Kanheri Caves /कान्हेरी गुहा, Mumbai, Maharashtra State /महाराष्ट्र, India. Part – 2, Cave Nos 11 and 34.

The visit to Kanheri Rock Cut Cave Nos. 11 and 34, of Mumbai, was part of “Rock Cut Cave Temples of Maharashtra Visit”, from 28th Feb February to 3rd March 2026.

The largest and one of the earliest Buddhist cave complexes in India is located at Kanheri, which lies on the eastern side of Borivali in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai. The name Kanheri has been derived from Kanhagiri in Prakrit, as mentioned in the Nasik inscription of Satvahana king Vashathiputra Pulumavi. In Sanskrit, it is known as Krishnagiri, meaning dark Hills like the colour of Krishna. Kanheri was frequently mentioned in the travelogues of foreign travellers. It is a unique Buddhist monastic establishment which sheds light on different phases of the development of cave architecture from the 2nd century CE to the 11th  century CE. The various Buddhist sects were coeval and flourished at Kanheri, like the Mahasamghikas, Chetiyas, and Parasellyas. Bhadravaniya. Dharmottariyas, Saddharmapundarika sect in Vajrayana Buddhism. The site reflects a beautiful blend of art and architecture of the Hinayana and Mahayana sects of Buddhism, with enormous epigraphical data of their respective contemporary period.

There are more than 110 caves, hewed out of volcanic breccia (rock composed of broken fragments of minerals), considered as a single rock. These caves spread over half a kilometre in length, hewn on different terrace on either side of a seasonal rivulet. These caves are of two types: chaitya and viharas. The chaitya consists of a sanctum, verandah and outer courtyard approached through a flight of steps with flanking water cisterns on either side. The water cisterns are chiselled in the rock, so that the direct rainwater is channelled into these cisterns. This gives evidence of an ancient rainwater harvesting system. The viharas are architecturally monotypic but variable in size with one or multiple cells, a verandah with two or more pillars in front, and an open courtyard with rock-cut benches along the walls.  

The cave numbers 3, 11, 34, 41, 67, 87 and 90 are most important and are incepted eloquently with pillars, grilled walls and images. In the early Hinayana caves, Buddha is symbolised in the form of a stupa, a bodhi tree and footprints, while in the later caves of the Mahayana period, Buddha is displayed in different postures like the dharmachakrapravartana mudra, vyakhyanmudra, varada mudras, etc. The other important images carved in the caves are Avalokiteshvara, Dipankara Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Muchalinda Naga, etc. An excellent example of the only sculpture in India of the eleven-headed Avalokiteshvara, excavated outside cave number 41.

There are more than 100 inscriptions in the caves revealing the names of donors and patrons of the caves, which show monks. Goldsmiths, traders and many political and administrative officials had given donations to caves, cisterns, tanks, staircases, benches, niches, pillars, paths and walls at Kanheri. The Shaka inscriptions indicate the Scy thian or Shaka rule over Mumbai and its coastal regions. An inscription near cave 41 records that Punnaka from Sopara has constructed a dam with two walls to block the rainwater from getting wasted.

CAVE No. 11

This cave is hewn for a Darbar/monastery/ vihara, and one of the largest monasteries (vihara) of Kanheri Caves, where Buddhist monks meet. With a veranda supported by eight square/octagonal pillars. The Hall contains 12 cells in total, 9 on the back wall and 3 on the left wall. The interior hewed like a large hall and could accommodate nearly 500 monks, but with only two stone platforms running lengthwise, to accommodate almost 100 monks.

On the right image is Padmapani

CAVE No. 11, INSCRIPTION

A Brahmi inscription engraved over the right cistern records that during the reign of the Shilahara king Kapardin II (850-880 CE), Gomin Avighnakara, a great devotee of Buddha (Sugata) from Gauda (present Bengal), gave a permanent endowment (akshaynivi) of a hundred dramas for the excavation of a meditation chamber and for the clothes of bhikshus staying at the 'Moharaja Mahaviha. Krishsepti (Kanheri). Tha inscription preserves the most important piece of history as it mentions the name of Slillahara Tullashakti, whom Kapardin II succeeded. The epigraph also throws light on the economic activities of "i.e., Buddhist monasteries.

