Bhimbetka rock shelters, Cave with prehistoric art in Raisen District, India

Bhimbetka is a group of rock shelters in sandstone at the foot of the Vindhya Range, inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary in Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh. Its seven hills hold more than 750 numbered shelters; painted panels show a large red animal with a rider inside a curved line with radiating strokes, surrounded by smaller stick figures with bows and staffs.

Archaeological evidence documents continuous human settlement from the Upper Paleolithic through the late Acheulian to the late Mesolithic until the second century before the common era. This long sequence makes the site an important record of early community development in South Asia.

The rock paintings show scenes from daily life, including hunting expeditions, gatherings, musical instruments, and numerous animal figures from different historical periods. These depictions offer insight into the way of life of early inhabitants who recorded their experiences on the walls over thousands of years, creating a visual chronicle.

The site lies 45 kilometers southeast of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and requires at least three hours to explore the main decorated shelters. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as the terrain is uneven and involves several climbs between different hills.

At the Auditorium cave's eastern entrance stands a near-vertical boulder visible from a distance in all directions, called the "Chief's Rock" or "King's Rock" in archaeology literature, though no evidence shows it was used for rituals. The cave's plan forms a right-angled cross with four branches aligned to the cardinal directions.