Unakoti is an ancient Shaivite site in Tripura known for its large bas-relief sculptures of Shiva carved into rock hills. There are several myths regarding how the carvings were made. One myth states that Shiva cursed followers who overslept into stone sculptures. Another myth involves a sculptor named Kallu Kumhar who was tasked to carve one crore sculptures in one night but fell short by one. The exact origins and number of sculptures at Unakoti remain unclear.

1. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 1/12
Trivia: Myths About Unakoti
21 Jun shefali No Comments (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-feature/trivia-myths-about-
unakoti/#disqus_thread)
(http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-
feature/trivia-myths-about-unakoti/) (https://plus.google.com/share?
url=http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-feature/trivia-myths-about-unakoti/)
(http://twitter.com/share?url=http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-feature/trivia-myths-
about-unakoti/&text=Trivia%3A+Myths+About+Unakoti+)
(http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-
feature/trivia-myths-about-unakoti/)
A Magical Place Hidden Into Unakoti Hills
Innumerable huge rock-cut images and stone idols of Lord Shiva lay silently in the lost hills of Unakoti. Behind this
persists the mystery that how they were made. We are only left with various myths to rest upon.

2. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 2/12
Located in the chief tourist spot of Unakoti District in the Kailashahar subdivision of Tripura, Unakoti is an ancient
Shaivite place of worship with colossal rock carvings of Shiva.
Let’s delve into the history of Unakoti which gave rise to such a magical place:
1. Literally Unakoti means one less than a crore.
2. Unakoti houses one of the largest bas-relief sculptures in the country. Bas-relief is a type of ancient Asian art in
which an image is projected at a shallow depth.

3. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 3/12
3. There are several myths associated with the place.

4. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 4/12
4. Myth 1 – Lord Shiva was travelling with ten million deities to Kashi. On the way, the deities decided to stay for the
night at Unakoti. Before taking a sleep, Shiva warned the followers to wake up before dawn to continue the journey
on time. However, only Shiva was the only one to wake up to time. Shiva turned angry on this and cursed to the
fellow deities turning them into stones who now adorn the hills of Unakoti as reliefs.
5. Myth 2 – The alternative myth is about a famous sculpture named Kallu Kumhar who was a devotee of Parvati
and wanted to go with Shiva and Parvati to their abode i.e. Kailash Parvat. Shiva agreed to take Kallu to Kailash on
one condition if he would sculpt one crore images of Shiva in one night. Kallu worked but he was just one image
short and as a result his desire didn’t get fulfilled.

5. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 5/12
6. Another version of Myth 2 – another variation of aforementioned story is that Kallu Kumhar was given the duty of
carving the stone images of Gods in a dream, but in spite of carving images of all the deities, he carved one last
image of himself that made it just one short of a crore. As per believe of the locals it was a lesson on why not to
submit to pride.

6. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 6/12
7. The most celebrated of all the Unakoti reliefs is a figure of the face of Lord Shiva known as ‘Unokotiswara Kal
Bhairava’ measuring about 9 meters in height.

7. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 7/12
8. The exact age when these reliefs were made is still vague.

8. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 8/12
9. The total number of these stone carved images is still not clear.
Search … SEARCH
Facebook Likes

9. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 9/12
You like this
Tourism Infopedia.com
Love the game of gambling?? Try these
BEST casino's in Goa
4 hrs
Tourism Infopedia.com
130 likes
Liked Sign Up
Let’s make travelling more interesting!
Share your photos, videos, travelogues and suggestions with us.
Take a trip down the hill to discover new places.
SUBMIT (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/share-travel-idea/)
Related Posts
Top 10 Travel Hacks for Every Solo Traveller (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/tips-ideas/top-10-travel-
hacks-for-solo-traveller/)
Best 5 Flea Markets in Delhi (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/shopping/best-5-flea-markets-in-delhi/)
Top five Famous Casinos in Goa (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/activities/five-famous-casinos-in-goa/)
Event of Dev-Dipawali – The Ganga Mahaostav (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/events/event-of-dev-
dipawali/)
5 Reasons that makes Dhanushkodi a Place you Must Visit (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/unexplored-
places/unravel-the-mystic-dhanushkodi/)
Recent Posts

10. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 10/12
Recent Posts
Trivia: Myths About Unakoti (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-feature/trivia-myths-about-unakoti/)
Trivia: Khumbhalgarh Fort (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-feature/6-amazing-trivia-about-
kumbhalgarh-fort/)
List Of Events In India – June 2016 (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/events/list-of-events-in-india-june-
2016/)
Summer Special: Eleven Hot-Spots For Kids To Visit In Delhi-NCR
(http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/activities/summer-special-eleven-hotspots-for-kids-to-visit-in-delhi-ncr/)
Place To Visit This June – Kashmir (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/places-to-visit-this-month/place-to-
visit-this-june-kashmir/)
Categories
Activities (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/activities/)
Adventure Travel (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/adventure-travel/)
Beaches (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/beaches/)
Blog (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/blog-reader/)
Cultures (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/cultures/)
display-home (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/display-home/)
Events (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/events/)
Food & Drinks (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/food-drinks/)
Hill Stations (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/hill-stations/)
Hotels (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/hotels/)
Main Attractions (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/main-attractions/)
Places to Visit This Month (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/places-to-visit-this-month/)
Road Trips (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/road-trips/)
Shopping (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/shopping/)
Sightseeing (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/sightseeing/)
Special Feature (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special-feature/)
Tips & Ideas (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/tips-ideas/)
Transportation (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/transportation/)
Unexplored Places (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/unexplored-places/)
Wildlife (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/wildlife/)

11. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 11/12
0 Comments Tourism Infopedia Login1
Share⤤ Sort by Best
Start the discussion…
Be the first to comment.
Subscribe✉ Add Disqus to your site Add Disqus Addd Privacyὑ
Recommend
Tourism Infopedia.Com
Follow On
© 2016 Tourisminfopedia, All Rights Reserved.
Copyright (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/copyright/)
Disclaimer (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/disclaimer/)
Privacy Policy (http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/privacy-policy/)

12. 6/21/2016 Trivia: Myths About Unakoti | Tourism Infopedia
http://www.tourisminfopedia.com/special­feature/trivia­myths­about­unakoti/ 12/12