PITALKHORA CAVES
(Collection –Dr.Ramesh Suryawanshi – Shivaji College, Kannad)
The caves are located deep in utterly secluded scrap of a hill overlooking a narrow glen. The hill shrines a remarkable series of caves with picturesque wild setting and perfectly calm atmosphere. The Pitalkhora (20°15’ N; 75°15’ E) or “Brazen Glen” is located at a distance of nearly 20 km west of Kannad, a tehsil headquarters in Aurangabad district and nearly 50 km west of Ellora caves. On the Aurangabad – Chalisgaon road, one has to take a diversion at Kalimath and travel nearly 10 km to reach the caves. The caves are located in a valley below and one has to ascend the newly constructed steps with railing by both sides, to reach down. Another way of getting there is by taking the night train from Bombay – Chalisgaon and then a bus to the ancient shrine of Patna Devi. A short trek and then the climb up the hill has to be done on foot..
A stream, usually full of water during monsoon greets the visitors midway during the descent, and after crossing over through an iron bridge constructed by the ASI, one reaches the caves.
The next major group of sculptures in western India have been found at Pitalkhora. The colossal plinth of a monastery decorated with a row of elephants, the large figures of the door guardians, and several fragments recovered during the course of excavations are among the more important remains. A great proportion of the work represents an advance over the style of Bhaja, though features.
With many unusual sculptures these caves date back to the 2nd century BC. These caves are cut into the side of a narrow valley. Pitalkhora caves mainly comprises of Viharas or Buddhist monasteries. There are scriptures of Yaksa or girl. The sculptural representations here are similar to that of found in the stupas of Sanchi, Karla, Nasik, of the same period. As these Caves are carved in somewhat softer and fragile rock, here one can also see examples of ‘ancient conservation’. A feature which needs special mention is the very ingenious arrangement of diverting water that found its way into the cave through cracks; long tunnel like openings were bored into the ceilings and the water was allowed to flow fully into the cave underneath the floor in concealed drain channel cut to lead the water outside near the cave entrance (Cave 4).
Because of their locations the caves have been divided into two groups. Caves 1-9 face north and east and are adjacent to each other. These are in Group I. On the other side of the hill, facing southwards are Caves 10-14 which make up Group II. Pitalkhora consisting of 14 Buddhist Caves forms one of the earliest centres of the rock-cut architecture. They are cut in a variety of basalt rock which weathers faster in contrast to other parts in Maharashtra. Out of 14, 4 are chaityagrihas, one housing votive stupas, one apsidal and single cell (5A), and the rest are viharas. All the caves belong to the Hinayana period but the painting executed in the caves are of Mahayana period. The caves are in two groups; the first group consists of 10 caves and second consists of 4 caves. The Chaitya and Monastery Caves in this group have traces of very beautiful paintings of which some are surviving in the former. It is believed that Pitalkhora can be identified with ‘Petrigala’ of Ptolemy’s and ‘Pitangalya’ of ‘Mahamayuri’, a Buddhist chronicle. The inscriptions found here dates from c. 250 B.C. to 3rd – 4th century A.D. Two of the records mention ‘Pathitana’ (Pratishtana, the capital of Imperial Satavahanas, modern Paithan) and one mentions ‘Dhanyakataka’ modern Dharanikota in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
(Painted pillars in the caitya at Pitalkhora. The painted pillars of the Pitalkhora caitya. The cement blocks of a replacement pillar are in the center.)
Many of the caves have crumbled and are badly damaged. Cave 1 looks like a huge natural opening. There are indications of cells and door supports and it may have formed an extensive Vihara or monastery.
Caves 2, 3 and 4 share the same forecourt and are presumed to be of the same period. The dividing wall between 2 and 3 has disappeared, 2 was a Vihara and has an interesting rock-cut drain which prevents water from flowing into Cave 3 which was a prayer hall.
The best paintings are in Cave 3. These appear on the pillars and side walls. 37 pillars used to separate the aisle from the hall and these were donated individually as inscriptions on the 10th and 11th pillars, on the right, indicate. The donors of both these pillars were residents of Paithan. Steps lead down to a basement containing several carvings. Rare crystals and other reliquaries were found in the stupa here.
(The caitya of Pitalkhora is also crumbling. Many of the pillars have been replaced with cement to prevent collapse. The surviving pillars have remains of fifth century paintings, similar to late painting at Ajanta )
The entrance is flanked by sculpture of serpents and guardians and elephants decorate the halls. Animal motifs, miniature chaitya windows, are also seen as sculptures in this cave.
