The peaceful town of Hajipur Dadikar in Rajasthan's Alwar district is now bustling with activity as visitors and historians throng to see the prehistoric rock paintings on its hills that feature scenes of dance, hunting, and animal figures. The paintings, which were found in 2001, are dispersed over an area of 10–12 sq km. Rock paintings in the hills of Hajipur Dadikar have been added to the district's list of tourist attractions, according to Tina Yadav, the district's tourism officer.
"Dadikar has recently become a popular tourist destination. More than 50 different countries have sent tourists to this location, according to Tejpal Gurjar, a local tour guide. He said that swastika, lion, elephant, sword, peacock, fish, sun, shepherds tending goats, fighting animals, animal skins, and other wild animals are all shown in the rock paintings. Tourists are transported by tractor-trolleys to the final motorable location, at which point the hiking begins.
The site is currently gaining popularity. Many visitors to Alwar, which is well-known for the Sariska tiger reserve and other locations like Silisedh, also make their way to Dadikar for hiking and the rock art, he told PTI.
According to the guide, visitors have travelled to the hills to witness the rock art from countries including Australia, America, Mexico, England, France, Thailand, Poland, Ireland, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, Spain, Sri Lanka, and Japan. A nearly 30-year resident of Dadikar and the founder of the Nirvanavan Foundation, Nirvana Bodhisattva, said the government should do everything in its power to protect the location.
The number of visitors to this historic place has increased significantly. The government needs to do everything possible to protect it, he said.
The subjects of the prehistoric rock paintings in Hajipur Dadikar are human figures, scenes of dance after hunting, scenes of hunting with nets, animal figures like bulls, lions, elephants, goats, nilgai, etc., according to Dr. Neeta Dubey, a member of the Indian National Trust for Art Culture and Heritage (INTACH), an organisation working on heritage conservation.
A bank employee told archaeologist Premlata Pokrana information about the rock shelters and rock paintings in the Hajipur Dadikar area, which was based on information provided by shepherds, according to the principal of the Government Higher Secondary School Bhaveda in Alwar, Dr. Komal Kant Sharma. An extensive research work was then carried out in this area.
