Buddhism and the caves of wonder

Kavita Kanan Chandra

The chair lift passenger ropeway makes for a thrilling ride, a thousand feet above ground, taking you to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa at Ratnagiri hills in Rajgir in Bihar. After circumambulation of the stupa, walk towards the Griddhakuta hill (Vulture’s peak), the site of two natural rock-cut caves. This is where Gautam Buddha retreated, stayed and meditated and preached his sermons in the 6th century BCE. Sixty-five km from Gaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment, Rajgir is sacred to the Buddhists.

Archaeological survey, ancient ruins and historical memoirs have shown caves around the world as sites for meditation, shelter, art, burials and worship. In India, among all religions, Buddhism’s eternal fascination with caves manifested into some spectacular rock-cut cave art and architecture. The caves provided splendid isolation for meditation, asceticism and frugal lifestyle for the Buddhist monks.

Bihar

Buddha retreated to the natural caves of Rajgir hills for meditation, thus starting a tradition that continued for over a millennium. The Buddhist texts mentions Indrasala cave where Buddha lived for a while and gave sermons. Embedded in the hills are the seven Saptaparni caves where the first Buddhist council was convened after Buddha’s parinirvana (divine death). It was here that Buddhist sacred Tripitika (earliest teachings of Buddhism) was formulated in Pali language in oral tradition.

It was three centuries later that Buddhism found patronage from Emperor Ashoka and along with stupas, Ashoka edicts and monasteries; artificial rock-cut caves were carved in the hills. Just 24 km from Gaya are the caves of Barabar (322-185 BCE) and Nagarjuni hills in Jehanabad district, considered to be the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India. 

Carved from a monolithic granite hill, the caves show great skills of those times with its lustrous polish on interior stones, carved chambers and huge arches. The Lomas Rishi vave has spectacular lattice work carving and rows of elephants paying homage to the stupa on its arched entrance.  

Andhra Pradesh

The longest cave in India, the limestone Belum caves in Kurnool district is the most famous in Andhra Pradesh. Relics and vessels dating to 4500 BCE indicates the inhabitation of Buddhist monks, who meditated deep down in the labyrinths of the cave.

Several monks fled post the decline of the Mauryan empire and found shelter and patronage from the Satavahanas in Andhra. Several Buddhist rock-cut caves are found near Vishakhapatnam. Several Buddhist caves and sculptures found there indicate that Buddhist monks used them as their residence, athough there are indications of Jain and Hindu presence too. One of the most recent discovery is the Buddhist cave in Dhanamkoda hill in Vijaywada.

Gujarat

Buddhism found patronage from Western Kshatrapas and later Maitraka rulers in Gujarat. Though much is known about Jainism in Gujarat, little is known about Buddhism that flourished during 1st-8th century CE. Hiuen Tsang’s records point to 200 caves in Saurashtra, Vallabhi and Anandpura (Vadnagar).  

Two of the oldest Buddhist caves in Saurashtra were found in Khapra-Kodiya and Baba Pyara. There are many caves around Junagadh and coastal belt. Caves of Sana (Amreli) and Talaja (near Bhavnagar), date 5th century BCE to 2nd century CE, are among the oldest in India. In Kutch are the Siyot caves of Lakhpat village and the limestone Khambalida caves (near Gondal) with the carvings of Bodhisattvas.  

Historians say Buddhism came to Gujarat via sea route through Maharashtra, so most early caves are in coastal Gujarat and in and around Junagadh. Among the oldest is the Khapra Kodiya caves. The roads leading to the secluded caves goes through the unkempt streets of old Junagadh city. Situated on the quiet outskirts, it had also been the site for a horror film shoot, though there is nothing spooky about it. The caves are carved out in an east west longitudinal ridge. The architecture is simple with no images or carvings. There’s a L-shape monk residence and a water tank.

The caves in the Uparkot fort, too, have an advance water tank. The much-frequented caves have three-storeys of cells and carved pillars. As you enter the narrow passage into the cells, you find them well-ventilated with ample sunlight and cool air.

Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

In the popular imagery of forts and havelis in Rajasthan, the various Buddhist caves in the laterite hills of eastern Jhalawar district remain unnoticed by tourists. From plain rock-cut caves of Hathya Gaud and Binayaga to much more elaborate with life size Buddha carvings, stupas and chaitya are the 50 cave complex of Kolvi. With time, most caves crumbled but those intact show skilled carvings. 

