Kanheri Caves - Part 12
This is the twelfth article in my series on the Kanheri Caves. In my earlier installments, I provided detailed descriptions of Cave No. 1 and Cave No. 2, and in the ninth installment, I began exploring Cave No. 3.
As mentioned earlier, Cave No. 3, also known as the Chaitya Cave, faces west and is located north of Cave No. 2. It is the most frequently visited and extensively documented cave in the Kanheri group. This Chaitya Cave stands out as the largest and most architecturally refined structure at Kanheri, bearing a strong resemblance in style and layout to the renowned Karla Caves.
The cave opens to the west into a spacious courtyard, accessed through a gateway flanked by two low parapet walls. These walls feature intricate carvings, including an animal frieze at the base and an ornamental rail pattern above. At the inner ends of the parapet walls, two imposing Dwarapalas (door guardians) stand, while a striking sculpture of a Naga is prominently positioned at the southern end of the wall. These entrance features were detailed in Article 9.
Beyond the entrance, the cave has a well-crafted forecourt leading to a rectangular verandah and an apsidal Chaitya at the rear. Two massive pillars, emerging from the side walls, define the entrance to the verandah. The details of these pillars and their sculptures were covered in Article 10. Inside the rectangular verandah, two towering Buddha sculptures, each 7 meters high, dominate the north- and south-facing walls. These monumental figures, along with the adjoining carvings, were thoroughly discussed in Article 11.
Now, in Article 12, we will explore the four pairs of large donor couple sculptures on the west-facing wall, along with numerous Buddha sculptures and a few additional carvings on the east-facing wall.
The Sculptures of Donor Couples - Introduction
The Chaitya has three entrances, with four pairs of donor couples positioned on either side of the central entrance. These figures are large in scale, suggesting their significance. An inscription on the entrance pillars mentions two brothers, Gajasena and Gajamitra, along with their wives. It is likely that one set of these donor figures represents these families.
While the large Buddha images belong to the Mahayana period (5th or 6th century CE), the four donor couples are considered to be from the Hinayana phase (2nd century CE). These figures were part of the original sculptural scheme and belong to the same period as the cave's execution. However, an intriguing question arises: the inscription mentions only two brothers, which implies that there were just two donor families, each consisting of a husband and wife. Yet, the sculptural panels depict four donor couples, raising the possibility that each brother was assigned a separate panel. If so, does this mean that their families extended beyond just the couples, potentially including a younger brother and his wife?
Northern Donor Couples
Let us begin by examining the two pairs of donor couples on the northern side of the entrance, which is to the true left of the viewer. These finely sculpted figures showcase intricate detailing in attire, ornaments, posture, and expressions, reflecting the artistic mastery of the period.
Each pair consists of a male and female donor, standing close together with dignified expressions and gestures.
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Male Donors
The north-side male figure stands in the samapada-sthana posture (feet placed evenly), exuding balance and composure. The other male figure stands in dvibhanga (double-bend posture), with his right leg bearing weight and the left leg slightly bent at the knee, creating a subtle asymmetry. Their robust physiques, broad shoulders, and well-defined musculature reflect the idealized masculine form in Indian sculpture.
They wear a lower garment (antariya) tied with a mekhala (waistband), draped in a style typical of early Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. The garment is tied at the waist with a knotted sash, and its pleats fall in a naturalistic manner. No upper garment (uttariya) is present.
The headdress of north-side male features an elaborate turban-like headdress with a knotted design in the middle, which can be easily mistaken for a karanda-mukuta, with cascading embellishments on either side. The other side male figure wears a beautifully detailed turban-like headdress with a knotted design on the right side, typical of elite or royal representations in early Buddhist and Jain art.
Both of them are adorned with large kundalas (earrings), keyura (armlets), kankanas (bracelets), and necklaces. Both male figures hold a lotus stalk in their right hands, a symbol of purity and devotion.
The male figure on the northern end rests his left hand on his waist, while the southern male figure’s left arm hangs down. The southern male donor appears slightly heavier, though both figures are nearly of the same height.
Female Donors
The south-side female figure stands in the samapada-sthana posture (feet placed evenly), exuding balance and composure. The other female figure stands in dvibhanga (double-bend posture), with her right leg bearing weight and the left leg slightly bent. Their slender waists, rounded torsos, and well-proportioned bodies conform to classical ideals of feminine beauty in Indian sculpture.
They wear a diaphanous antariya, clinging closely to the body and secured with an ornate mekhala at the waist. Like the male figures, no uttariya (upper garment) is present, leaving the upper torso bare, consistent with early sculptural conventions. They are adorned with patra-kundalas (leaf-shaped earrings), multiple strands of hāra (necklaces), valayas (bangles), keyuras (armlets), and nupura (anklets).
The female figure on the southern end is slightly heavier than the other. She holds a lotus bud in her lowered right hand, directing it toward the ground, while her left arm rests on her husband’s waist. The other female donor holds a lotus bud in her raised right hand, with her left arm elegantly resting on her waist.
Architectural Framing
The sculptural panel is set within a rectangular niche, bordered by two half-pillars (ardha-stambhas) on either side. The shafts of the pilasters are cylindrical with subtle tapering, creating a sense of proportional balance. The base of the pilasters is relatively simple, with minimal molding. The shaft is plain, with no intricate carvings, keeping the focus on the capital. At the top of the capitals of each pilaster, there are two tiny stylishly seated lions are found.
The top border of the niche features a vedika (rail pattern) and a band of geometric motifs, enhancing the visual composition of the relief.
Southern Donor Couples
Now, let us move ahead and start examining the two pairs of donor couples in the niche on the southern side of the entrance, which is to the true right of the viewer.