In order to avoid collapsing of the caves original pillars have been replaced by new cemented pillars. Ancient paintings dating back to 5th century can still be found on the remaining old pillars. Over the years along with the cliff many sculptures have fallen down the valley. Today very little portion of the caves are left
Cave 4 has a number of carvings of elephants and horses as well as inscriptions about donors. Among the detached rock is a carved panel depicting Buddha as a prince, leaving his palace. This is the only scene from the life of Buddha that has been found at Pitalkhora.
The caves 3 and 4 are the most magnified caves, both conceived and executed on a magnificent scale. The exuberance and the rich texture of their facade decoration is unparallel in the Pre-Christian caves. The vigorous human figures with their beaming checks vibrate with a plasticity that is amazing for this early date architecture. Apsidal on plan, cave 3 is a chaityagruha consisting of the usual nave and apse, demarcated from the aisles by an elongated U shaped row of thirty seven tapering octagonal pillars with inward rakes. The cave was probably under occupation till about 7th century AD. This fact is borne by the few paintings recorded on its pillars, walls and ceilings. The ceiling was painted with lotus medallions while the pillars and wall have mainly a niche of stiff figures of Buddha in some cases attended by Bodhisattva in the style of the later murals of Ajanta.
The damage Cave 5 was a Vihara and contains an interesting inscription on a loose boulder which mentions a gift by a guild of bankers. Caves 6, 7 and 8 were all Viharas. 6 has some traces of painting on the walls. Between 7 & 8 there is an unfinished rock-cut cistern. Cave 9 was an extensive Vihara and still has remnants of plastering and painting.
On the other side of the hill is Group II. The caves here are Chaityas or chapels for prayer and contain stupas. Cave 11 has several stupas possibly excavated at different times. Cave 13 and 14 share the same forecourt and contain some very unique sculptures but are both in a crumbled and damaged condition.
Because of its remoteness and worst approach roads till 2007, Pitalkhora has few visitors and having reached the caves one can almost imagine that one has in fact discovered them. And there may in fact be more to discover.
Not as well known as Ajanta yet also interest are the rock-cut caves of Pitalkhora in the Satamala range of the Sahyadri hills. Many of the carvings as well as the paintings have been damaged by the weather and vandals. The caves appear to be of the early Hinayana period of Buddhism and are contemporary to the other rock-cut Buddhist temples in western India. They were probably excavated and carved during the Satavahana-Kshaharata regimes. There appears to be a subsequent period of desertion and re-occupation much later in the 5th century A.D. during the Vakataka rule. In the Hinayana Buddhist period no images of Buddha or Bodhisattvas (celestial beings personifying the virtues of Buddha and attending to the needs of the people) appear in places of worship and none can be seen in the caves of Pitalkhora except for the paintings in Cave 3, which belong to the later phase of occupation.
Pitalkhora was an early Buddhist site, similar in age to Ajanta; it has first century BC sculpture remains, and fifth century painting remains. The story of Pitalkhora is shrouded, but the site has yielded many unusual sculptures, including wonderful yaksa figures.
Pitalkhora's main gate, with its naga, door guardians, and elephants.
The main gate to the site from the gorge consists of a wide terrace, with the naga and guardians flanking the door, and a row of elephants "supporting" the complex. There is also a stair leading directly to the caitya. The area had covered drains, a complex of viharas, a caitya hall, and two smaller caves across the gorge with stupas in them.
Remains of an elephant's head at Pitalkhora.
The sculptural remains at Pitalkhora include animal motifs, miniature caitya windows, the elephants and guardians, and yaksa figures.
Slab on the terrace at Pitalkhora, showing miniature caitya windows.
Winged animals in a vihara at Pitalkhora.
Entering Pitalkhora through the gate, you arrive at several large vihara remains. The walls of the viharas were often made too thin, and have mostly broken away. Weaknesses in the
cliff itself, seen in large cracks in the back walls of cells, attests to the demise of Pitalkhora since antiquity.
The Gate at Pitalkhora, with door guardians.
One of the viharas of Pitalkhora, with the walls broken away. It is likely that the people building Pitalkhora were unfamiliar with stone, thus making the walls far too thin; or perhaps the cliff was much weaker than anticipated.
A cell in Pitalkhora. In the large viharas, the cells are carved with elaborate moldings, and often include beds of the living rock, some carved like these. The large crack in the back of the wall attests to the weakness of the cliff stone. The elaborate carving above doors, in cells, and around common rooms may be a mark of the wealth of the community, or of its patrons. There is much more such carving at Pitalkhora than at Ajanta.
