Overview
The Bhaja Caves are only 3 kilometers from Karla, also near Lonavala. There are 22 caves here, carved around the 2nd century BCE. They belong to Hinayana Buddhism too. They are older and simpler than Karla. The most important is Cave 12. It is a chaitya hall with a vaulted roof. It has 27 plain octagonal pillars. The roof clearly copies wooden building styles. You can see carved beams and ribs in the stone. Bhaja has 14 stupas, some with relic chambers. That means monks’ remains were kept here. Cave 1 has rare carvings. One shows a woman playing a tabla-like drum. Another shows a woman dancing. These are 2200-year-old scenes of daily life. Inscriptions mention local traders and Yavanas. So Bhaja was also on trade routes. The layout is rustic, with open courtyards. There are rock-cut tanks for collecting rainwater. Bhaja gives us the earliest proof of Buddhist monastic life in the Western Ghats.
Top Highlights
- Oldest Hinayana Caves
- Dancing Couple Carving
- Waterfall View
- Unique vaulted roof with original wooden beams
