Ancient Rock-Cut Caves of Lonavala, Maharashtra

The twin hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala, located on the Mumbai-Pune expressway in Maharashtra, boast of a lush green landscape that comprises of a plethora of cliffs, lakes and a pastoral countryside. With myriad hues of nature and a choice of accommodations, Lonavala-Khandala is a popular weekend getaway for the residents of Mumbai and Pune. Apart from the climate and the countryside, another reason for the popularity of the twin towns are the nearby rock-cut Buddhist caves.

The caves of Karla, Bhaja, and Bedsa have been tucked away in the volcanic basalt cliffs for two thousand years. Located close to one another, these monastic establishments were once a focal point of inland trade. They lay on an important ancient trade route running eastward from the Arabian sea into the Deccan Plateau and served as safe havens for travellers and traders much like the caravan serai of later days.

The architectural features of these caves include chaityas (chapel) and viharas (residential halls). While the chaityas are large pillared halls with a vaulted ceiling and a stupa on one end, the viharas are halls with cells containing rock-cut beds and niches that may have once housed the personal belongings of monks that resided there. The caves house inscriptions of common donors such as merchants, craftsperson, farmers who outnumbered the royal donors of Satavahanas and the Kshatrapas (the ruling dynasties of the time).

Karla Caves

The Karla group of caves were excavated over a period of time (1st century BCE to 5th century CE). It consists of 16 caves among which the most remarkable is Cave no. 8 - a chaitya hall, also known as the Great Chaitya Hall which dates back to 120 CE.

With 15 pillars on each side of the hall, a stupa at the front and a vaulted ceiling, this chaitya hall is one of the largest and finest rock-hewn caves in India. The pillars are topped with richly ornamented capital that showcase kneeling elephants each bearing men and women and in some cases only women. The ceiling is decorated with a series of wooden ribs which are as old as the hall itself. The stupa holds above it a wooden umbrella which has been blackened with age but is in its entirety. The chaitya comprises three entrances, the only way through which light is admitted into the hall. The right and left panels of the entrance house sculptures of elephants, and men and women with elaborate headgear and ornaments. Among the 22 inscriptions in Karla Caves almost all are in Cave no. 8. An inscription, at the entrance, mentions Bhutpala - a great King and his son Agnimitra as establishing ‘this rock mansion, the greatest in Jambudwipa’.

Bhaja Caves

Two miles south of the Karla group of caves, and 400 feet above the village of Bhaja are the Bhaja Caves. Dating back to early 200 BCE, this is a group of 22 rock-cut caves. In addition to the caves, the Bhaja group is known for its complex cistern water system.

The chaitya hall at Bhaja is the earliest existing example of the rock-cut cave architecture in India. It is said to replicate the wooden architecture of 2nd century BCE. The mortices and holes on the floors and the walls suggest how timber was attached to the floor and the walls, forming an entrance gate. Another interesting fragment of this monument is the stupa gallery that houses over 14 stupas in an unfinished excavation. It is identified as a cemetery with the stupas containing relics of monks that once resided here. The names of the monks along with their titles are inscribed on the stupas. The group houses notable sculptures such as that of a woman playing a musical instrument- an ancient version of tabla while another is seen dancing to the tunes of it, taking back the history of percussion instruments in the subcontinent to 200 BCE.

Bedsa Caves

Smallest of the three, the Bedsa group of caves date back to the 1st century BCE. The most important caves here are cave no. 7- a chaitya and cave no. 11- a vihara. The rock through which the chaitya hall is cut, still sits at the front of the cave hiding the view of the entrance. The entrance comprises huge pillars that are about 25 feet tall. While the columns of these pillars feature sculptures of bullocks, horses, and elephants with male and female riders, the pillars inside the chaitya hall are left plain with just a few Buddhist emblems such as the shield, lotus among others. The vihara at Bedsa resembles a chaitya, with a hall which is surrounded by nine cells for resident monks. Both these caves are adorned and decorated with gavakshas or horseshoe arch motifs and latticework.

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