Pandavleni Caves

The Pandavleni Caves (also Pandulena - Caves, or Caves Trivashmi - Nashik Caves ) are a more than 20 caves comprehensive Buddhist cave monastery near the Indian city of Nashik in Maharashtra. The complex also includes a sanctuary of Jains.

Location

The cave monastery is located about 8 ½ miles southwest of the center of Nashik on the rocky slopes of Trivashmi Hill opposite the suburb Ambad. In the rock-cut stairs lead up to about 100 meters located above the valley floor cave complex.

History

In the caves, a total of 27 inscriptions were discovered in Brahmi script, two of which are in the 2 / 3 Century AD refer. Whether and how long the system existed previously is unclear; usually its founding in the 1st century BC is located, but most caves are likely to come from the 4th and 5th centuries. After the rise of Hinduism in the Gupta Empire (4th - 6th century) and under the Pratihara rulers (7th / 8th century ) appears to have been abandoned the monastery.

The complex consists of cult caves ( Chaityas ) and cave dwellings ( viharas ); the latter were often provided at a later date with an internal handling, the ( garbhagriha ) enclosing a shrine with a Buddha image, so that the worshipful circumambulation ( pradakshina ) could take place by the monks inside the cave.

Dto

Meditating Jaina figurine