Sitabenga and Jogimara are two caves on the Ramgarh hill in the Surguja district of Chhattisgarh.
Jogimara: The Cave of Ancient Art and Love
While the Jogimara cave is known as the most ancient cave carrying fresco paintings dateable to the 3rd century BCE or earlier, the Sitabenga cave is popularly referred to as the earliest theatre cave in India.
However, the Jogimara cave fascinates us in other ways too: it is home to the first recorded love letter in India.
Jogimara: The Cave of Ancient Art and Love
The Jogimara caves were perhaps resting places for actresses who performed in the dramas enacted in the Sitabenga cave.
There is a five-line inscription in the Jogimara cave in Brahmi script, Magadhi language in letters of unequal size.
Sutanuka and Devadinna: An Ancient Love Story
The inscription talks about the love between Sutanuka, a devadasi and Devadinna, a sculptor. It reads — ‘Sutanuka by name, a devadasi... Devadinna by name, the rupadaksha (sculptor), loved her.
A devadasi was a female artist who was dedicated to the worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life.
The Jogimara cave inscription offers an intriguing glimpse into the personal lives of individuals in ancient India.
While ancient inscriptions usually mention kings and their deeds or religious matters, this rare expression of love between individuals stands as a timeless testimony to one of the most enduring human emotions.
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