Jogeshwari Caves
The Hindu Jogeshwari Caves are among the largely unknown and accordingly by foreign tourists rarely visited cave temples around Mumbai (India).
Toponym
The name Jogeshwari is the feminine form of Jogeshwar and refers to Shiva as the Lord ( ishvara ) of the yogis. Jogeshwari (also Yogesvari written ) is sometimes counted in the group of mothers ' ( Matrikas ).
Location
The Jogeshwari Caves are located in the coastal foothills of the Western Ghats, near the ancient trading routes between the highlands of the Deccan and the foreshore or the well-known even in ancient times port city about 30 km north-east of today's center of Mumbai. The Jogeshwari Railway Station in the same suburb is well served by commuter trains; the remaining distance of about 1 km of the northeast can be covered on foot or with a motor rickshaws. The neighboring Mahakali Caves are located just 3 km ( route ) to the southeast at Andheri.
Dating
Inscriptions are not available or get in the caves. From stylistic comparisons with other caves in Mumbai - including Elephanta - the complex is usually dated to the second half of the 8th century; also earlier datings are sometimes found.
Access to the caves performs about 2 m wide and 15 m long rock-cut passage, at the end down a staircase leads to two rock chambers. The right may be home to a little more identifiable seated Shiva figure with a Guardian or donating figure at his side; the left ventricle is obtained even worse and the figure of a dancing Shiva ( nataraja ) could have shown. In the course of a court opens with an imposing row of pillars on whose opposite side of the area, the largest Hindu rock temple of India is, its annex building by two on, Cella ' ( garbhagriha ) supplying pillar or column rows with amalaka - capitals is divided: In the cella is the - hardly recognizable and probably later erected - cult image of Jogeshwari. The reliefs on the outer wall of the cella seem in any case to be significantly older - they are stylistically related to those of Elephanta.