Pandavleni Caves (Nashik)

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Facades of caves 17 and 18

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

location

The cave monastery is located about 8½ kilometers southwest of the center of Nashik on the cliffs of Trivashmi Hill opposite the suburb of Ambad . Stairs carved into the rock lead up to the cave complex about 100 meters above the valley floor.

history

A total of 27 inscriptions in Brahmi script were discovered in the caves, two of which are in the 2nd / 3rd centuries. Reference Century AD. It is unclear whether and how long the system existed before; most of them are founded in the 1st century BC. BC, but most of the caves are believed to date from the 4th and 5th centuries. After the rise of Hinduism in the Gupta Empire (4th - 6th centuries) and under the Pratihara rulers (7th / 8th centuries), the monastery was probably abandoned.

Cave No. 1

caves

The complex consists of cult caves ( chaityas ) and dwelling caves ( viharas ); In later times the latter were often provided with an inner passage, which encloses a sanctuary ( garbhagriha ) with a Buddha image, so that the monks could walk around ( pradakshina ) inside the cave.

Caves 1 and 2
Caves 1 and 2 can be considered the oldest in the entire complex because of their 'primitive' stone work. The figure decorations inside are also rather rustic.
Cave No. 3
Cave 3
Cave 3 is a residential cave with sculptures. An inscription from the mother of the Shatavahana king Gautamiputra Satakarni was discovered here. The facade with its six free-standing columns, which are hidden in their lower part behind a parapet wall, is particularly impressive. The octagonal column shafts end in a stepped structure that corresponds to the screen on the stupa in cave 18 and is used here for the first time as a column attachment; above it are large capitals with lion, elephant and bull motifs. The entrance portal, framed by “Heavenly Lovers” ( mithunas ) , is protected by two guardian reliefs ( dvarapalas ) . In the lavishly decorated lintel area , which is reminiscent of the free-standing Toranas by Sanchi , there are standing praying figures, between which there are reliefs with aniconical symbols of the Buddha (tree, stupa, wheel of teaching).
Buddha in teaching gesture in cave 14
Cave 10
The so-called Nahapan Vihara is a wide hall with a total of 16 cells, the middle of which contains a Buddha image. An inscription mentions the name Ushadatta; this was the son-in-law of Kshatrapa Nahapana, who lived around 120 AD.
Cave 14
Cave 14 contains a dimpled Buddha image in the so-called 'European sitting posture' on a lion throne, but with a lotus pedestal under his feet; his fingers touch in the teaching gesture ( dharmachakramudra ) in front of the chest. Next to him are several accompanying figures with fly wagons.
Cave 16
With a height of 3.50 meters, it is the highest of the residential caves; it also contains 16 cells.
Chaitya Cave 18
Cave 17
The cave contains an inscription that says that a Greek from Bactria (?) Named Indragnidatta and his son Dharmarakshit had the cave and a cistern cut out of the rock. The facade of the cave is formed by two free-standing columns and two half-columns, which are provided with cushion-shaped elements below and above. The pillars end in openwork fighter plates that show amalaka motifs inside an almost cube-shaped frame - an extremely unusual motif that only occurs in Nashik, where it was already visible on some of the shafts of the pillars in cave 3.
Cave 18
Cave 18 is a Chaitya hall with an impressive facade. The central portal is covered by a large crescent-shaped window ( kudu or chandrasala ), which is slightly drawn in at its lower end and thus forms a horseshoe arch ; at the top it ends in a keel-arched point. In its vicinity there are several blind windows that are designed in the same way; Inside are vaulted vaults foreshortened, referring to wooden precursors. Together with several fence motifs ( vedikas ), pre-blinded half-columns and small stupas, the result is a very decorative and balanced picture. The interior of the apsidal Chaitya hall is completely aniconical and extremely sparse and unadorned; Octagonal pillars, which appear to be in large jugs, surround a slender stupa with a harmika decoration and an honorary umbrella ( chhatra ) that is stepped downwards .
Cave 20
Cave 20 is also a Chaitya hall. According to an inscription, it was made in the 7th year of the Satvahan king Gautamiputra Yajnashri Satkarni, d. H. Completed by a woman in the 2nd half of the 2nd century. Another inscription refers to donations from the local population for the repair (?) Of the cave.
Jaina cult image (2nd - 4th century)
Jain sanctuary
A little away from the Buddhist monastery complex is a Jain sanctuary with several standing and seated Tirthankaras on the edge of a cistern carved out of the rock . All sculptures are designed in a rather 'primitive' manner and, moreover, there are no decorative motifs or the breast jewels that became common later, so that an early date to the 2nd to 4th century is likely. The picture opposite probably shows Mahavira , the last in the series of the 24 tirthankaras and founder of the Jain religion - he sits meditating in the lotus position within an extremely simple torana arch; on either side of his head small servant or guardian figures kneel with flies or swords.

  • Standing and seated tirthankaras

  • dto

  • Meditating Jain figure

See also

In the coastal foothills of the Western Ghats north of Mumbai there are further cave monasteries and cave temples:

Buddhist
Hindu

literature

  • Campbell, JM: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency vol XIV. Government Central Press, Bombay 1882.
  • James Fergusson, James Burgess: The Cave Temples of India. Munshiram Manoharlal. New Delhi (1880), ISBN 8-12150-251-9 .
  • Dulari Qureshi: Rock-cut Temples of Western India. Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. Delhi 2010, ISBN 978-8-18090-202-4 .
  • Bernd Rosenheim: The world of the Buddha. Early Buddhist Art Sites in India. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 2006, ISBN 3-8053-3665-9 .

Web links

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

Coordinates: 19 ° 57 '  N , 73 ° 45'  E