Thanale Buddhist Caves, Maharashtra

Address

Thanale Buddhist Caves, Thanale Caves, Ghera Sudhagad, Maharashtra 410205

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

Thanale Buddhist Caves or Nadsur Caves is a group of 23 Buddhist Caves located 72km to the southeast of Mumbai, in western Maharashtra, India, at Thanale Village, Taluka Sudhagad in Raigad, 18 km from Pali. These caves belong to first century B.C. It has two Chaityas, two Stupas and the rest are Viharas. It is a complex of caves where 23 Buddhist caves together form Thanale Caves. The Thanale Caves is considered as the first caves to be excavated not only in Maharashtra but also in India

Puranic Significance

According to the scriptures present on the walls of these caves, the date of excavation might be between 70 and 50 BC. Therefore, this site is considered as the most ancient site for the Buddhist pilgrimage. The combination of 23 caves and being interconnected to each other makes the architecture style of the Thanale Caves even more interesting. Each cave has been numbered according to the Archaeology Department of the state and each cave holds an important relic within the cave. Some cave and stupa are in destroyed due to weather changes. Therefore it is being preserved by the state government even after most of these scriptures and relics have disappeared over the years. The cave no. 7 is the most famous cave amongst the 23 caves as it has been decorated with Buddhist scriptures and relics inside and outside the cave. The walls of this cave are covered with carvings telling several stories of the Buddhist religion. The rock-cut caves on a mountain makes the presence of the cave even more powerful as it is located in an isolated area a provides a calm environment to the people visiting these caves.