Rajgir Swarn Bhandar Jain cave temple- Bihar

Address

Rajgir Swarn Bhandar Jain cave temple, Rajgir, Bihar 803116

Diety

Trithankaras

Introduction

The Son Bhandar caves, also know as Sonebhandar, are two artificial caves located in Rajgir in the state of Bihar in India. They belonged to the Jains. The caves are generally dated to the 3rd or 4th century CE, based on the dedicatory inscription found in the largest cave which uses Gupta script of the 4th century CE, although some authors have suggested the caves could actually go back to the period of the Maurya empire from 319 to 180 BCE. The main cave is rectangular with a pointed ceiling, and the entrance is trapezoidal, reminiscent of the structure of the Barabar Caves (the first artificial caves of India, dated the 3rd century BCE).

Puranic Significance

The cave dates were built during rule of Maurya empire during 319 to 180 BCE. The Chaumukha (quadruple) idol discovered inside the cave has a domical top and the steal on each side shows a dharmachakra. Each side has carvings of animal representing the symbol of respective tirthankar – Ajitnatha with two elephants flank the wheel, Sambhavanatha with two monkeys, Shantinatha, with two deers and Rishabhanatha with chawri bearer on each side and flying garland-bearer over the head. This idol dates back to 7th—8th century CE. The second cave, adjacent to the main cave, is largely destroyed, but it has some beautiful Jains reliefs. This cave dates back to the 3rd and 4th century AD. The relief sculpture includes carving of Mahavira in the cave wall. An inscription in the rock at the entrance of the cave in Gupta characters of the 4th century of our era mentions the construction of the cellar by a Jain Muni (“wise man”) named Vairadeva. This inscription naturally led to date the cave to the same period of the 4th century CE. The Son Bhandar caves are two rock cut caves that are located at the foot of the Vaibhar Hills. The caves were hollowed in the cliff of the hill during the 3rd and 4th century AD. Inscriptions found inside one of the caves narrates that the caves were constructed by the Jain saint Muni Vairadevi as an abode for the Jain ascetics during that time. It is also said that there was either an installation of Lord Vishnu, or there was a plan to install the idol in the cave. The said idol that was found at the entrance of cave is currently in a museum in Nalanda. The idol appears to be incomplete and uninstalled which throws hints that, the caves were used for the worship of Lord Vishnu.