Panhalekaji caves

Panhalekaji caves

Panhalekaji Caves are located in a small village in Konkan region of Maharashtra and are a collection of twenty-nine Buddhist and Hindu caves. It's a protected monument but it's not at all well developed. Absence of tourists has ensured that the place is still not commercialized and relatively quite clean.

These famous rock-cut caves are situated on the bank of the river Kotjai which further meets the Dabhol creek. These historical manmade caves are believed to be more than 1000 years old and are the great examples of ancient cultural and architecture. There are a total 29 rock cut-caves, both big and small spread along the river bank. You can find Buddhist as well as Hindu religious rock hewn sculptures similar to Anjantha caves. There are sculptures of Ganesh, Saraswati and scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana on the walls.

The carvings in these rock-cut caves create a unique blend of history of that period and natural beauty. It may take couple of hours to see all these caves in detail. One can also relax in the shadow of Mango trees, enjoy a refreshing swim in the river or simply stop and admire the outstanding scenery that this area has to offer. You can also take a walk along the river bank to enjoy the flora and fauna on both sides. Jungle covered mountains lie on both sides of the river. There is also a fort called "Pranaldurg" at top of the mountain. Every visitor feels in harmony with the nature, which breathtakingly unfolds around the river. In this remote area you can see variety of birds flying around and you may also get chance to spot Asian river otters.

Discovered in 1970 Panhalekaji is a complex of 28 - 29 caves filled with exquisite art value wrt architecture and quality of craftmanship. These budhist caves have a few inscriptions in Brahmi and Devanagari and also remnants of statues from 3 AD. Panhalekaji is about 35 Kms from Dapoli and the drive will take just over hour from Dapoli but well worth it.

Local Transport

MSRTC buses, Autorickshaws are available from Dapoli to Panhalekaji. Private vehicles are available on hire to expedite nearby attractions.

How to reach

Nearest railway station is Khed with 40 km from Dapoli. Dapoli is well connected by buses from Mumbai and Pune.

Distance

20 km from Dapoli, 240 km from Mumbai, 190 km from Pune, 240 km from Kolhapure.

                                        BADAMI CAVES

The Badami cave temples are man-made, all carved out of soft Badami sandstone on a hill cliff. The plan of each of the four caves includes an entrance with a verandah (mukha mandapa) supported by stone columns and brackets, a distinctive feature of these caves, leading to a columned mandapa, or main hall (also maha mandapa), and then to the small, square shrine (sanctum sanctorum,garbhaghrha) cut deep inside the cave. The cave temples are linked by a stepped path with intermediate terraces overlooking the town and lake. The cave temples are labelled 1 to 4 in their ascending series; this numbering does not reflect the sequence of excavation.

The architecture includes structures built in the Nagara and Dravidian styles, which is the first and most persistent architectural idiom to be adopted by the early chalukyas. There is also a fifth natural cave temple in Badami, a Buddhist temple, a natural cave that can only be entered by crouching on all fours.

The Badami Chalukya architecture was a temple building idiom that evolved in the 5th – 8th centuries in the Malaprabha river basin, in present-day Bagalkot district of Karnataka state. This style is sometimes called the Vesara style and Chalukya style. Their earliest temples date back to around 450 A.D. in Aihole when the Badami Chalukyas were vassals of the Kadambas of Banavasi. According to historian K.V. Sounder Rajan, the Badami Chalukyas contribution to temple building matched their valor and their achievements in battle

Cave 1

It is the oldest of the four caves of Badami. It was carved in 578 AD made of red sandstone. A flight of steps leads to the hall of pillars, behind which is the square shaped sanctum. The cave is beautifully designed with the painting and carved work that leaves the tourists spell binded. Apart from the walls the ceilings provides the ultimate example of the finest art work of that period. Another main attraction of the ceilings are the Nataraja panel and the carved panels. The ceiling also has the collection of paintings of Shiva and Parvati. 

Cave 2

In this cave you will find Lord Vishnu in different forms and shapes. In one of the images Lord Vishnu is shown as Trivikrama. The artists try to portrays Vishnu with one foot conquering the earth and the other covering the sky. There is one more very beautiful image of Vishnu which displays him as Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu. But the most striking feature of the cave is the form Lord Vishnu, riding the Garuda and the lotus is encircled by the sixteen fishes. 

Cave 3

This is the most interesting cave among the four caves of Badami. The cave contains the wonderful sculptures and paintings of the Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. This beautiful large cave is approximately 70 feet wide. You may find here the images of Trivikrama, Shankaranarayana, Bhuvaraha, Anantasayana, Harihara. It is only cave which contains inscriptions dating back from 578 AD. 

Cave 4

It is the only Jain cave among the other four Badami caves. The cave was completed around 100 years later when the other three caves were completed. The main attractions of the cave include image of Lord Mahavira, image of Lord Parsvanath (with the serpent in his feet), images of Padmavathi and Tirthankaras.

The Badami cave temples are open to tourists till 6 p.m. It is located 30 km from Bagalkot and 589 km from Bangalore. The nearest airport is Belgaum about 150 kilometers away from the town.

Excursion from Badami Caves :

There are many sightseeing places around the Badami caves. You can make a visit to the famous historic village of Pattadakal, which lies at the distance of 20 km from Badami. The village has many picturesque temples dating back to the 6th and 7th century AD. Than You can also make a visit to the Mahakuta temple a and Naganath temple, 10 kms from Badami.

Archaeological museum housing sculptures of the Chalukyan Empire of Badami, and of nearby towns of Aihole and Pattadakal.

Temples dedicated to Shiva, known as Shivalayas constructed in 7th Century, of which Malegitti-Shivalaya is perhaps the oldest temple and also the finest in Badami.

The 11th century Mallikarjuna temple, which is uniquely built on the star shaped base.

Temples dedicated to Dattatreya, Banashankari and Bhutanatha which dates back to 5th century.

Panoramic points on top of the North Fort, which gives a bird’s eye view of Badami.

Badami’s stone cliffs attract not only local but also international climbers. The stone cliff is a great location for free rock climbing and bouldering.