DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27191#0191
Chap. V.
JUNNAR.
i5S
seriously in architectural dignity and effect. Historically its
chief interest is in showing how idolatrous Buddhism was
becoming when Brahmanism was about to expel the former
from the country of its birth.
JUNNAR.
Around the old town of Junnar, about 48 miles north from
Poona, are some five separate groups of caves, consisting
altogether of fully a hundred and fifty different excavations—
the majority of them being small. Like other early caves, they
are mostly devoid of figure ornament, and notwithstanding
ten chapel or chaitya caves, scattered among the different
groups, it might perhaps be questioned whether they should all
be classed as Buddhist, or whether some of them at least did
not belong to the Jains or other sects. Fuller illustration and
study of what figure ornament there is must settle this ; but
the inscriptions on certain of the caves indicate that they were
for followers of certain Buddhist schools. These inscriptions
seem to range pala;ographically, from about B.C. 100 to A.D. 300.1
There are not, it is true, any chaityas among them so magnifi-
cent as that at Karle, nor any probably quite so old as those
at Bhaja and Bedsa ; but there is, in the Gane^a group, a chaitya,
both in plan and dimensions, very like that at Nasik, and a
vihara, quite equal to the finest at that place. The great interest
of the series, however, consists in its possessing examples of forms
not known elsewhere.2 There are, for instance, among others,
six chaitya caves, with square terminations, flat roofs and with-
out internal pillars, and one circular cave which was quite unique
until the discovery of another of the same form at Guntupalle,
near the east coast.
The great peculiarity of the series is the extreme simplicity
of the caves composing it. They are too early to have any
1 The Junnar inscriptions have been
translated by Dr. Kern, ‘ Indian Anti-
quary,’ vol. vi. pp. 39f. ; and by Drs.
Bhagwanlal Indraji and Btihler, ‘ Cave
Temple Inscriptions,’ pp. 41-55;
‘ Archseological Survey of Western India,’
vol. iv. pp. 92-98, and 103.
2 These caves have long been known
to antiquarians. In 1833 Colonel Sykes
published a series of inscriptions copied
from them, but without any description
of the caves themselves (‘Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society,’ vol. iv. pp.
287-291). In 1847, Dr. Bird noticed
them in his ‘ Historical Researches,’
with some wretched lithographs, so bad
as to be almost unintelligible; in 1850,
Dr. Wilson described them in the
‘ Bombay Journal’; and in 1857 Dr.
Stevenson republished their inscriptions,
with translations, in the eighth volume
of the same journal; and Mr. W. F.
Sinclair, C.S., wrote a short account of
them in the ‘ Indian Antiquary’ vol. iii.
pp. 33ff. In November 1874, a hurried
survey was made, the results of which
are given in ‘ Cave Temples,’ pp. 248-262
and plates 17, 18 ; and in the ‘ Archaeo-
logical Survey of Western India,’ vol. iv.
pp. 26-36. Photographs, however, are
needed to make them more clearly in-
telligible.
JUNNAR.
i5S
seriously in architectural dignity and effect. Historically its
chief interest is in showing how idolatrous Buddhism was
becoming when Brahmanism was about to expel the former
from the country of its birth.
JUNNAR.
Around the old town of Junnar, about 48 miles north from
Poona, are some five separate groups of caves, consisting
altogether of fully a hundred and fifty different excavations—
the majority of them being small. Like other early caves, they
are mostly devoid of figure ornament, and notwithstanding
ten chapel or chaitya caves, scattered among the different
groups, it might perhaps be questioned whether they should all
be classed as Buddhist, or whether some of them at least did
not belong to the Jains or other sects. Fuller illustration and
study of what figure ornament there is must settle this ; but
the inscriptions on certain of the caves indicate that they were
for followers of certain Buddhist schools. These inscriptions
seem to range pala;ographically, from about B.C. 100 to A.D. 300.1
There are not, it is true, any chaityas among them so magnifi-
cent as that at Karle, nor any probably quite so old as those
at Bhaja and Bedsa ; but there is, in the Gane^a group, a chaitya,
both in plan and dimensions, very like that at Nasik, and a
vihara, quite equal to the finest at that place. The great interest
of the series, however, consists in its possessing examples of forms
not known elsewhere.2 There are, for instance, among others,
six chaitya caves, with square terminations, flat roofs and with-
out internal pillars, and one circular cave which was quite unique
until the discovery of another of the same form at Guntupalle,
near the east coast.
The great peculiarity of the series is the extreme simplicity
of the caves composing it. They are too early to have any
1 The Junnar inscriptions have been
translated by Dr. Kern, ‘ Indian Anti-
quary,’ vol. vi. pp. 39f. ; and by Drs.
Bhagwanlal Indraji and Btihler, ‘ Cave
Temple Inscriptions,’ pp. 41-55;
‘ Archseological Survey of Western India,’
vol. iv. pp. 92-98, and 103.
2 These caves have long been known
to antiquarians. In 1833 Colonel Sykes
published a series of inscriptions copied
from them, but without any description
of the caves themselves (‘Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society,’ vol. iv. pp.
287-291). In 1847, Dr. Bird noticed
them in his ‘ Historical Researches,’
with some wretched lithographs, so bad
as to be almost unintelligible; in 1850,
Dr. Wilson described them in the
‘ Bombay Journal’; and in 1857 Dr.
Stevenson republished their inscriptions,
with translations, in the eighth volume
of the same journal; and Mr. W. F.
Sinclair, C.S., wrote a short account of
them in the ‘ Indian Antiquary’ vol. iii.
pp. 33ff. In November 1874, a hurried
survey was made, the results of which
are given in ‘ Cave Temples,’ pp. 248-262
and plates 17, 18 ; and in the ‘ Archaeo-
logical Survey of Western India,’ vol. iv.
pp. 26-36. Photographs, however, are
needed to make them more clearly in-
telligible.