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Caves
Dating back to the 2nd BC and artistically built over a few centuries, the Caves of Maharashtra have an extraordinary appeal and aura. Nestled in the formidable Sahayadri Mountain Range, these caves have been home to monks of different religions.
These caves offer a visit that is truly unforgettable. A visit that will induce a sense of discovery, a discovery of the self, and of the divine.
Caves are a creation that will leave an everlasting impression on your memory. The beauty of these rock cut caves is in the fact that these were built in an era when there were no advanced tools for digging and carving. But still, in these difficult terrain, stand the splendid caves, so beautifully carved, that probably even with today's technology, man cannot create anything as gorgeous as the caves of Maharashtra. Ajanta Ellora Caves - The World Heritage Site and Caves like Elephant Caves, and Karla, Junnar, Kanheri are the other most exquisite heritage sites in India.
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Ajanta
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| Ajanta is a renowned name in the world of architecture. Ajanta and Ellora are the pride of Maharashtra. The rock-cut caves of both these sites are world famous and illustrate the degree of skill and artistry that Indian craftsmen have achieved several hundred years ago. Ajanta dates from 100 B.C. while Ellora is younger by some 600 years. The village of Ajanta is in the Sahyadri hills, about 104 kms.
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Bedse
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| Located in the Kole colony, the Bedse cave consists of two main caves. The main cave which is the Chaitya (prayer hall) has a beautiful Stupa. Both the caves have some carvings as well. The caves are facing eastwards. So it is recommended to visit the caves early morning as in sunlight the beauty of carvings is enhanced. The ornamentation is made up of miniature rails and repetition of window fronts or facades with a number of water cisterns in front of the Chaitya with one of the inscriptions belonging to Mandavi princess Samadinaka who got this facility made for monks and Buddhist devotees.
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Elephanta
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| A beautiful little island, named Elephanta, located about 11 kms off the coast of Mumbai ,is famous not only for its picturesque surrounding but also for its treasure of sculptures in a rock-cut cave temple that was built around the same period or a little later (850 A.D.) as the Ellora temple. It has the same style of architecture as that of the Kailasa temple of Ellora, representing the latest phase of rock-cut architectural activity in India.
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Ellora
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| Nestled in the crook of the Charanadari hill in Deccan is a series of ancient temples and monasteries hewn out of the mountain side. Situated on the ancient north south trade route or the dakshinapatha, the tiny mountain village of Verul - mutated today to Ellora -was a well- known stopover for traders, priests and pilgrims who plied the route to the western ports. Beginning sometime in the 7th century, when the Chalukyas (AD 553 - 753) ruled the Deccan, these wayfarers decided to make their presence permanent.
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Kanheri
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| The word Kanheri originates from the Sanskrit word Krishnagiri. Krishna generally stands for black color. The other name in vogue was "Khaneri" which means black mountain. These caves date from 1st Century B.C. to 9th Century A.D. The earliest are 109 tiny rock-cut cells, carved into the side of a hill. Unlike the elegant splendor of Elephanta Caves nearby, these are sparten and unadorned.
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Karla - Bhaja
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| Karla Caves, an example of Indian rock cut architecture, is a complex of cave shrines built by Buddhist monks around 3rd to 2nd century B.C. It is located in Karli near Lonavala, a hill station, in the western state of Maharashtra between the cities of Mumbai and Pune in India. This complex of very well-preserved Hinayana Buddhist caves, built on the difficult terrain of a rocky hillside, is one of the finest examples of the ancient rock-cut caves to be found in India.
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Pitalkhora
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| Not as well known as Ajanta yet the rock-cut caves of Pitalkhora in the Satamala range of the Sahyadri hills are of great interest. There are thirteen caves, set high up on the hill, overlooking picturesque ravines. Many of the caves contain carvings and paintings that date from the 1st century B.C. to the 5th century A.D.
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Random Pick |
| Ajanta Ajanta is a renowned name in the world of architecture. Ajanta and Ellora are the pride of Maharashtra. The rock-cut caves of both these sites are world famous and illustrate the degree of skill and artistry that Indian craftsmen have achieved several hundred years ago. Ajanta dates from 100 B.C. while Ellora is younger by some 600 years. The village of Ajanta is in the Sahyadri hills, about 104 kms. |
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