India: the mysterious caves of Barabar (6 photos)

In India, you can find mysterious objects with an incredible level processing and completely incomprehensible purpose. These can include Barabar cave complex.





The most amazing thing about these caves is not from age, but the unprecedented geometric accuracy with which they were excavated, perfect mirror polishing of the granite walls and vaults, and, above all, the fact that they were created to meditate and challenge transcendent experiences. How was this achieved? understand on the spot.

Where to find them?

From the absolute plain 35 km northeast of the city of Gaya a low granite ridge 3 km long rises. In its central part there is a group of higher rocks called Barabar. Similar place can be found another one and a half kilometers to the east - Nagarjuni Hill. And what do they have in common? Caves were excavated in the granite massif, testifying to art of the Mauryan Empire, and along with the two caves of Son Bhandar in Rajgir they are the oldest cave temples in India. caves Barabara is the only building associated with an extinct religious and philosophical culture extinct religious and philosophical culture - Shraman sect of Ashiva philosophers.



Granite massif, resembling a huge submarine, has a regular entrance on one side, and above it there is an inscription that the cave was carved 19 years after the accession of Emperor Ashoka to the throne. Each of the Barabar caves has its own name. The first one is Karan Chaupar. A perfectly symmetrical room has dimensions of 10.4 × 4.3 m, and the ceiling is rounded into a vault 3.3 m high. There is not a single statue inside, drawing, inscription, relief, just nothing, just perfectly smooth shiny granite walls.





The cave is dim, almost dark, only through the entrance little light penetrates here. Your guide will arrange unexpected impressions: will reach the end of the cave and shout a few words. An unprecedented echo almost does not drown out, returns it several times, and a few seconds later, the sounds mix, intensify, and finally, clearly words are heard that have nothing to do with what was said. It's simply mesmerizing. Visitors also experiment with different sounds, clapping, intonation. Finally, you hear sounds that no one did not emit: muffled conversation, street noise, sounds from a nearby villages, the mooing of cows, etc., which makes you feel like you hallucinations. You have just understood the essence of the experiences of the ancient meditators. How mesmerizing must have been the singing of the monks!



The other Sudama and Lomas Rishi caves are similar in size but they are always two connected rooms. polished walls cause the same acoustic properties that were the basis of the psychedelic experience of the then builders. Lomas Rishi Cave remained unfinished, work on the fourth cave, Vishvakarma, only started. The most interesting portal has Lomas Rishi cave. He is decorated carved line of elephants.

Scientists are currently unaware of technology that people used to process granite walls with such amazing accuracy and perfection for 300 years BC in ancient India.



The surroundings of the caves are almost as remarkable as the caves themselves. caves. Stairs carved into the granite rock and cleverly built approaches to caves, rocky reliefs, and between all this grazing cattle villagers, droppings that dry on boulders, and the ubiquitous curious children.