Cave 34

This cave is located on the southern face of a hillock, comprising a shrine, vestibule, square maridapa, a pillared verandah, an open forecourt and a water cistern on the right. The shrine has a plain doorway, flanked by large standing figures of Buddha in varada-mudra, and two more figures of Buddha are carved in the side walls of the vestibule. A flight of steps with side balustrades arranged to access the verandah, which has two rock-cut benches with recesses on either side.

 

Of all the caves of Kanheri, this is the only cave where traces of paintings in the ceiling of the vestibule depicting the outline of Buddha belong to the phase of the post-Vakataka era.

LOCATION OF KANHERI CAVES: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Kanheri Caves /कान्हेरी गुहा, Mumbai, Maharashtra State /महाराष्ट्र, India. Part – 1, Cave Nos. 2, 3 and 4.

The visit to Kanheri Rock Cut Cave Nos 2, 3 and 4, of Mumbai was part of “Rock Cut Cave Temples of Maharashtra State Visit”, from 28th Feb February to 3rd March 2026.

In the year 1793, British painters

THOMAS DANIELL AND WILLIAM DANIELL,

visited Kanheri caves to sketch and paint the caves

in their raw splendour, including this particular location.

- Here, that moment is painted and immortalised by the eminent 

Artist Shri.VASUDEO KAΜΑΤΗ

The largest and one of the earliest Buddhist cave complexes in India is located at Kanheri, which lies on the eastern side of Borivali in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai. The name Kanheri has been derived from Kanhagiri in Prakrit, as mentioned in the Nasik inscription of Satvahana king Vashathiputra Pulumavi. In Sanskrit, it is known as Krishnagiri, meaning dark Hills like the colour of Krishna. Kanheri was frequently mentioned in the travelogues of foreign travellers. It is a unique Buddhist monastic establishment which sheds light on different phases of the development of cave architecture from the 2^nd century CE to the 11^th  century CE. The various Buddhist sects were coeval and flourished at Kanheri, like the Mahasamghikas, Chaityas, and Parasellyas. Bhadravaniya. Dharmottariyas, Saddharmapundarika sect in Vajrayana Buddhism. The site reflects a beautiful blend of art and architecture of the Hinayana and Mahayana sects of Buddhism, with enormous epigraphical data of their respective contemporary period.

There are more than 110 caves, hewed out of volcanic breccia (rock composed of broken fragments of minerals), considered as a single rock. These caves spread over half a kilometre in length, hewn on different terrace on either side of a seasonal rivulet. These caves are of two types, chaitya and viharas. The chaitya consists of a sanctum, verandah and outer courtyard approached through a flight of steps with flanking water cisterns on either side. The water cisterns are chiselled in the rock, so that the direct rainwater is channelled into these cisterns. This gives evidence of an ancient rainwater harvesting system. The viharas are architecturally monotypic but variable in size with one or multiple cells, a verandah with two or more pillars in front, and an open courtyard with rock-cut benches along the walls.  

The cave numbers 3, 11, 34, 41, 67, 87 and 90 are most important and are incepted eloquently with pillars, grilled walls and images. In the early Hinayana caves, Buddha is symbolised in the form of a stupa, a bodhi tree and footprints, while in later caves of the Mahayana period, Buddha is displayed in different postures like dharmachakrapravartana mudra, vyakhyanmudra, varada mudras, etc. The other important images carved in the caves are Avalokiteshvara, Dipankara Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Muchalinda Naga, etc. An excellent example of the only sculpture in India of the eleven-headed Avalokiteshvara, excavated outside cave number 41.

There are more than 100 inscriptions in the caves revealing the names of donors and patrons of the caves, which show monks. Goldsmiths, traders and many political and administrative officials had given donations to caves, cisterns, tanks, staircases, benches, niches, pillars, paths and walls at Kanheri. The Shaka inscriptions indicate the Scy thian or Shaka rule over Mumbai and its coastal regions. An inscription near cave 41 records that Punnaka from Sopara has constructed a dam with two walls to block the rainwater from getting wasted.

