Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Situated on the country's western coast, Maharashtra is a state filled with Buddhist relics. One can travel through the state and admire the Buddhist carvings and architecture here. Although many of them are in ruins one is still left to wonder as to how such mega structures were built and how long did the construction take. The intricate carvings on the life of Buddha is common on most of the architectures. Some also contains the carvings of the rulers under whose reign the structures were built. Still serving as a religious place for Buddhists, these relics are in a sorry state and are under the care of nature. So let's set out to explore these ancient relics built by our ancestors that still live on with us here.
Ajanta Caves
Ajanta Caves is a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known for housing Buddhist Caves. These ancient murals and sculptures depict the life of Buddha. The caves include paintings and sculptures which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales.
Photo Courtesy: Soman
Aurangabad Caves
The Aurangabad Caves aren't a patch on Ellora or Ajanta, but they do throw some light on early Buddhist architecture and, above all, make for a quiet and peaceful outing. Carved out of the hillside in the 6th or 7th century AD, the 10 caves, comprising two groups 1 km apart are all Buddhist. Cave 7, with its sculptures of scantily clad lovers in suggestive positions, is a perennial favorite. The caves are about 2 km north of Bibi-qa-Maqbara.
Photo Courtesy: Shkdadapeer
Bedse Caves
Bedse Caves, also known as Bedsa Caves, are situated in Maval taluk of Pune District in Maharashtra. There are two main caves of which yhe best known cave is the chaitya (prayer hall) with comparatively large stupa, the other cave is monastery containing viharas. Both the caves contain some carvings and are facing eastwards, so it is recommended to visit the caves early morning, as in the beauty of carvings is enhanced in the sunlight. Also close to the Bedse caves are the famous foursome of Lohagad, Visapur, Tung and Tikona forts.
Photo Courtesy: Sdm 9999
Bhaja Caves
Bhaja Caves or Bhaje caves are a group of 22 rock-cut caves that dates back to 2nd century BC and is located at Maval near Lonavala. It is one of the prominent centers of Hinayana Buddhist sect. The caves have a number of stupas in open space which is one of its significant feature alongwith the fact that these caves are notable for their wooden architecture.
Photo Courtesy: Amitmahadik100
Deekshabhoomi
Deekshabhoomi, situated in Nagpur, is regarded as a pilgrimage center of Buddhism in India. Millions of pilgrims come here every year, especially on Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din (Mass Conversion Ceremony Day) and on 14 October, the memorial day when Dr. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism here. Deeksha literally means 'act of ordaining', Bhoomi means the 'ground'.So, literally Deekshabhoomi means the ground where people got ordained as Buddhist. In front of the stupa here there is a vihara with a bronze image of lord Buddha.Beside the vihara there is the Bodhi Tree, which is a sacred fig tree.
Photo Courtesy: Koshy Koshy
Ellora Caves
The Ellora cave temples are the pinnacle of ancient Indian rock-cut architecture. These caves were chipped out laboriously through five centuries by generations of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monks. Monasteries, chapels, temples; the caves served every purpose, and the style quotient was duly met by embellishing them with a profusion of remarkably detailed sculptures. The Ellora caves line a 2 km-long escarpment, the gentle slope of which allowed architects to build elaborate courtyards in front of the shrines as well.
Photo Courtesy: Nandanupadhyay
Jogeshwari Caves
The Jogeshwari Caves are some of the earliest Hindus and Buddhist cave temples located in Mumbai suburb of Jogeshwari. The caves are accessed through a long flight of stairs into the main hall and has many pillars and a lingam at the end. Idols of Dattatreya, Hanuman and Ganesh line the walls. There are also relics of two doormen. The caves are located off the Western Express Highway, and are surrounded by encroachments. The caves are used as a temple by the encroachers. The caves are classified as endangered as sewage and waste enter the premises. They are also infested with bats.
Photo Courtesy: Himanshu Sarpotdar
Kanheri Caves
The Kanheri Caves constitute a group of rock-cut monuments that are located north of Borivali on the western outskirts of Mumbai. Located within the forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the caves demonstrate the Buddhist influence on the art and culture of India. The word Kanheri comes from the Sanskrit word Krishnagiri, which means black mountain.
Photo Courtesy: Aryanitin
Karla Caves
The Karla Caves or Karle Caves are a complex of ancient Buddhist rock-cut cave shrines located in Karli near Lonavala. The Karla Cave complex is built into a rocky hillside around 60 kilometres, with large windows cut into the rock to light the cave interiors. The main cave features a large, intricately carved prayer hall, dating back to the 1st century BC. This is among the largest rock-cut chaityas in India, measuring 45 metres long and up to 14 metres high. The hall features sculptures of both males and females, as well as animals. A notable feature of these caves is their arched entrances and vaulted interiors.
Photo Courtesy: Pradeep717
Mahakali Caves
The Mahakali Caves, also known as the Kondivita Caves, are a group of 19 rock-cut monuments. This Buddhist monastery is located in the western suburb of Andheri in Mumbai. It consists of two groups of rock-cut caves - 4 caves to the north-west and 15 caves to the south-east. Most of the caves are viharas and cells for monks, but Cave 9 of south-eastern group is chaitya.
Photo Courtesy: Sainath Parkar
Pandavleni Caves
Dating from the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD, the 24 early Buddhist caves of Pandav Leni are located about 8km south of Nasik along the Mumbai road. There's a steep, 20-minute hike separating the caves from the highway. Caves 19 and 23 have some interesting carvings, others bear animal figures and dice boards once engraved into the stone floors by resident monks.
Photo Courtesy: Rashmi.parab
