Overview
The Kanheri Caves are inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai. The name means “black mountain” in Sanskrit. There are over 100 caves here. They were carved from the 1st century BCE to the 10th century CE. This makes Kanheri one of the longest-used Buddhist sites. Most caves are viharas for monks. Some are chaityas for prayer. Cave 3 is the biggest chaitya hall. It has a tall stupa and pillars. Cave 11 is called Darbar Hall. It has a huge Buddha statue. Many caves have water cisterns. The monks built a smart rainwater system. Inscriptions mention donations from traders. That proves Kanheri was on trade routes. It was also a Buddhist university. Monks came from across Asia to study here. Paintings once covered the walls. Few traces remain today. Kanheri shows 1,000 years of Buddhist life in Mumbai.
Top Highlights
- 108 Caves
- Buddhist University
- Rock-cut Stupas
- Cisterns that still collect rainwater
- Paintings & Inscriptions
- Rare city caves in a forest
