5/5 Jay D. 3 years ago on Google
On
Bombay-Agra
road,
about
2.5
kms.
from
the
Taj
Residency
a
small
hillock
is
seen.
It
houses
the
famous
Pandavlena
caves.
From
a
distance
you
can
see
the
hillock
and
the
caves
cut
half
way
through
the
hillock.
The
climb
is
not
very
steep.
The
height
of
the
caves
must
be
about
300
ft.
from
the
foot
of
the
hillock.
This
is
one
of
the
beautiful
places
worth
visiting.
Many
a
mountaineers
and
trekkers
frequent
the
place
early
in
the
morning
or
in
the
evenings.
Not
very
far
off
from
city,
it
is
still
a
very
peaceful
place
and
gives
a
very
beautiful
panoramic
view
of
the
city.
Maharashtra
Government
has
taken
up
the
area
for
cultivating
forest
and
since
1996,
more
than
4000
trees
of
different
varieties
have
been
planted
on
the
hillock.
The
place
attracts
tourists,
archaeologists,
trekkers
and
artists,
since
the
view
provides
a
beautiful
landscape
for
painting.
The
caves
are
open
for
visitors
from
8
a.m.
to
5.30
p.m.
everyday
with
an
entrance
fee
of
Rs.
2.Children
below
15
years
have
free
entrance.
On
Fridays,
entry
is
free.
As
per
the
history,
the
caves
have
no
connection
to
Pandava
.
The
name
Pandavlena
is
a
recent
version
of
the
old
name
Trirashmi.
Pandavlena
caves
belong
to
the
1st
Century
B.C.
to
4th
Century
A.D
period.
This
group
of
24
Buddhist
caves
is
one
of
the
most
important
in
Western
India,
particularly
interesting
on
account
of
the
large
rare
inscriptions
of
considerable
historical
interest
found
here.
They
were
excavated
between
the
second
half
of
the
1st
Century
B.C.
and
the
end
of
the
2nd
Century
A.D.
by
the
Buddhist
of
the
Hinayana
Faith,
who
worshipped
Buddha
in
symbolical
form.
The
images
of
Buddha
carving
in
some
ofthe
caves
are
later
additions
made
by
the
devotees
of
the
Mahayana
faith
in
CIRCA
4th
–
6th
Century
A.D.
The
ancient
name
of
the
place
was
pandavleni”Trirashmi”
–
the
triple
royal
–
the
name
of
the
Pandavlena
caves
being
a
modern
application.
The
most
important
caves
in
this
group
are
No.
18
and
20.
Except
cave
No.
18
the
remaining
caves
are
Viharas
or
monasteries
excavated
in
CIRCA
2nd
Century
A.D.
Cave
No.
3
was
excavated
at
theorders
of
the
Mother
of
the
famous
Satvahana
King
Gautamiputra
Satkarni,
who
held
sway
over
a
large
part
of
the
Deccan
in
the
2nd
Century
A.D.
In
cave
No.
10
there
is
an
inscription
regarding
the
donations
made
by
Ushadatta,
the
son
–
in
–
law
of
Kshatrapa
Nahapana
(CIRCA
120
A.D.).
Similarly
cave
No.
17
contains
an
inscription
stating
that
a
“Yavana”
(the
Greek)
named
Indragnidatta
and
his
son
Dharmarakshit
excavated
this
vihara
with
a
shrine
and
the
cisterns.
Cave
No.
18
is
the
oldest
and
also
the
most
important,
being
the
chaitya
–
the
hall
of
congregation.
According
to
the
inscription
engraved
on
the
5th
and
6th
pillars,
this
chaitya
was
excavated
by
Bhattapalika,
wife
of
the
Royal
Officer
Aghetyana
and
daughter
of
the
Royal
Officer
Arahataya.
Anotherinscription
under
the
horse
shoe
arch
of
the
entrance
records
the
gift
of
a
village
by
the
inhabitants
of
the
Nashik
for
the
upkeep
of
the
chaitya.
Cave
No.
20,
first
taken
by
an
Ascetic
name
Bhopaki
was
completed
by
Vasu,
the
wife
of
Mahasenapati
Bhavagopa
in
the
7th
year
of
the
Satvahan
King
Gautamiputra
Yajnashri
Satkarni
(CIRCA
166-198
A.D.)
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