Unakoti
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A hillside covered with huge rock-cut and stone images of Shiva and other deities, set among forest and streams.
MonumentNear Kailashahar, Unakoti districtBest time to visit: October to March; Ashokastami fair in March–April
Highlights
- The giant carved head of Unakotishwara Kal Bhairava
- Rock-cut figures of Ganesha, Durga, Vishnu and Shiva's attendants
- Waterfalls and streams running between the carvings
- Ashokastami Mela, when pilgrims come in large numbers
Significance
Unakoti means 'one less than a crore'. According to legend, Shiva turned sleeping gods into stone here. The site is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and the carvings are generally dated to around the 8th–9th centuries CE.