Bhimbetka rock shelters compose an archaeological site and World Heritage Site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.The Bhimbetka shelters exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India; its Stone Age rock paintings are approximately 9,000 years old.The name Bhimbetika comes from the mythological association of the place with Bhima, one of the Pandavas (The five sons of king Pandu and the queens Kunti and Madri) in the Hindu epic Mahabharata.It is the biggest repository of prehistoric art in India. Continuous habitation from the Early Stone Age…." One of the earliest dwellings of human beings, Bhimbetka will take you back to the history 35000 years old. In fact, the place has witnessed a cultural sequences right from the late stone age to the early historic period.
The pre historic caves which are in true sense "the portal to the ancient gallery of Bhimbetka" preserves some fascinating paintings dating back to Paleolithic times. They had lived here for one hundred millennium and had created their own stone floors, left behind hand-axes, cleavers, scrapers to remove flesh and fat from the skin of slaughter animals and tiny needles made from hard quartz in all its sharp and colorful forms. Also stone hand mills for grinding grain and nuts and the colourred earth called "Ochers 
The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetaka (or Bhim Baithaka) lie in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh and is 45 km south of Bhopal at the southern edge of the Vindhyachal hills. South of these rock shelters are successive ranges of the Satpura hills.
The entire area is covered by thick vegetation, has abundant natural resources in its perennial water supplies, natural shelters, rich forest flora and fauna, and bears a significant resemblance to similar rock art sites such as Kakadu National Park in Australia, the cave paintings of the Bushmen in Kalahari Desert, and the Upper Paleolithic Lascaux cave paintings in France.
. As reported in the UNESCO citation declaring the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka as a World Heritage Site, Bhimbetka was first mentioned in Indian archeological records in 1888 as a Buddhist site, based on information gathered from local adivasis. Later, as V. S. Wakankar was traveling by train to Bhopal he saw some rock formations similar to those he had seen in Spain and France. He visited the area along with a team of archaeologists and discovered several prehistoric rock shelters in 1957.Since then more than 700 such shelters have been identified, of which 243 are in the Bhimbetka group and 178 in the Lakha Juar group. Archeological studies revealed a continuous sequence of Stone Age cultures (from the late Acheulian to the late Mesolithic), as well as the world’s oldest stone walls and floors. The earliest paintings on the cave walls are believed to be of the Mesolithic period. A broad chronology of the finds has been done, but a detailed chronology is yet to be created.
The caves have evolved over time into excellent rock-shelters, ideal sites for aboriginal settlements. The smooth shape of the rocks has led some scientists to believe that the area was once under water. The rocks have taken on incredible shapes in several stunning hues and textures. Apart from the central place the aboriginal drawings have in human history, the caves themselves offer interesting material for a study of the earth's history.Over these caves the Stone Age artists painted their hopes and fears, weaving an enchantment that still ensnares us. These specimen, display great vitality and narrative skill. One sees on the weather worn walls, rhinoceros, elephants, horses, as well as domestic animals. There are scenes of domestic bliss-a women with a child or performing household chores, and documentation of a hunt, raid during warfare. One cannot remain immune to the excitement that slowly builds up- a memorable moment in time when our ancestors were taking the leap from animal to human existence-groping cautiously to achieve social organization. Experimenting with community life.
The rock shelters and caves of Bhimbetka have a number of interesting paintings which depict the lives and times of the people who lived in the caves, including scenes of childbirth, communal dancing and drinking, and religious rites and burials, as well as the natural environment around them.Executed mainly in red and white with the occasional use of green and yellow with themes taken from the everyday events of aeons ago, the scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders animal fighting, honey collection decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bisons, tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, antelopes dogs, lizards, crocodiles etc. have been abundantly depicted in some caves popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently