Rani Gumpha

cave monastery, India

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The Rani Gumpha, also known as the "Queen's Cave," is a notable rock-cut cave monastery located in Udayagiri, Odisha, India. This double-storied cave features ornate carvings and cells arranged around an open courtyard. Inscriptions found within the caves suggest a period of use ranging from the 2nd century BCE to the 10th century CE. The sculptures adorning the Rani Gumpha are considered among the finest achievements at the site, showcasing a distinct regional style with supple modeling and dynamic compositions. These reliefs depict various scenes, including unidentified incidents and natural landscapes, and are noted for their romantic and lyrical quality.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

South Asian arts
Indian sculpture in the 2nd and 1st centuries bce: relief sculpture of Orissa
…later cave sculpture adorning the Rani Gumpha monastery. These, like other sculptures here, are in a poor state of preservation, but they represent the finest achievements at the site. Most remarkable is a long frieze, stretching between the arched doorways of the top story, representing a series of incidents that…
Read More
…later cave sculpture adorning the Rani Gumpha monastery. These, like other sculptures here, are in a poor state of preservation, but they represent the finest achievements at the site. Most remarkable is a long frieze, stretching between the arched doorways of the top story, representing a series of incidents that…
Read More