Bhaja
Caves, near the Karla Caves, are a group of 18 rock-cut
caves dating back to 200 BC. located near Lonavala,
a hill station, and Karli in the western state of Maharashtra
between the cities of Mumbai and Pune in India.
Bhaja caves also share the same importance as those
of the others in Maharashtra, including the Ajanta,
Ellora and Elephanta. These are, believed to be built
during the Mauryan rules, in the early Theravadin phase
of Buddhism.
Cave 12th is a prayer hall, worth a watch, and represents
a fantastic example of ancient Buddhist architecture.
It's the biggest of all the caves, and the tilted crypt
is worth a interesting notice. The last cave is also
a must see, due to the "Dancing couple" structure.
As usual with cave culture, there are many Viharas in
Bhaja also, which, most probably, served as hostels
for the learning Buddhist monks. The caves are also
motivating for the fact that they are one of the oldest
among all caves in India. There are stupas, a common
attribute to all the caves, also adds to the fact that
these caves, at different places, were motivated by
the same motifs.
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