Cavorting around caves

rocky attraction

In Pune recently, a few of our relatives wanted a trip of the Karla Caves, the ancient rock-cut caves in the town of Karli, situated on the highway between Pune and Mumbai. Though reaching the caves would mean an arduous climbing of steep steps, the adventurous aunt, in her 50s, insisted on it. All our efforts to dissuade her failed.

So, after scanning the maps and preparing the family jalopy for the bumpy ride — loaded with a hamper full of food in the boot of the car, an overenthusiastic aunt, and a team of energetic teenagers in the back seat — we took off on a day trip to reach the Buddhist caves.

The destination was about 60 km away, but the journey had umpteen stops — tea halts, photo halts, a special vada pav halt and a washroom halt, of course — and took more time than the actual journey. The cool October morning was perfect for the drive until we veered off the highway and took an apology of a road! It resulted in a few backaches and a punctured tyre. Not that it deterred anyone from the mission. An hour later, though, we stared dolefully at the steep 350-step climb. Taking inspiration from the locals who seemed to have no difficulty negotiating the steps, we began to pull our resisting bodies towards the top.

Surprisingly, the place teemed with scores of goats. Garlanded with marigold strings and spotted with a tilak on their foreheads, they were being led to their doom. Those who could not afford goats carried chicken or coconuts. On enquiring, we were told that they were being taken to the Ekvira Temple for sacrifice. Saddened by the plight of the bleating animals, we followed them up the steps. It seemed an anticlimax to carry out animal sacrifice in the vicinity of the Buddhist caves.

The Ekvira Temple, right next to a chaitya (Buddhist shrine or prayer hall) is said to have been built by the Pandavas during their treks through forests and mountains, while on exile. Ekvira aka Renuka Devi, is mainly worshiped by the Koli community, who are fishermen by profession. Lord Buddha’s mother, Mahamaya, is believed to have belonged to this tribe.

Are we there yet?

Coming back to our own tribe, gasping and panting — and with several halts — we, at noon, reached the top, which fanned out in a semicircle. We were greeted by a magnificent view of the adjoining area. Minutes later, we turned our attention to the stunning chaitya in the backdrop. The entrance, adorned by elaborate sculptures, illustrated the tenacity of those who had etched out stunning rock figures using simple tools like chisel and hammer. The garrulous aunt, struck by the beauty, stood speechless.

“The caves were carved out in the 4th century by Buddhist monks belonging to the Hinayana sect, during the Satavahanas’s rule,” the scholarly niece read out from a brochure. “I thought the sculptures were made by monks from the Mahayana sect,” countered her brother.

“These caves were developed over a long period of time, from 2nd century BC to 5th century AD, with monks from different sects taking over and adding fresh sculptures to the existing ones,” the niece corrected him. “In fact, some of the sculptures were painted with natural colours during the 5th and 6th centuries.”

It didn’t matter which sect had been the master planner and executor of the impressive structures; all that mattered was the beauty around us.

An immense pillar topped by lions stood guard before the main hall. The outer walls of the chaitya were embellished with scores of human and animal sculptures. Familiar with the arched entrances and vaulted ceilings in the Buddhist caves, I stepped into the main chaitya, which was similarly embellished.

Set in stone

Inside the 45-metre chaityagriha, supposed to be one of the largest in the country, I was struck by the row of elegantly carved pillars, each one topped by a distinctive set of sculptures, and some of them were inscribed with words — believed to be names of donors — in the ancient Brahmi script. The main chaitya was flanked by smaller viharas, which served as monasteries. These were small, hard and cold cells carved into rock faces, with windows for light. “It must have been a tough life,” the niece echoed my thoughts. “Imagine trekking up hundreds of steps every day.”

The Ekvira Temple was packed with devotees who were dragging their balking goats. Casting one last look at the serene caves alongside the gaudily decorated and noisy temple, we began our downward climb. The descent was easier, but meditative, as we tried to come to terms with the diversity of the place.

Fact File

Getting there:

Located between Mumbai (120 km) and Pune (60 km), the caves of Karla can be accessed by road. The nearest railway station is Malavli.

Places to visit:

The Bhaja Caves, which boast of superior architecture, are located within a radius of 10 km.

Accommodation:

Day trips to the caves are preferred by most, but Lonavala, about 10 km away, offers accommodation.