Pune Vrudeshwar Cave Mandir – Maharashtra

Address

Pune Vrudeshwar Cave Mandir – Maharashtra

Pandav Nagar, Wadarvadi, Pune,

Maharashtra 411016, India

Moolavar

Shiva

Introduction

Vrudeshwar Cave Mandir is located just 550m east of Senapati Bapat (SB) Road on the north-east facing slopes of Hanuman Tekdi Hill, Vrudeshwar Cave Mandir (also known as Vriddheshwar and Vriddheshvar) could equally lay a claim to being the oldest heritage site in Pune, but the lack of any research into the site renders it a bit of a mystery. It also lies in utter obscurity, unknown even too many of the neighboring community.

Puranic Significance

Locals living next to the caves claim they were made by the Pandavas, and the area around them is still known today as Pandav Nagar. Vrudeshwar Cave Mandir consists of two living temples cut into the rock-face of Hanuman Tekdi Hill, with a number of other excavations dotted around the vicinity, and a modern temple set in the middle of the paved courtyard in front. The site is almost swallowed up by Pune’s unceasing encroachment; thankfully the steep slopes of the hill have prevented the worst from happening here. The main temple is a large rock-cut vihara measuring approx 6m square and 2.5m high. The entrance as it appears today is a later alteration, with the use of stone blocks butting up against what appears to have been a wider entrance cut into the cliff face, or one that perhaps collapsed at some point. There is an inscription, oddly placed on the stone threshold at the base of the entrance. The placement of this inscription suggests to me that it was probably not part of the original construction process. Enshrined within are idols of Vitthal-Rukmini and Ganesh, with the Vriddheshwar Mahadev Pindi in front flanked by brass tridents. Dating when this excavation occurred is almost impossible with no legible inscription or any other details within the cave itself to give us clues (e.g. any remains of a stupa on the floor or ceiling, benches, carvings, etc).