The historians ponder whether these cave sites were part of the Buddhist community that lived in Dhamnar (in Madhya Pradesh). One of the sites, Saru-Maru caves in Sehore district, are considered as examples of transition from natural to artificial as rock-cut stairs and benches for monks are seen. Though caves are simple, some engravings of Buddhist symbols of kalasa, triratna and swastika are present. A trekking through the lush green forest of Satpura is required to visit these caves, a delight for nature lovers and those interested in birdwatching.

Maharashtra

Buddhist caves abound in the western ghats. The basalt rocks and the hilly topography was ideal for cave building. The first wave of caves is from 2nd century BCE-4th century CE, belonging to Hinayana Buddhism that included caves of Kanheri, Karla, Bhaja and Bedse. The last three caves have similar architecture with apsidal plan and vaulted roof. Taking a flight of 150 stairs to Karla cave provide spectacular sight of lush green western ghats with series of small waterfalls during monsoon. It is more crowded though; Bhaja and Bedse are less frequented and equally serene and enchanting.

Another set of caves in Junnar look ravishing covered with green foliage and the climb is not steep here, be warned of bees and monkeys and slippery rocks during monsoon. One of the longest and largest it has caves complexes of Lenyandri, Manmodi and Tulja; of which Lenyandri is most frequented by tourist.

From 2nd century CE as Hinayana sect was waning and Mahayana sect was emerging, cave building saw a slump that revived again during 5th century CE-6th century CE. Unlike symbols the most prominent feature in second wave of rock-cut caves were statues of Buddha in various mudras, some even life-size. There were engravings, sculptures, murals and paintings. Ajanta caves in the verdant hills near Aurangabad being a UNESCO heritage site.

Odisha

It was due to the Kalinga War that Ashoka gave state patronage to Buddhism and propagated it worldwide, making it a popular religion in Asia. Not far from Bhubaneshwar in Odisha is Dhauli, the site of the Kalinga War and Ashoka’s remorse thereafter. On way to the summit where a pristine white stupa is now built, the Ashokan edicts engraved on rocks could be seen. Ashoka’s repentance after the war made Dhauli a major centre of Hinayana Buddhism. You could find several small caves made for the sramanas (wandering monks), most popular being the Panch Pandava Gumpha.

 Though Udayagiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri are the most popular Buddhist sites in Odisha, several Buddhist caves are found in Jaipur district of Odisha. Just a decade-old discovery is the cave-site of Langudi and Kayam hills that dates to 1st century BCE-3rd century CE. There are 40 rock-cut caves spread across the hills of Langudi, Vajragiri, Kayama, Deuli, Tarapur, Neulpur, and Kantigadia hills.

The Buddhist bhikshus wandered from village to village spreading the message of compassion and code of ethics and during rains sheltered in secluded caves. Transition from predominant Hinayana sect before 1st century CE to Mahayana sect gaining prominence afterwards, caves were more elaborate, finding patronage from rulers and traders. There were distinct chaityas (prayer halls), viharas (monk residences) and the caves evolved from simple and natural ones to rock-cut architecture with carvings, vaulted roof and embellishment.

With the decline of the Mauryas in 2nd century BCE and the persecution of Buddhists by Brahmin ruler Pushyamitra Sunga, the monks proceeded from east to west and south. The Satavahanas rulers (200 BCE-250 CE) controlled the present-day Andhra Pradesh, Mahrashtra and central India and gave patronage to fleeing monks and grants to build monasteries and cave dwellings.

Karnataka

The sandstone cliff looks radiant along the lake near the small town of Aihole in Karnataka. Once a thriving capital of the Chalukya Kingdom (540-757 CE), it has intricately rock-cut Hinduism and Jain temples in yellowish-red sandstone quartzite hills of Badami. But few know that there are two natural caves attributed to Buddhism that supposedly existed before all the artificial caves. One of the caves has some Buddhist carvings that has eroded to an extent, but Buddhists figure out the ashta-mahabhayas (the representation of eight great fears that people suffer in the world). In the rugged hills with a small entrance, is another Buddhist Kostaraya cave that is ignored by the visitors. One must crawl to enter but light streaming in its spacious interior reveal a life size statue of seated Buddha.