Kanheri Caves - Part 18
This is the 18th article in my series on the Kanheri Caves. In the earlier parts, I explored the architectural layout and sculptural grandeur of Cave No. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and in the previous article, I covered Cave No. 5, which is not a cave in the usual sense but consists mainly of two water cisterns, damaged Buddha niches and an important inscription connected with the Satavahanas and the Western Kshatrapas.
In this part, I continue from where I left. After covering Cave No. 5, if one continues walking further along the heritage trail, the next set of caves that comes into focus includes Cave No. 73, Cave No. 72, Cave No. 71, Cave No. 70 and Cave No. 6. The numbering may look confusing at first, because Cave No. 73 appears very close to the early group of caves near Cave No. 4, while Cave No. 6 is also located in this same broad stretch of the trail. But this is one of the peculiarities of Kanheri. The cave numbers do not always follow a simple walking order. They are primarily based on the order in which the caves were recorded earlier.
After Cave No. 5, the route passes through the lower stretch near the ravine and then moves through a cluster of caves distributed along the rocky slope. Some of these caves stand just above the ravine on the southern side, while some are associated more with cisterns and functional water management than with elaborate monastic spaces.
.jpg)
Let me begin with Cave No. 73. It is believed to belong probably to the earliest series of excavations at Kanheri.
This early character is suggested by several architectural features. The cave has stone benches and beds, grated windows, plain octagonal pillars, pilaster ornaments, and parapet walls in front of the verandah carved with the rail pattern. These are features that point to an early phase of rock-cut architecture at the site.
The inscription in Cave No. 73 is found on the inner wall of the verandah, over and between two grated windows. A short line is also found over one of the windows. The script is Brahmi, dated around 200 CE, and the language is Prakrit. The letters are deeply cut on a rough surface. The inscription also has a punctuation mark consisting of two vertical lines to indicate the end of a sentence.
The inscription records that a cave and a cistern were the meritorious gifts of the merchant Risipala or Isipala, son of the merchant Golanaka, an inhabitant of Kalyan. The gift was made along with his family and in honour of his parents. It also records a perpetual endowment. A field in the village of Saphau was donated, and from its produce, one twelfth share was to be given to the ascetics who stayed during the four months of the rainy season. This was meant for clothing during the hot season. In addition, one Karshapana was to be given every month, and the remaining amount was to be used for minor repairs to the mandapa and pavada.
The village Saphau has been identified with modern Saphale near Virar. The inscription does not mention the measurement of the field. Still, the details preserved in the record are very valuable. It tells us about a merchant from Kalyan, his family, his parents, a cave, a cistern, a fixed endowment, a village field, monastic residence during the rainy season, clothing for monks, monthly payments, and maintenance of architectural parts.
The inscription is also important because it uses the architectural terms mandapa and pavada. It is interesting that the inscription itself is written in the porch area and just above the two grated windows, which may correspond to the architectural terms mentioned in the record. Thus, Cave No. 73 is not merely another cave with a water cistern. It is a valuable record of how Buddhist establishments at Kanheri were supported through donations, endowments and maintenance arrangements.
After Cave No. 73, I move to Cave No. 72. Its position is important because it belongs to the same early range of caves above the ravine.
The cave has a simple rock-cut frontage with a shallow verandah-like space in front. A few rough steps lead to the entrance. In the front wall, there is a doorway at the centre, now protected by a metal gate, and a rectangular window-like opening on the viewer’s left. On the viewer’s right, another opening is also covered with a protective grill. The façade is plain and weathered, with no elaborate sculptural decoration visible on the exterior.
Most of the caves at Kanheri face north, but a few face south, and Cave No. 72 is one among the south-facing caves.
Next comes Cave No. 71. The frontage is simple but more articulated than Cave No. 72. It has a shallow verandah supported by two plain pillars in front. A doorway, now protected by a metal gate, leads into the inner chamber. On either side of the entrance are recessed spaces or side chambers, giving the façade a balanced arrangement.
On one of the pillars, a simple but clear rail-pattern motif is visible. This is worth noting, because the older descriptions of this early group specifically mention parapet walls and decorative elements carved with rail patterns. The motif seen here appears to continue that early architectural vocabulary. It is not elaborate, but it connects the cave visually with the older Buddhist decorative tradition where wooden railings were imitated in stone.
Another important visible feature is the water cistern or water storage arrangement near the cave. A metal grill covers the opening, indicating that the rock-cut cavity below is now protected. This again reminds us that the caves of Kanheri were not only places of worship or residence. Water management was a crucial part of the monastic landscape, and several caves in this stretch are closely associated with cisterns.
Cave No. 70 comes next. . From its present appearance, it is one of the more developed excavations in this stretch.
The cave has a long rock-cut frontage with a verandah running across it. A flight of steps leads up to the verandah, and the entrance arrangement is supported by a series of plain pillars. These pillars are simple and functional, without the elaborate sculptural richness that one sees in the grand Chaitya or in later Mahayana panels. Still, they give the façade a clear architectural rhythm.
The central doorway, now protected by a metal gate, leads into the main chamber. On either side of the entrance are window-like openings, also protected now. The façade is plain and heavily weathered, but the overall layout suggests a vihara-like excavation rather than a mere cell. The verandah would have acted as a transitional space between the outer path and the inner chamber.
One of the most important visible details is the decoration on the pillar. A rail-pattern motif can be seen carved on the pillar face.
After covering Cave Nos. 73, 72, 71 and 70, I now move to Cave No. 6 in this walking sequence. Cave No. 6, like Cave No. 5, is not a cave in the elaborate architectural sense. It is associated with water cisterns. In fact, some sources treat Cave Nos. 5 and 6 together as water cisterns with an inscription. They record both Cave No. 5 and Cave No. 6 were donated by a minister named Sateraka. The inscription reads: “Amatasya Saterakasya Paniya Bhajanam Deyadham.” This means that the water cistern was the meritorious gift of the minister Sateraka.
Cave No. 6 represents the practical and religious importance of water management at Kanheri. A water cistern may look less impressive than a sculpted cave, but in a monastic settlement carved into a hill, water was essential. The ability to store rainwater would have supported monks, pilgrims and visitors, especially during the long occupation of the site. Thus, even a cistern becomes a sacred donation when recorded as a meritorious gift.
Kanheri is not only about grand Chaityas and colossal Buddha images. It is also about small caves, cisterns, benches, endowments, worn inscriptions and walking routes. The more one follows the trail, the more one realizes that every numbered cave, even when modest, has something to contribute to the story of the site.
In the next part, I will continue moving further through the Kanheri trail and document the next set of caves in this sequence.
Happy travelling.
Bibliography - "Kanheri Inscriptions" by Shobhana Gokhale
This is Part 18 of the series of articles on Kanheri Caves. If you are interested to read the earlier parts of the series, click the links below.
.JPG)
Comments
Post a Comment