Jogeshwari caves

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Unfinished or partially collapsed courtyard in the Jogeshwari caves

The Hindu Jogeshwari Caves belong to the largely unknown cave temples in the vicinity of Mumbai ( India ) and are therefore rarely visited by foreign tourists .

Toponym

The name Jogeshwari is the feminine form of Jogeshwar and refers to Shiva as the Lord ( ishvara ) of the yogis. Jogeshwari (also spelled Yogesvari ) is sometimes counted among the 'mothers' ( matrikas ).

location

The Jogeshwari Caves are located in the coastal foothills of the Western Ghats, not far from the old trade routes between the highlands of the Deccan and the foreshore or the port cities, which were already known in ancient times, about 30 km northeast of today's center of Mumbai. The Jogeshwari Railway Station in the suburb of the same name can be easily reached by commuter trains; the remaining distance of about 1 km to the northeast can be covered on foot or with a motor rickshaw . The neighboring Mahakali caves are only about 3 km (driving distance) southeast at Andheri .

Dating

Inscriptions are neither present nor preserved in the caves. From stylistic comparisons with other caves near Mumbai - including Elephanta - the complex is mostly dated to the 2nd half of the 8th century; earlier dates can also sometimes be found.

caves

Great hall of the Jogeshwari Temple

Access to the caves is through a 2 m wide and 15 m long passage carved into the rock, at the end of which a staircase leads down to two rock chambers. The right one possibly houses a barely identifiable seated Shiva figure with a guardian or donor figure at his side; the left chamber is even worse preserved and could have shown the figure of a dancing Shiva ( nataraja ). In the further course, a courtyard opens with an imposing row of pillars, on the opposite side of which there is one of the largest Hindu rock temples in India, the annex of which is divided by two rows of pillars or columns with amalaka capitals leading to the 'cella' ( garbhagriha ) : In the cella is the cult image of the Jogeshwari, which is hardly recognizable and was probably erected later. The reliefs in the outer wall of the cella seem to be much older - they are stylistically related to those of Elephanta.

See also

In the coastal foothills of the Western Ghats north of Mumbai there are other cave monasteries:

Buddhist

Hindu

literature

Web links

Commons : Jogeshwari Caves  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 19 ° 8 '  N , 72 ° 51'  E