Lohani Caves And Temple, Mandu/ 2023

The Lohani Caves and Temples in sharp contrast to the rest of Mandu are stark and strangely devoid of inscriptions and carvings that are so much a part of nearly all the buildings in Mandu. The Lohani Caves are a group of cells cut into rocks. They were initially meant to serve as residences for Shaiva Yogis. A storage tank cut into the rock served as a water source and forms the entrance to the caves.

Lohani Caves have a disputed history. While some believe that the caves served solely as residences to the yogis, there are others who believe in the religious idols retrieved from the caves as pointing to the caves having religious significance. These idols are currently located in the museum in the Dharmashala of Hoshang Shah’s Tomb. It is also believed that the temples within the caves were desecrated to provide masonry for the Islamic places of worship within the city.