Dharma Records

A record of Ānandajoti’s publication work.

Menu
  • Notices
  • Talks
  • Texts
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Photos
  • Ecology
  • Culture
  • Archives
  • About
Menu

Ghorawadi Caves, Talegaon, Pune

Posted on February 20, 2017March 24, 2017 by Ānandajoti

[on day 5 we rested up from our travels for a day]

Day 6:

The Ghorawadi Caves near Pune are estimated to have been excavated around 3rd-4th centuries CE. There are around 17 caves set around one hill not far from the Pune-Mumbai highway, which is now a popular pilgrimage centre for Hindus, who have taken over most of the caves, and established shrines in them to various gods. The place is also known locally as the Ghoravadeshwar Caves.

There is no Chaitya hall, and the settlement seems to have mainly been used for meditation-type caves. The first cave we visited had been a vihāra, with a hall at its centre, that may have housed a small chaitya at one time, but now has a Shiva linga and yoni, and seems to be the central place for the pilgrims.

Around the hill are various other vihāras, a number of which have been turned into Hindu shrines, despite clear signs stating they are protected monuments. On one the cave wall has crude carvings of Hindi deities, which cannot be very old.

One of the most elaborate of the occupied caves has very old carved Asoka-type columns alongside the vihara cell-doors, but this is now quite obscured by tinsel decorations and modern posters stuck to the walls with sellotape.

The view from some of the vihāras was striking, and offered a breathtaking vista over the surrounding countryside, which is now dotted with residential and industrial buildings. Some of the caves remained inaccessible to me, as it was too dangerous to climb, and on the way down I slipped and took the skin off hands and feet.

Ghorawadi Caves

 

2 thoughts on “Ghorawadi Caves, Talegaon, Pune”

  1. Yasin muhammad says:
    February 21, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Amazing palaces, the other side ar part of us do not taken yet the lesson.

  2. Yasin muhammad says:
    February 21, 2017 at 10:28 pm

    In the deep of land near from ngawen temple, it is surrounding of magelang regency lately discovered small relief of temple,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

QR code

SHORTLINK

Donations

there are many expenses involved in the making of this website. Even a small donation really helps to maintain and expand the site.

Recent Posts

  • New Book: The Reliefs of Buddhavanam
  • Photographs from Phanigiri Hilltop Monastery
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 2
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 1
  • My Big Fail: Kanaganahalli
  • Sites Around Visakhapatnam
  • Photographs from Bojjannakonda (Sankaram)
  • Photographs from Cave and Stūpa Sites in Andhra Pradesh
  • Photographs from Amarāvatī and Nāgārjunakoṇḍa
  • Photos of Dr Ambedkar Statues and His Life Story

Top Ten Tags

Buddha

Dhamma

Sangha

India

China

Indonesia

Thailand

Temples

Wisdom

Ethics

Sponsorship

 hosting sponsored by exabytes.my 

Random Posts

  • Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism and other Essays
  • Ajahn Suthep: On Luangpor Teean (2)
  • The Beginnings of Buddhist Art by A. Foucher – I
  • Photographs from Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn
  • Safeguard Recitals, Revised and Enlarged 3rd Edition
  • New Album: Modern Murals at Wat Pangla
  • Publication of A Practical Guide to Pāli Grammar
  • BWV 047: The Impermanence of Desire
  • Bedse Caves, Kamshet, India
  • Selected Poems of Bhikkhu Moneyya

Recent Posts

  • New Book: The Reliefs of Buddhavanam
  • Photographs from Phanigiri Hilltop Monastery
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 2
  • Photos from Buddhavanam, Buddha’s Grove, 1
  • My Big Fail: Kanaganahalli
  • Sites Around Visakhapatnam
  • Photographs from Bojjannakonda (Sankaram)
  • Photographs from Cave and Stūpa Sites in Andhra Pradesh
  • Photographs from Amarāvatī and Nāgārjunakoṇḍa
  • Photos of Dr Ambedkar Statues and His Life Story

Related Posts:

  • Photographs of Cave Sites near Lonavala
  • Udayagiri Caves near Sanchi
  • Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, First Day
  • Bedse Caves, Kamshet, India
  • Kondane Caves, Rajmachi, India
  • Bhaja Caves, Lonavala, India
  • Karle Caves, Lonavala, India
  • Trirasmi Caves, Nashik, India
  • Photographs from Cave Sites around Aurangabad
  • Pitalkhora Caves, near Kannad, Maharasthra
© 2025 Dharma Records | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme