Rock-Cut Caves

Jammu & Kashmir

Saspol Caves – Ladakh

Ladakh contains some amazing monuments of Tibetan medieval culture, perhaps the most famous and most visited among them being the temple complex at Alchi. But with…

Karnataka

Badami Caves and Temples

Badami is a small town 105km south of Bijapur and just 100km north-west of Hampi in Karnataka. Set at the western end of a lake almost…

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

Shivneri Buddhist Caves – Junnar

The town of Junnar, 80km north of Pune in Maharashtra, has been an important trading and political centre for at least the last two millennia.…

Nigade (Padmavati) Caves

Located 15km east of Pale and Uksan Cave, and 14km north-east of Kamshet, Nigade Caves are another example of a lesser-known ancient cave site that…

Uksan Cave

Situated 60km north-west of Pune and 9km north-west of Kamshet in Maharashtra, Uksan Cave lies close to ancient trade route that climbs up the western…

Pokhar Cave – Saswad

Situated 9km south-east of Saswad just north of the road leading to Purandar Fort, Pokhar Cave probably ranks as one of the least-known of numerous…

Patan Caves

Located on 1.5km north-east of Visapur Fort and 1.9km east of Bhaja Caves in Maharashtra, the village of Patan has three known rock-cut Buddhist excavations.…

Yelghol Caves

Located 1km south-west of Yelghol village in Maval Taluka in Pune District, Yelghol Cave is a Buddhist rock-cut excavation modifying what was a pre-existing natural…

Maan Cave – Pune

In previous blog posts I have featured both the well-known and somewhat obscure cave sites of Pune. Most Punekars will be familiar with the circa…

Vrudeshwar Cave Mandir – Pune

As some of you may know, in a previous life I was a Director of Software Quality for large computer security company. With a group…

Parvati Cave – Pune

Ask any Punekar what is the oldest surviving structure in Pune city, and they are likely to respond with Pataleshwar Caves. Situated on Jangli Maharaj…

Bhamchandra Caves – Bhamboli

Bhamchandra Caves are a set of rock-cut excavations located near Bhamboli, 40 km north of Pune in Maharashtra. There are six caves in total at…

Bhandara Caves – Induri

Bhandara Caves are a small set of modest Buddhist excavations located on Bhandara Hill near Induri, 36 km north-west of Pune in Maharashtra.

Ghoradeshwar Caves

Also known as Ghorawadi, Ghorawdeshwar and Shelarwadi Caves, Ghoradeshwar Caves are a small group of rock-cut excavations about 32 km north-west of Pune, close to…

Kanheri Caves – Mumbai

Located deep within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai, Kanheri Caves are a group of 109 Buddhist rock-cut monuments dating from the 1st -…

Elephanta Caves

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, Elephanta Caves consists of seven 6th century rock-cut caves located on Elephanta Island (or Gharapuri, “the city…

Mahakali Caves – Mumbai

The Mahakali Caves, also known as the Kondivite or Kondivita Caves, are a series of rock-cut shrines 5km south-east of Jogeshwari Caves in Mumbai, dating…

Jogeshwari Caves – Mumbai

Jogeshwari Caves in the Andheri district of Mumbai are amongst the earliest rock-cut cave temples built by Hindus in India. Dated to 520 – 550…

Mandapeshwar Caves – Mumbai

Located near Mount Poinsur in the Borivali suburb of Mumbai, Mandapeshwar Caves is an 6th – 8th century rock cut shrine dedicated to Shiva.

Naneghat

Naneghat is an ancient mountain pass in the Western Ghats range near Junnar in Pune district of Maharashtra. During the reign of the Satavahana (200…

Bhimashankar Caves

The Junnar region in Maharashtra has the largest number of rock-cut caves in India, numbering over 200 independent excavations and spread over the four hills. All…

Bhutalinga Caves

The Junnar region in Maharashtra has the largest number of rock-cut caves in India, numbering over 200 independent excavations and spread over the four hills.…

Kondana Caves

Excavated out of solid rock some 2,100 years ago, Kondana Caves are a group of 16 Buddhist caves situated 33 km north of Lonavala and…

Amba-Ambika Caves

The Junnar region in Maharashtra has the largest number of rock-cut caves in India, numbering over 200 independent excavations and spread over the four hills. All…

Lenyadri Caves

The Junnar region in Maharashtra has the largest number of rock-cut caves in India, numbering over 200 independent excavations and spread over the four hills. All…

Tulja Lena Caves

Having explored the better known rock-cut caves near Pune (Bhaja, Bedse and Karla), I decided to take a day excursion to Junnar (90 km from…

Bedse Caves

The small group of Buddhist excavations at Bedse (alternatively known as Bedsa), completes the trilogy of caves along with Karla and Bhaja that can be…

Bhaja Caves

Bhaja Caves (or Bhaje Caves) are a group of 22 rock cut caves dating back to the 2nd century BC,  located near Lonavala, Maharashtra. The caves are 400…

Pataleshwar Caves

It’s hard to believe a place like this could be located on the downtown Jangli Maharaj Road (JM Road) in Pune. Most cave complexes I’ve visited…

Karla Caves

The enormous 1st century chaitya cave at Karla is also known as Karli and Karle. It’s considered to be the best preserved rock cut Buddhist…

Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves are 18 miles North-West of Aurandabad, so unlike Ajanta caves you won’t have such an early start in order to get there for…

Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves are located about 100km north east of Aurangabad, it takes about two hours to drive there from the city. If possible try…

Odisha

Khandagiri Caves – Bhubaneswar

Located directly opposite the Udayagiri Caves complex on the other side of the road, Khandagiri Caves comprises of 15 caves in total, and it is…

Udayagiri Caves – Bhubaneswar

Dating back as early as the 2nd century B.C, Udayagiri Caves are a fascinating set of deep cut sandstone caves 3km west of Bhubaneswar in…