Hi This is Kunal Waghmare I went to Buddhist caves of Karla now taken over by Ekvira Temple...Although its nice that both faith temples co-exist .but it is sad that sacrifices of animals are made in front of temple and monastery which preaches peace and non violence
About Lonavla
There are about 1000 rock cut caves in Western India, a large number of which are about Lonavla whose original name , Lenauli, means the places of many caves (lena meaning cave). Of these the most famous are at Karla, Bhaja, Bedsa and Kondane
The concept:
The concept of retreating to solitary caves in forests or mountains for meditation was common to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism so that , where no natural caves existed, it was but one more step to carve out a cave. However, in a view of the importance of monasticism in Buddhism, the largest number of caves are Buddhist in origin. Amongst these caves were the Chaitya (Chapel or Cathedral ) for the holding of prayers and rituals and the Vihara (monastery ) for the residence of Buddhist monks. There were two periods of high creative activity in the building of rock- cut temples in this area, the first from the 02nd century B.C. to the 02nd century AD. and the second from the 05th to the 10th centuries AD. Such was the artistic excellence of the artisans and the genius of the designers, as the architecture is geometrically perfect and the engineering designs flawless.
About the period and KARLA:
IN the early period Hinayana Buddhism (or the Little Vehicle) prevailed and in the latter, Mahayana Buddhism (or the Great Vehicle).
In the Hinayana period, to which Karla belongs , the architectural design was wood based, being copies of wooden buildings of an earlier age.
Also, as the Buddha, not wanting to be deified , had decreed that after his death, "neither the gods nor men shall see him ",
Therefore In this period THE BUDDHA is represented by symbols instead of actual statues.
The lotus or elephant , symbolizing his birth, the bodhi tree under which he attained Nirvana ( enlightenment) , the wheel of law which he set in motion , a stupa or mound symbolizing his death, a throne atop symbolizing that he is a prince among men, his footsteps which the Buddha is represented in sculptures and paintings of the early phase.
Dating back to the 02nd century B.C., the monuments at Karla are at a distance of 11 km. From Lonavla and just a little off the Bombay- Pune road . There is one large Chaitya or prayer hall and several niharas or monasteries of this group on a hill 150 metres high. The steps of the hill were built in the same period. Off all the cave temples of India, the Great Chaitya at Karla is considered one of the greatest monuments in the world of art. One of the inspirations inside the cave describe it as the most outstanding rock- cut hall in Jambudvipa (the ancient name for India). The Karla Chaitya is one of those rare instances of magnificent pillars framing the entrances to a cave. At the entrance stands a huge pillar over 15 metres high, with lion capitals as in the Ashoka pillar at Sarnath. However, the matching pillar has broken down and in its place is a Hindu(KOLI)temple to Goddess Ekveera , which is a place of local pilgrims even today., The sad part is that sacrifice of animals are made here in front of Buddha.
The Architecture
In the outer porch is a vestibule outlined by walls with carvings of couples and elephants. This area once sported a balcony. The main hall, called the Great Chaitya or the great cathedral, is majestic in size and the largest of its kind. It is 124 ft . by 461/2 ft. And is 45 ft. High (38 metres by 14 metres by 13.8 metres). Inside are these important features, the columns or pillars, the roof vault and the great sun window. There are 37 columns in all of which 30 have interesting capitals showing prosperous men and women riding elephants and horses yet bowing in humility to the Great Buddha.
The valued roof has wooden supports giving an idea of what wood built architecture used to be like 2000 years ago, the only place in India where 2000 year old woodwork can be seen. The roof at the carved end resembles a Gothic vault. At the far end of the hall stands a stupa , literally meaning funeral mound, above which is held an umbrella , a symbol of royalty.
The whole system of lighting depends on the great Chaitya window through which cleverly diffused light with its lights and shadows gives a great sense of solemnity to the scene. Few cave temples can match that at Karla for its light and shade effects. Belonging to a great period of Indian history, it is natural that Karla had great impact on Buddhist art the world over. This Great Chaitya of Karla was once a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world, so that, even today , as one walks in, one feels the vibrations of prayers of 2000 years, of hushed whispers of pilgrims , of the chanting of yellow- clad monks.
It is roughly 3 kms. from the main road , to the 18 Bhaja caves. They are in a lusher, greener setting than the Karla caves, and are thought to date from around 200 B.C. Ten of these caves are Viharas , while cave 12 is a Chaitya , similar in style to the Karla cave and the most important. About 50 mts. past this is a strange group of 14 Stupas, five inside and nine outside the caves. The last cave on the South side has some fine sculptures. A few minutes' walk past the last cave is a beautiful waterfall which, during the monsoon and shortly afterwards, has enough water for a good swim. From the waterfall you can see some old forts.
By
Kunal Waghmare
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