor, the figure was sculpted from a single block of granite.
A preserved monument of national importance, it was originally a Jain cave, which later became a Buddhist monastery. The inscriptions here were carved between 420 and 620 CE.
Historical evidence suggests that Madhava Reddy, who ruled this region as a subordinate of the Kondaveedu Reddies, gifted the caves to the temple of Anantha Swamy.
Undavalli Caves aren’t associated with any specific religion. People of different faiths have lived and so has served as a spiritual center for three religions at different times.
To get to the Undavalli caves the nearest airport is the Vijayawada International Airport and Vijayawada Railway Station is 7km away. It is also accessible via road with bus or taxi.