Bhopal News: Virtual Visits To Inaccessible Bhimbekta Rock Shelters Soon

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Tourists to Bhimbetka will be able to see the inaccessible rock shelters located deep inside the dense forests virtually at Rock Art Eco Museum.

They will also be able to visit these shelters virtually and see paintings on them at the museum, which will come up at a short distance away from the rock shelters. The museum, one of its own kind in India, will give the visitors an immersive experience with the help of AI.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site protected and conserved by the ASI, Bhimbetka Rocks Shelters in Raisen district preserve the artworks of pre-historic man. The Bhimbetka core area is spread across 1,892 hectares covering five hills within Vindhyan Mountain Ranges, named Vinayka, Bhonrawali, Bhimbetka, Lakhajuar East and Lakhajuar West.

The total number of rock shelters in this area is 650. Of them only the Bhimbetka hill is easily accessible, and about 20 painted shelters are daily opened to the public. The rest of the shelters are out-of-bounds for the public, located, as they are, inside the deeply forested Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary frequented by wild animals.

According to MP Tourism Board director (planning) Prashant Baghel, the Rock Art Eco Museum developed by Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation will allow tourists to visually visit some of these shelters and see the paintings on them. They will feel as if they are actually walking inside the rock shelters.

Unlike conventional museums, this one will not have halls and galleries. Instead, it will be constructed with eco-friendly material like bamboo and grass.

The museum will spread over 1.12 hectares and will cost Rs 19 crore. A Detailed Project Report for the museum is under preparation and is expected to be completed by 2028. Photographs, written descriptions of rock shelters and their paintings and audio and video, commentaries on them by archaeologists will also be part of museum.