Each pair consists of a male and female donor, standing close together with dignified expressions and gestures.
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Male Donors
The south-side male figure stands in the samapada-sthana posture (feet placed evenly), exuding balance and composure. The other male figure stands in dvibhanga (double-bend posture), with his right leg bearing weight and the left leg slightly bent. His head is also slightly tilted towards his true right side.
They wear a lower garment (antariya) tied with a mekhala (waistband), draped in a style typical of early Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. The garment is tied at the waist with a knotted sash, and its pleats fall in a naturalistic manner. No upper garment (uttariya) is present.
The headdress features an elaborate turban-like headdress with a knotted design in the middle, which can be easily mistaken for a karanda-mukuta, with cascading embellishments on either side. It is a common feature for both the males.
Both of them are adorned with large kundalas (earrings), keyura (armlets), kankanas (bracelets), and necklaces. Both male figures hold a lotus stalk in their right hands.
Both male figures have their left arms resting around the shoulders of their respective female companions. The torso and right arms are completely eroded in the case of the statue of northern male figure.
Female Donors
The south-side female figure stands in the samapada-sthana posture (feet placed evenly), exuding balance and composure. The other female figure stands in dvibhanga (double-bend posture), with her right leg bearing weight and the left leg elegantly bent. Their slender waists, rounded torsos, and well-proportioned bodies conform to classical ideals of feminine beauty in Indian sculpture.
They wear a diaphanous antariya, clinging closely to the body and secured with an ornate mekhala at the waist. Like the male figures, no uttariya (upper garment) is present, leaving the upper torso bare, consistent with early sculptural conventions. They are adorned with patra-kundalas (leaf-shaped earrings), multiple strands of hāra (necklaces), valayas (bangles), keyuras (armlets), and nupura (anklets).
Both female figures have their right arms placed around the backs of their respective male companions. The female on the south rests her left arm on her waist, while the other females hangs her left arm down facing the ground. The upper part of northern female including her face is eroded.
Architectural Framing
The sculptural panel is set within a rectangular niche, bordered by two half-pillars (ardha-stambhas) on either side. The shafts of the pilasters are cylindrical with subtle tapering, creating a sense of proportional balance. The base of the pilasters is relatively simple, with minimal molding. The shaft is plain, with no intricate carvings, keeping the focus on the capital. At the top of the capitals of each pilaster, there are two tiny stylishly seated lions are found.
The top border of the niche features a vedika (rail pattern) and a band of geometric motifs, enhancing the visual composition of the relief.
Buddhas in Various Poses
Apart from the two panels featuring large sculptures of donor couples, several niche images are spread across the site, predominantly on the west-facing wall, with only a few on the east-facing wall. Let us examine them in detail.
Adjacent to the large south-facing Buddha panel, on the east-facing wall at the southwest corner, there is a depiction of Buddha standing in a frontal posture. He holds one arm in Varada Mudra (boon-giving gesture) while the other hand grasps a lotus stalk. His elongated earlobes, a common trait in Buddhist art, complement his serene facial expression. The intricate carving details include the delicate folds of his robe and the texture of his hair, which is arranged in the characteristic topknot (ushnisha).
A similar image of Buddha appears on the east-facing wall, next to the large south-facing Buddha panel. Both figures can be identified as Padmapani Avalokiteshvara.
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Now, shifting our focus to the west-facing wall—on the viewer’s left side, toward the northern end—there is a small panel of Padmapani Avalokiteshvara to the true right of the first small entrance of the Chaitya. This image bears a resemblance to the depiction found on the east-facing wall.
Above this, another panel features Buddha seated in Vajrasana (full-lotus or double-lotus posture), with his feet crossed and each resting on the opposite thigh, soles facing upward. His hands are held at chest level in the Vitarka Mudra, symbolizing teaching or reasoning.
Further above, a standing figure of either Buddha or a Bodhisattva appears, adorned with a small crown. He holds a long lotus stalk in his left hand, while his right hand is raised in Abhaya Mudra (gesture of reassurance and fearlessness).
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The north-facing door jamb of this entrance also features an image of Padmapani Avalokiteshvara.
Above the entrance, a small panel depicts Buddha seated on a throne, with his legs hanging down and his hands positioned in Vyakhana Mudra—a gesture where the thumb and index finger meet, while the other fingers extend outward with the palm facing the viewer. Two attendants holding chauris flank him.
Above this, a horizontal layer extends toward the middle entrance, containing eight Buddha figures—four on either side of two central kalasas. Among them, two Buddhas are seated on thrones with their legs hanging down, hands in Vyakhana Mudra. The remaining six are seated in Vajrasana, hands held at chest level in Vitarka Mudra. However, the last figure in this sequence has eroded completely.
Higher up, two more images appear—one depicting Buddha as Padmapani Avalokiteshvara, and the other portraying him seated in Vajrasana.
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Above the large southern donor couple panels, seven Buddha images are arranged in various postures: Buddha seated on a throne, Buddha in Vajrasana, a standing Buddha in Abhaya Mudra, a slightly larger Buddha seated on a throne, another depiction of Padmapani Avalokiteshvara, yet another Buddha in Vajrasana, and a final slightly larger Buddha seated on a throne.
Above the third entrance at the southern end, two Buddhas are seated in Vajrasana. To the true left of this entrance, three depictions of Padmapani Avalokiteshvara are positioned one above the other.
Thus, there are totally 29 images of Buddhas on these two walls - 9 Padmapani Avalokiteshvara, 5 Buddhas seated on throne, 13 Buddha seated in Vajrasana and 2 Buddhas in the standing posture with Abhaya mudra.
Happy travelling.
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