DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0191
PART II.—INTRODUCTION. 169
7. Within a distance at most of 50 miles from the railway leading
from Bombay to Nagpur, and lying almost in a straight line between
Nasik and Patur, 20 miles east of Akola, are the important groups of
Nasik, Ankai, Elura, Aurangabad, and Ajanta, with others of less
note, numbering about 150 caves.
8. About 250 miles E.S.E. from Bombay, and 130 W.N.W. from
Haidarabad is the small village of Karusa, where, and at Dharasinwa,
40 miles to the west, and Kalyana—the old Ohalukya capital 30
miles south-east from it,—there are about 120 caves, some of con-
siderable dimensions, though others are small and insignificant.
9. On the north of the Narmada in Malwa are the groups at Bagh,
Dhamnar, and Kolvi—neither of great importance; and, lastly, far
to the south, on the banks of the Malaprabha in Belgaum district
are the caves of Badami and Aihole, architecturally among the
most interesting Brahmanical groups in India, especially as affording
a fixed date, by which that of others can be compared.
This brings up the total to about 900 caves, and there are a few
of little note scattered in ones and twos over the same area, so that
we may safely estimate the total of known caves in the West
at over 900; besides many which have not yet been visited by any
European, and of which consequently no record exists.
These are divided primarily into three classes according to the
sects by whom or for whose use they were hewn out, viz., Buddhists,
Brahmans, and Jains. The earliest examples we have belong to the
Buddhists, and date from the middle of the third century B.C., but
excavations belonging to this sect, extend from that date down to
near the end of the seventh century of our era, thus ranging through
between nine or ten centuries. They are also the most numerous
class, fully 75 per cent, of the whole being Buddhist caves.
The next, in order of time, are those of the Brahmans, whether
Saiva or Vaishnava, which range from about the fourth to the
eighth century of our era, or perhaps later. Of the whole, about
° Per cent, of the excavations are Brahmanical, but a large
proportion of them are of very considerable dimensions, but, except
at Karusa, and some scattered caves in the Satara district, few of
hem are small, whereas among the early Buddhist caves there are
fflany which are insignificant.
lastly, there are the Jaina Cave-Temples, which are much less
numerous than those of either of the preceding sects, and of which
7. Within a distance at most of 50 miles from the railway leading
from Bombay to Nagpur, and lying almost in a straight line between
Nasik and Patur, 20 miles east of Akola, are the important groups of
Nasik, Ankai, Elura, Aurangabad, and Ajanta, with others of less
note, numbering about 150 caves.
8. About 250 miles E.S.E. from Bombay, and 130 W.N.W. from
Haidarabad is the small village of Karusa, where, and at Dharasinwa,
40 miles to the west, and Kalyana—the old Ohalukya capital 30
miles south-east from it,—there are about 120 caves, some of con-
siderable dimensions, though others are small and insignificant.
9. On the north of the Narmada in Malwa are the groups at Bagh,
Dhamnar, and Kolvi—neither of great importance; and, lastly, far
to the south, on the banks of the Malaprabha in Belgaum district
are the caves of Badami and Aihole, architecturally among the
most interesting Brahmanical groups in India, especially as affording
a fixed date, by which that of others can be compared.
This brings up the total to about 900 caves, and there are a few
of little note scattered in ones and twos over the same area, so that
we may safely estimate the total of known caves in the West
at over 900; besides many which have not yet been visited by any
European, and of which consequently no record exists.
These are divided primarily into three classes according to the
sects by whom or for whose use they were hewn out, viz., Buddhists,
Brahmans, and Jains. The earliest examples we have belong to the
Buddhists, and date from the middle of the third century B.C., but
excavations belonging to this sect, extend from that date down to
near the end of the seventh century of our era, thus ranging through
between nine or ten centuries. They are also the most numerous
class, fully 75 per cent, of the whole being Buddhist caves.
The next, in order of time, are those of the Brahmans, whether
Saiva or Vaishnava, which range from about the fourth to the
eighth century of our era, or perhaps later. Of the whole, about
° Per cent, of the excavations are Brahmanical, but a large
proportion of them are of very considerable dimensions, but, except
at Karusa, and some scattered caves in the Satara district, few of
hem are small, whereas among the early Buddhist caves there are
fflany which are insignificant.
lastly, there are the Jaina Cave-Temples, which are much less
numerous than those of either of the preceding sects, and of which