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| | Bhaja |
Here one can gaze across to the impressive fort of Lohagarh or gaze
up to the forbidding heights of Vishapur. The entrance gate to this site is
opposite Cave 12. Cave 12 is one of the most exciting caves to explore. This
is one of the first apsidal chaitya hall in the western Deccan. The
architect; a Buddhist monk from Northern India has used timbre structures,
teak struts have been inserted into the stone vault, possible for aesthetic
reasons but more probably out of nostalgia. Twenty-seven octagonal columns
divide the temple. There is also a Stupa in front of the columns at the far
end, which slopes gradually inwards. The teak beams used were painted but
now due to the ravages of time not much is left. The sockets at the entrance
suggest that once a timber door existed here. To the left of the cave 12 are
three quite interesting monasteries 5., 6 and 11 and to the right are
monasteries number 13, 14, 18, the small 19, and the large 20. Cave 19 has
two fascinating sculptures in very low relief, which are still well
preserved. One sculpture depicts the sun god "Surya" with his
chariot drawn by four horses. Here his retinue of warriors trampling the
bodies of enormous obnoxious looking demons accompanies him. The other
sculpture depicts Indra, sitting astride his elephant Airavata that appeared
when the ocean was churned up. Cave 20 is a stupa cave. |
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| | Bedsa |
Bedsa is also near Lonavala. It lies north of the Pawan
Dam. Bedsa can be reached from Kamshet (there is a railway station here) by bus
or auto-rickshaw. From Bedsa the hike uphill is 3 km. On reaching the top one
can see bell up- columns surmounted by capitals consisting of horses with
riders. The features depicted in the sculptures on these columns show the
influence of non-Indian sculptor, possibly an Iranian of Greek ancestry, or
maybe a Parthian or Scythian. It is believed that the foreigners living near the
coast converted to Buddhism- therefore this foreign influence can be seen in the
sculptures at Bedsa. The women depicted in the Bedsa caves are unique in their
physical attributes- like long plaited hair, bare breasts, and Wellenistic-type
faces, while the men wear only loin cloth and elaborate turbans and seem more
Greek than Persian. The chaitya hall after cave 7 is a simple structure. The
influence, here is of Hinayana religion therefore the figure of Buddha is
absent. Cave 11 is a Vihara (or room for the ascetic/monks) with nine separate
cells.
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| | Karla |
While returning from Bedsa and
Kamshet towards Lonavala one has to turn right at the Karla Hotel by the Bhaja
cross road to reach at the foot of the Karla caves. Here there are hordes of
vendors selling souvenirs, trinkets, eatables etc. at rates, which can be
bargained. Guides are also available here in good numbers.
On has to climb steep stone steps to reach these caves. The chaitya hall here it
seems dates from the Maharashtra dynasty's period of power in Western Deccan in
the Ist Century A.D. The grandeur of the sculptural decoration here clearly
outshines the ones at the Bhaja caves. Karlas chaitya halls has scenes depicting
Mithuna couples, figures with Asiatic-Greek features, figures who are god-like
in stature, elephants, men are shown in lion-cloth and heavily turbaned in
addition to these. Angelic faced women are depicted bare-breasted but bejeweled.
In these caves one can also see the carved figure of Buddha thus showing the
influence of Mahayana Buddhism on these caves. There is also a twelve-cell
Vihara, which can be reached by a wooden ladder, which could be drawn up in case
of an attack on the Vihara.
If one decides to visit Lonavala do not miss visiting the above mentioned three
caves i.e. Bhaja, Bedsa and Karla. |
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