Carving over a door in a vihara at Pitalkhora- images include lattice and common animal motifs of horse, bull, elephant, and lion, as well as fantastic animals.
Steps from the terrace to the caitya with yaksas and pegasus, Pitalkhora.
The caitya was reached by its own steps from the terrace, and is flanked by viharas. To the right are smaller viharas, mostly in ruinous condition; to the left are the larger, carved viharas.
Across the gorge from these remains are three little caves, with stupas inside. One is a small caitya hall.
The stupas in these caves are very interesting. They are about twice human height. They are not apparently monolithic with the cave, but moved into the niches provided for them.
The right stupa cave. Remains of a stupa to the left, in a niche; remains of a stupa in front, observable from across the gorge, but half crumbled away; and a third stupa seen peeking behind, in fair preservation.
The stupas do not match carving around them; parasols carving in the ceiling are not centered on the stupa below. We suspect that these were reliquaries for important community monks, added to the caves as important persons died.
The crumbled front stupa in the right stupa cave.
The parasol over the better preserved stupa in the right stupa cave, not centered over the stupa itself.
The caves of second century to 1st century BC have standard plan of monastery and only a few have cells at the back of the veranda. The second group consists of four caves that are of later date and this group is nestled on the other side of the ravine. As one proceeds towards this group from the head of the ravine, one gets a panoramic view of the first group. All the four caves of this group are associated with stupa. The stupa has a conspicuously high tapering drum crowned by a neat railing, motif and a globular dome, its hamilkta is damaged.
The site has yielded many unusual sculptures, including wonderful Yaksa figures.
The cliff has fallen away dramatically since antiquity, and most of the carvings that existed on the face of the cliff fell with it. Careful viewing of the cliff reveals only scraps remaining intact.
Chaityas
The main gate to the site from the gorge consists of a wide terrace, with the naga and guardians flanking the door, and a row of elephants "supporting" the complex. A stair leads directly to the Chaitya. The area had covered drains, a complex of viharas, a chaitya hall, and two smaller caves across the gorge with stupas in them.
The sculptural remains at Pitalkhora include animal motifs, miniature Chaitya windows, the elephants and guardians, and yaksa figures. The Chaitya of Pitalkhora is also crumbling. The pillars have been replaced with cement to prevent collapse. The surviving pillars have remains of 5th century paintings.
Viharas
Entering Pitalkhora through the gate, one arrives at several large Vihara remains. One can notice that the walls of the viharas were often made too thin, and have mostly broken away.
The elaborate carving above doors, in cells, and around common rooms may be a mark of the wealth of the community, or of its patrons. One can find to the right smaller viharas, mostly in ruinous condition; to the left are the larger, carved viharas.
The caves are cut into the side of a secluded ravine. They comprising mainly of Viharas or monasteries, which form the largest group of Hinayana Buddhist structures. The story of Pitalkhora is shrouded in the depths of time, but the site has yielded many unusual sculptures, including wonderful Yaksa or girlie figures.
Over the years the cliff has fallen away and most of the carvings that existed on the face of the cliff fell with it, so very little is left today. The main gate to the site from the gorge consists of a wide terrace, with the naga, mystical serpent like figures, and other guardians flanking the door. There is also a row of elephants "supporting" the complex. A stairway leads directly to the Chaitya or shrine. The area has covered drains, a complex of viharas, a chaitya hall, and two smaller caves across the gorge with stupas in them.
The sculptural remains at Pitalkhora include animal motifs, miniature Chaitya windows, elephants, guardians and yaksa figures. The Chaitya of Pitalkhora is also crumbling. The pillars have been replaced with cement to prevent collapse. The surviving pillars have remains of 5th century paintings. The elaborate carving above doors, in cells, and around common rooms may be a mark of the wealth of the community, or of its patrons. One can find, to the right, smaller viharas, mostly in ruinous condition; to the left are the larger, carved Viharas Stupas. Across the gorge one can see the three little caves, with stupas inside. One is a small Chaitya hall. The stupas in these caves are very interesting. They are about twice human height. They are not apparently fixed into the cave, but have been moved into the niches provided for them.
Matreial collected and rearranged by Dr. Ramesh Suryawanshi.
All Photos are from webs and self collection.
References:-
-Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India
-http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_ellora_pitalkhora.asp
-http://devi.org/pitalkhora.html
-http://www.maharashtratourism.net/caves/pitalkhora-caves.html
-http://www.indianpath.org/entry/a-wonderful-journey-to-pitalkhora-caves/
-http://www.indiainfoweb.com/maharashtra/caves/pitalkhora-caves.html
-http://www.worldisround.com/articles/312029/index.html