DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0270
248
CHAPTER V.
THE JUNNAR CAVES.
Junnar is the principal town of the northernmost taluka or divi-
sion of the Puna Zilla or Collectorate, and is distant from the latter
city about 48 miles. The name is said to be a corruption of Jund-
nagara, " the ancient city," but what special name that ancient city
bore seems entirely lost: it is probable that it was the Tagara of
the Greek writers and of Hindu tradition and ancient inscriptions.1
Round this old city in various directions are Buddhist caves
nearly equally distributed in five different localities, making altogether
57 separate excavations : —
1. In the scarp of the Sivaneri hill-fort to the west-south-west of
the town.
2. The group known as Tulja Lena, to the west.
3. The G-anesa Lena in the Sulaiman hills, to the north of the
town.
4. A second group in a spur of the Sulaiman hills, about a mile
from the Ganesa Lena.
5. The caves in Manmodi Hill south of Junnar.2
Like those at Talaja, Sana, Kuda, Bhaja, and Bedsa, and all the
older caves in the west, those of Junnar are remarkably devoid of
figure ornament or imagery, in this respect strongly contrasting
with the later ones, such as those at Elura, Ajanta, and Aurangabad.
The dagoba is common to all, but in the earlier caves it is perfectly
plain, and in the later ones at Ajanta it has figures of Buddha carved
upon it. The ornaments are the Chaitya-window with its latticed
aperture, the Buddhist-rail pattern, and the Dagoba. Elephants,
1 Ptolemy, Geoff., vii. i. 82 ; Pcripius. Mar. Eryth., 52; 2nd. Ant., vol. v. p. 280:
vol. vi. p. 75 ; Archwol. Survey, vol. iii. p. 54; Elphinstone's Hist, of Ind; p. * >
Asiat. Res., vol. i. pp. 357, 369-375; Jour. It. As. Soc, vol. ii. pp. 383-385,396;
Trans. Bom. Lit. Soc., vol. iii. p. 392; Vincent's Periphts, pp. 373-375 ; Trans.
Bom. Geoy. Soc., vol. vii. p. 153.
2 A sketch plan showing the distribution of these caves, and their relative posi
was published by Lieut. Brett in the fifth volume of the J. B. B. R. A. S., p. »o.
CHAPTER V.
THE JUNNAR CAVES.
Junnar is the principal town of the northernmost taluka or divi-
sion of the Puna Zilla or Collectorate, and is distant from the latter
city about 48 miles. The name is said to be a corruption of Jund-
nagara, " the ancient city," but what special name that ancient city
bore seems entirely lost: it is probable that it was the Tagara of
the Greek writers and of Hindu tradition and ancient inscriptions.1
Round this old city in various directions are Buddhist caves
nearly equally distributed in five different localities, making altogether
57 separate excavations : —
1. In the scarp of the Sivaneri hill-fort to the west-south-west of
the town.
2. The group known as Tulja Lena, to the west.
3. The G-anesa Lena in the Sulaiman hills, to the north of the
town.
4. A second group in a spur of the Sulaiman hills, about a mile
from the Ganesa Lena.
5. The caves in Manmodi Hill south of Junnar.2
Like those at Talaja, Sana, Kuda, Bhaja, and Bedsa, and all the
older caves in the west, those of Junnar are remarkably devoid of
figure ornament or imagery, in this respect strongly contrasting
with the later ones, such as those at Elura, Ajanta, and Aurangabad.
The dagoba is common to all, but in the earlier caves it is perfectly
plain, and in the later ones at Ajanta it has figures of Buddha carved
upon it. The ornaments are the Chaitya-window with its latticed
aperture, the Buddhist-rail pattern, and the Dagoba. Elephants,
1 Ptolemy, Geoff., vii. i. 82 ; Pcripius. Mar. Eryth., 52; 2nd. Ant., vol. v. p. 280:
vol. vi. p. 75 ; Archwol. Survey, vol. iii. p. 54; Elphinstone's Hist, of Ind; p. * >
Asiat. Res., vol. i. pp. 357, 369-375; Jour. It. As. Soc, vol. ii. pp. 383-385,396;
Trans. Bom. Lit. Soc., vol. iii. p. 392; Vincent's Periphts, pp. 373-375 ; Trans.
Bom. Geoy. Soc., vol. vii. p. 153.
2 A sketch plan showing the distribution of these caves, and their relative posi
was published by Lieut. Brett in the fifth volume of the J. B. B. R. A. S., p. »o.