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The Kanheri Caves constitute a group of rock-cut monuments that are
located north of Borivali on the western outskirts of Mumbai, India.
Deep within the green forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the
caves are 6 km from the main gate & 7 km from Borivali Station. Tourists
can enter after 7:30 am. The Kanheri Caves demonstrate the Buddhist
influence on the art and culture of India. Kanheri comes from the
Sanskrit Krishnagiri, which means black mountain. They were chiseled out
of a massive basaltic rock outcropping.
Description
These caves date from the first century BCE to the 10th century CE. One
hundred and nine caves have been carved from the basalt. Unlike the
elegant splendor of the adjacent Elephanta Caves, the earlier cells are spartan and unadorned. Each cave has a stone plinth for a bed. A
congregation hall with huge stone pillars contains the stupa, a Buddhist
shrine. Farther up the hill are canals and cisterns, the remains of an
ancient system that channeled rainwater into huge tanks. |
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Once
the caves were converted to permanent monasteries, the rock was carved
with intricate reliefs of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. Kanheri had
become an important Buddhist settlement on the Konkan coast by the 3rd
century CE.
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Most of the caves are used as the Buddhist viharas, meant for
living, studying, and meditating. The larger caves were chaityas, or
halls for congregational worship; are lined with intricately carved
Buddhist sculptures, reliefs and pillars; and contain rock-cut
stupas for congregational worship.
The Avalokiteshwara is the most distinctive figure. The large number
of viharas demonstrates the well organized establishment of Buddhist
monks. This establishment was also connected with many trade
centers, such as the ports of Sopara, Kalyan, Nasik, Paithan and
Ujjain. Kanheri was a University center by the time the area was
under the rule of the Maurayan and Kushan empires.
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In
the late 10th century, the Buddhist teacher Atisha (980-1054) came to
the Krishnagiri Vihara to study Buddhist meditation under Rahulagupta.
Inscriptions at Kanheri
Nearly 51 legible inscriptions and 26 epigraphs are found at Kanheri,
which include the inscriptions in Brahmi, Devanagari and 3 Pahlavi
epigraphs found in Cave 90. One of the significant inscriptions mentions
about the marriage of Satavahana ruler Vashishtiputra Satakarni with the
daughter of Rudradaman I.
Paintings in the Caves
Cave number 34 has unfinished paintings of Buddha on the ceiling of the
cave.
Location
The caves are located deep inside
Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
Bus transport is available every hour. Visitors must pay entry fees at
the park gate and at the cave entrance.
Around the Caves
Kanheri Caves offer picnickers a getaway, especially during the rainy
season. The hilly terrain of the caves creates several large and small
waterfalls. The road from the entry point of
Sanjay Gandhi National Park
to Kanheri Caves is bisected by streams where families can enjoy lazy
weekend gatherings.
Sources: Wikipedia
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