Siyot Buddhist Cave temple, Gujarat

Address

Siyot Buddhist Cave temple Siyot village, Lakpat Taluka, Kutch district, Gujarat

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

The Siyot Caves, sometimes referred to as the Kateshwar Buddhist Caves, are five rock-cut caves located near Siyot village in the Lakpat Taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat, India. At a distance of 110 km from Great Rann of Kutch and 148 km from Bhuj, Siyot caves are the ancient rock cut dedicated to Buddha.

Puranic Significance

Dated around the first century AD, the Siyot Caves are a group of five rock-cut caves temple. The main cave has east facing sanctum, ambulatory and space divisions which suggests a Shiva temple from the first or second century. The cave was used by Buddhists later which can be concluded based on the seals found herein and the traces of Brahmi inscriptions. Other caves are simple single cells. The folklores suggest that Siyot Caves were among the 80 monastic sites reported by the travellers from China during the 7th century at the mouth of the Indus River. The sculptures here are the center destroyed due to nature. The excavation in 1988-89 recovered clay seals engraved with Buddha images in various mudras and seals engraved with late Brahmi and Devnagari inscriptions. Other findings were copper rings, Gadhaiya coins, terracotta Nandi with bell and chain, different types of earthen wares like Surahi. The site was repaired after 2001 Gujarat earthquake. There is a primitive step well located nearby Kateshwar Mahadev Temple.