CAVE NO. 2

The cave is a Vihara with two Stupas. Just behind the Stupa is a panel of Buddhist litany praying Lord Padmapani to seek enlightenment on freedom from human agony and sorrow. The same panel is repeated in C. No. 41 and 90. In this panel, we can clearly see that to the left of Padmapani, at the top, an enraged elephant is attacking a human being. At the bottom, a shipwreck is shown. To the right of Padmapani, at the top, is seen a Lion attacking a human being. Avalokiteshwar saves people from shipwreck, wild animals, floods, fire, robbery, old hags, etc. He is the saviour of human beings as prescribed in Saddharma Pundalika. In the corner, adjacent to Padmapani, a Sculpture exhibits nine devotees bowing to Buddha. The names of the devotees are mentioned in the adjoining inscription as Nanno Vaidya, Rano Bhaskarah, Bharavin, Chelladeva, Boppai, Bhattakhasu Awaipo, etc. It is in the mixed dialect characters of the fourth and fifth centuries. There is one more inscription on the water cistern mentioning the name of the donor for the cistern water (Soma Rasa), Samidatta, a goldsmith of Kalyan. This type of inscription denotes the pattern of the 2nd century C.E., 133-162, the time of Vashistiputra. Another two inscriptions on the back wall mention donations given by Negam, i.e., a trader from Kalyan and Nasik. Just near the Stupa wall, seven manushya Buddhas, along with Maitreya Buddha with a crown, are shown.

Inscription 1

This damaged 6-line inscription, behind the large stupa, records the names of Nanna (a physician), Bhanu, Bhaskara, Bharavi, Chelladeva, Boppai, Bhatta Vesu, Suvai (or Suvrati), and Pohoi.  

Inscription No.2

The 2-line inscription is on the back wall of Cave No. 2, which records the gift of a refectory named 'Sata' by Naganaka, an inhabitant of Nasik.

Inscription No. 3

This inscription, near a small tank, records a cistern donated by a goldsmith named Samidatta (or Swamidatta) of Kalyan, along with the community of ascetics and lay-brothers.

Inscription No. 4

This inscription, above the cistern, records the donation of a cistern by Punavasu, the son of a trader named Chita from Kalyan.

Cave No 3

This is the most impressive chaityagriha of Kanheri, excavated by two merchant brothers, Gajasana and Gajamita, during the reign of Yajnashrl Satkarni, a Satvahana monarch (172-201CE), as decoded in a Brahmi inscription engraved over the right side of the gate post of the chaityagriha. The cave has a well-cut forecourt with a flight of steps, housing two massive pillars emerging from its side walls, followed by a rectangular verandah and apsidal chaityagriha on the rear end. The walls of the verandah are adorned with exquisite sculptures of donor couples or mithunas, anking the either side of the entrance of the chaitya. Many sculptures have been carved on the walls of the verandah in the later period; of these, two colossal Buddhas are worth mentioning, assigned to the 5th century CE.

 

The interior of the chaitya hall is divided into three bays by two rows of ornamented pillars, the central nave and aisles with a plain stupa in the apse, which has a vaulted roof, once fitted with wooden rafters, now missing. The front pillars are crowned by a capital carved with fine sculptures of couples riding on an elephant and a stupa with two anointing elephants. The stupa has plain medhi with a (hemispherical drum) crowned by a hermika with vedika rail pattern decoration. An inscription on the post records the name of the Buddhist sect Bhadravaniya, and several Buddhist monks, stone masons, stone polishers, and a supervisor who must have played a role in the completion of the cave.

CAVE NO 4

The stupa in the Cave No 4, with its harmika still attached to the mother rock above. This harmika, which is stepped, surrounds the spire (yasti) that rises from the top of the dome. The harmika symbolises heaven and represents the connection between the earthly and celestial realms. On top of the harmika, the chatra, also known as an umbrella, with discs stacked atop. It denotes the spiritual authority of Buddha's teachings, obtained by the monks. The number of discs on the umbrella signifies the level of spiritual authority that the monk obtained. 

INSCRIPTION

On the strip of Harmika, there is an inscription stating a donation given by a woman Shivapalitanika, wife of a goldsmith.

LOCATION OF KANHERI CAVES: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---