Rock Art Sculptures of Tripura: Unakoti- The Abode of Shiva

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The site of Unakoti is located in the northeastern part of Tripura, about 8 km from Kailasahar and 185 km from the State capital Agartala. The vertical surface of the Unakoti hills was used by the ancient people to carve various mythological scenes such as the different iconographic forms of Siva, Ganesha, Uma-Maheshwara, etc. Unakoti is famous for its colossal rock cut panels depicting Hindu deities. Unakoti provides evidence of ancient Saiva worship in Tripura from 8th-9th centuries CE.

The site of Unakoti is located in the northeastern part of Tripura, about 8 km from Kailasahar and 185 km from the State capital Agartala. The vertical surface of the Unakoti hills was used by the ancient people to carve various mythological scenes such as the different iconographic forms of Siva, Ganesha, Uma-Maheshwara, etc. Unakoti is famous for its colossal rock cut panels depicting Hindu deities. Unakoti provides evidence of ancient Saiva worship in Tripura from 8th-9th centuries CE.

The site of Unakoti is known to the people as an ancient holy place associated with Saiva worship. The bas relief sculptures at Unakoti are on stylistic grounds ascribed to 8th to 9th century CE, to the period of Pre-Manikya rule. The rock art may have been patronised by the 'Deb' generation of Sri Bhumi. The earliest literary reference found of Unakoti as a place of lord Siva is in the works of A. K.Cahudhuri (1910-11) and the writings of Captain Williams (1914) the then British political agent to the Tripura. The Archaeological Survey of India has also published an authoritative account on Unakoti in its Annual Report (1921-22).