R E S E A R C H A N A L Y S I S A N D E V A L U A T I O N

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International Referred Research Journal,September ,2011,ISSN-0975-3486, RNI: RAJBIL 2009/30097, VOL-II *ISSUE 24
Jainism and Buddhism rose during 600 B.C. Gradu-
ally It was propagated in different region of India.
Buddhism was propagated in Saurashtra during the
regimen of Ashoka. Its information can be got from
the stone inscription obtained from Junagadh. Some
remainders of stupa, monastery and chaitya home
(Gruh) of Maurya era, Kshatrapas and Buddhism
obtained from some places of Saurashtra. Monasteries
of buuddha monks and jain hermits were built in so
many mountains of Saurashtra.
Monasteries carved from mountains seem to
be caves. Normally, an open place was being kept in
between monasteries. One or two assembly halls were
also kept in at open place for group work like confer-
ence, lectures etc.
Resident from were rather small and with
only one Gateway. Some Mauryan and Kshatrapas era
cave and Monastery evidences are obtained from the
mountains of Saurashtra
.1
Caves of Bavapyara :
Ancient rock cut caves of Saurashtra are situ-
ated at Bavapyara some distance of Southern side of
uparkota in Junagadh.2 These fifteen caves are dis-
tributed in three rows. First row is at northern side.
Whose face is towards southern side. An apsidal arch
is situated at the front head of it which is called Chaitya
Window.
Three small caves are situated at eastern side
of this row. Second row of rock-caves are at the south-
ern side whose face is towards northern side. In front
of these cave there is an open place.
One simple old-style stupa with Chaitya is
inscribed of the western side of this raw. This cave is
6x3.8 meter broad and in depth. Gateway of 1.5 meter
hight.3 Some figures like swastik, full water-pot,
Bhadrasan (seat), and fish-couple of drawn in the
southern side cave in the open place. It can be said that
the inscription work would be finished till the end of
200 b.c.
A Kshatrapas inscription has been obtained
from these caves. In the last lines of this inscription on
some words are written as : . (Gyan Sampaptana Git
Jara Maranan) It can be inferred from these words
these caves were constructed during jain era
.4
Caves of uparkot of Junagadh :
These caves are two-storied. It can be inferred
from the style of pillar and chaitya-window these caves
were constructed at various long stages during 1st to
7th century.5 An 11 feet square pit is situated in these
caves, near to the pit top-bottom open, six pillared
caves are situated. After studying the pillars Dr.
Sankalia has divided these caves in four parts accord-
ing to their construction.
First types of pillars are round shape and in-
scription of design of amala. The second type of pilllars
are square in shape and an octagon in between the
pillars. Its pedestals are square simple and without any
ornamental design.
Third and fourth type pillars are in round
shape. Their pedestals are of various shapes and are
designed with leaves and arch. Four women are in-
scribed on the head of pillars and four lions are carved
on the corners of pillars.6
Caves of Talaja :
There is a group of 30 caves among the hills
of Talala in Bhavnagar district. The biggest cave is
called Ebhal Mandap. It is 75' x 67' feet in area and 17'
in height. There are big figures of Chaitya-window at
the front side of the cave.7 Going to the upper side of
Ebhal Mandap there is a chaitya cave.
Middle part of their stups is broken while
some part of Meddhi is unbroken. This chaitya-cave
seems to be built during kshatrapas era.
Caves of Khambhalida :
Bauddha caves are situated on the bank of
river Bhadar in gondal taluka of Rajkot district. These
caves are inscribed in five different groups. There are
seven caves in first group and three caves in second
group. Left side of middle chaitya cave is inscribed
with padmapani and Avlokiteshavar while Vajrapani
and Buddhisatves and figures of devout group are
carved under the shadow of tree are inscribed on right
side at the faade of the middle cave. It is believed on
the basis of the sculpture style these caves were built
during Buddha era between 3rd and 4th century.8
Caves of Dhank :
Caves are curved in mountain near dhank
village of upaleta taluka of Rajkot district. Idols are
Research PaperHistory
September, 2011
Ancient Caves of Saurashtra
* Ramesh M. Chauhan
Asst. Prof, (History), Anand Arts College, Anand (Gujarat).
R E S E A R C H A N A L Y S I S A N D E V A L U A T I O N
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International Referred Research Journal,September ,2011,ISSN-0975-3486, RNI: RAJBIL 2009/30097, VOL-II *ISSUE 24
inscribed in Alpamutri stone on the rock on the upper
part at the north side of this cave. Idols of Adinath,
Shantinath, Parshvanath, Mahavir, Ambika etc are
inscribed in the caves. These caves are of jain era.
Time of construction of these caves might be called
round the third century.
9
These caves tell us the nature
1. Shastri, Hariprasd - Gujarat No Parchin Itihas, Ahmedabad, 1973, p. 71. 2. Parikh, Shastri - Gujarat no Rajkiya and Sanskrutik Itihas, Bhag-
2, Ahmedabad, 1972, p. 346. 3. Somapura, Kantilal - Bharatiya Sthapatya and Shilpa, Ahmedabad, 1965, P. 74. 4. Mehta, R.K. - Gujarat ne
Malelo Shilpa - Sthapatya no varso, Ahmedabad, 1968, p. 72. 5. Shashtri, Hariprasad, op.cit, p. 72. 6. Somapura, op.cit, p. 76. 7. Ibid, p. 78.
8. Parikh, Shashtri - op.cit, p. 355. 9. Shashtri, Hariprashad, op.cit. p. 73.
R E F E R E N C E
of Bauddhism deeply appealing architecture and sculp-
ture of that time. Intense desire of propagations of
religion and various social aspects of that era. The
architecture is the reflected image of our culture and
it is just like a glorious heritage to us.