Buddha Purnima: Explore the ancient, lesser-known Buddhist caves in Maharashtra

The State not solely has wealthy Buddhist heritage and tradition, additionally it is dotted with giant and small Buddhist caves.

To be noticed on twenty sixth Might, 2021, Buddha Purnima commemorates Lord Buddha’s enlightenment and beginning. Buddhist group celebrates this present day with nice fervor and zeal the world over. By the way, Maharashtra has India’s largest Buddhist inhabitants, about 5.81% of the State’s complete inhabitants. The State not solely has wealthy Buddhist heritage and tradition, additionally it is dotted with giant and small Buddhist caves.

On this auspicious day of Buddha Purnima, we showcase just a few of the traditional but lesser-known caves of the State that are the best examples of a few of the earliest Buddhist structure, cave work and sculptures.

Kondivite/ Mahakali Caves- Mumbai

Located on Mahakali hills in Andheri East of Mumbai, The Mahakali Caves, also called Kondivite Caves, are a gaggle of 19 caves constructed between 1st century BCE and sixth century CE. It consists of two teams of rock-cut caves – 4 caves to the north-west and 15 caves to the south-east. Most caves are viharas ((rooms for monks) and cells for monks, however Cave 9 of south-eastern group is chaitya ((prayer corridor). These caves have statues of the Buddha and a number of other carvings depicting tales from Buddhist faith. The inscriptions and scriptures on the partitions are written in Pali language. This cave group can remind you in regards to the Mauryan interval cave web site at Barabar Hill caves close to Patana in Bihar. The polished stone exterior of the stupa can remind you of the standard Mauryan interval polish. Stylistically, this cave group is dated from c. 1st c. C.E. to c. twelfth c. C.E.

Thanale Buddhist Caves, Raigad

Positioned on the foot of a cliff in Raigad, these are a bunch of 23 Buddhist caves, thought of to be one of many oldest rock-cut temples of India. Constructed within the 1st century BC, the Thanale Caves is taken into account as the primary caves to be excavated not solely in Maharashtra but additionally in India. It has two Chaityas, two Stupas and the remainder are Viharas. All caves are minimize in a row and every cave is exclusive. Cave 3 has a dozen Buddhist stupas, and different caves have stone carvings, together with remnants of work, found by archaeologist MN Deshpande. Cave No. 7 is the most important cave amongst all of the others because it has been embellished with Buddhist scriptures and relics.

Bedse Caves, Pune

Positioned in Maval Taluka of the Pune district, the Bedsa caves are a group of Buddhist rock-cut monuments relationship means again to the first century B.C. It contains two fundamental caves: Chaitya or a prayer corridor housing a big stupa and a Vihara or the monastery. Each caves have wealthy architectural significance with stone carvings and art work. The ‘Chaitya’ is carved with a stone display screen and the verandah has tall pillars with fantastically carved photographs of animals and riders. The ‘Vihara’ is exclusive for its apsidal vault roof. Bedse caves provide numerous perception into evolution of Buddhism in India. The primary Chaitya within the group within the cave no. 7 is a noteworthy specimen of the Buddhist Rock-cut structure. It has a large stupa with an historic picket umbrella (Yashti and Chhatra). The pillars within the Chaitya have ornately carved riders and animals on the capitals and on the entrance has the big and intricately carved Chaitya arch. The Vihara in cave no. 11 exhibits the transition section between the Hinayana and Mahayana phases of Buddhism with its apsidal plan and vaulted roof. The antiquity of this cave group will be traced again to c. 1st c. B.C.E.

Gomashi Caves, Raigad

Positioned within the Konkan area, this remoted cave was first observed by Rev. J.E. Abbott in 1889. It’s stated to be excavated in first or second century CE within the Hinayana custom however was later occupied by followers of the Mahayana custom, at which period a picture was put in within the cave of the Buddha below the Bodhi tree, finely carved from black basalt. The cave has just one cell.

Pitalkhora Caves Aurangabad

Thought-about as one of many earliest facilities of rock-cut structure in India, it dates again to the 2nd century BC. Whereas 4 of the caves are chaityas or prayer halls, the remainder are ‘viharas’ or residential cells. The primary entrance to the caves has a large balcony with statues of a ‘naga’ (snake), guards and a row of elephants. There are a complete of fourteen caves. The primary cave was used as a monastery or ‘vihara’.. The third cave has stunning work and there are 37 pillars that separate the aisle from the corridor. There are a lot of gorgeous photographs of Lord Buddha in varied poses. There are animal designs, elephants, guards and Yaksha statues within the caves.

Speaking in regards to the significance of Buddha Purnima for Maharashtra, Dr. Mayur Thackeray, Assistant archeologist, Directorate of Archeology and Museums, Maharashtra stated that, “One of many delineating options of Buddhism’s presence in Maharashtra is the Rock-cut Structure of which websites will be present in a lot within the state. In response to an estimate, out of 1200 Rock-cut Architectural websites in India, Maharashtra has a majority share of those Rock-cut architectural websites which had been merely an imitation of the picket structural structure into stone. The aim was straight, to perpetuate the message of Dhamma for hundreds of years to come back on this land. These Rock-cut architectural websites are majorly discovered close to the vital historic settlements and commerce routes. They primarily functioned because the non secular and monastic institutions supported equally by the royals, nobles and commoners in reverence for Buddhism.

The Buddhist Rock-cut architectural websites in Maharashtra point out the presence of all main sub-schools of Buddhism such because the Theravada (Hinayana), Mahayana and Vajrayana and will be roughly dated from c. 3 c. B.C.E. to c. 14 c. C.E. The earliest of the Buddhist Rock-cut cave websites are quite simple, plain in structure and ornamentation with no illustration of Tathaghata Buddha who’s proven symbolically whereas the later interval Buddhist Rock-cut cave websites are profusely ornate and elaborate in plans with depiction of Buddha in varied kinds and postures.”

The Buddhist caves are a logo of the spiritual splendor of Maharashtra. They resemble the creative existence of Buddhism that stands for peace, non-violence and concord.