The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Bagh town of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India.[1] These monuments are located at a distance of 97 km from Dhar town. These are renowned for muralpaintings by master painters of ancient India. The use of the word "cave" is a bit of a misnomer, since these are not natural, but instead examples of Indian rock-cut architecture.
The Bagh caves, like those at Ajanta, were excavated by master craftsmen on perpendicular sandstone rock face of a hill on the far bank of a seasonal stream, the Baghani. Buddhist in inspiration, of the nine caves, only five have survived. All of them are 'viharas' or resting places of monks monasteries having quadrangular plan. A small chamber, usually at the back, forms the 'chaitya', the prayer hall. Most significant of these five extant caves is the Cave 4, commonly known as the Rang Mahal (Palace of Colors).
The Bagh Caves were quarried in the 5th-6th century AD, in the very late stages of Buddhism in India, and long after most of the Indian Buddhist Caves had been built, many of them since the 2nd or 1st centuries BCE.[2]
They are believed to have been built during the 5th-7th century. The Archaeological Survey of India has restored the place over 17 years.[3]
The paintings on the wall and ceilings of the Viharas of Bagh, the fragments of which are still visible in Cave 3 and Cave 4 (remnants seen also in Caves 2, 5 and 7), were executed in tempera. Cave 2 is the best preserved cave, also known as "Pandava Cave" These paintings are materialistic rather than spiritualistic. Characteristics of paintings are like those of Ajanta Caves. The ground prepared was a reddish-brown gritty and thick mud plaster, laid out on the walls and ceilings. Over the plaster, lime-priming was done, on which these paintings were executed. Some of the most beautiful paintings were on the walls of the portico of Cave 4. To prevent further loss of the values of Indian classical art, most paintings were carefully removed in 1982 and today can be seen in the Gujari Mahal Archeological Museum, in Gwalior.[4]
Mural statues.
Painting of a Bodhisattva in Bagh Cave 2.
Bagh Cave 4 Details of painting.
Bagh Caves, Painting of a Bodhisattva.
DateEdit
A copperplate inscription of Maharaja Subandhu, recording his donation for the repair of the vihara was found at the site of Cave 2. Though, the date of the Bagh inscription is missing, his Badwani copperplate inscription is dated in the year (Gupta era) 167 (487). So the repair of Cave 2 took place in the late 5th century.[5]
^. dhar.nic.in. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010.
^Dutt, Sukumar (1988). Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India: Their History and Their Contribution to Indian Culture. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 162. ISBN9788120804982.
^"Bagh Caves – rock cut Buddhist temples". Retrieved 23 April 2010.
^Verma, Archana (2007). Cultural and Visual Flux at Early Historical Bagh in Central India, Oxford: Archaeopress, ISBN978-1-4073-0151-8, p.19
Further readingEdit
Pande, Anuapa (2002). The Buddhist Cave Paintings of Bagh, New Delhi: Aryan Books International, ISBN81-7305-218-2, sumit vyas
October 14, 2023
bagh, caves, group, nine, rock, monuments, situated, among, southern, slopes, vindhyas, bagh, town, dhar, district, madhya, pradesh, state, central, india, these, monuments, located, distance, from, dhar, town, these, renowned, mural, paintings, master, painte. The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock cut monuments situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Bagh town of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India 1 These monuments are located at a distance of 97 km from Dhar town These are renowned for mural paintings by master painters of ancient India The use of the word cave is a bit of a misnomer since these are not natural but instead examples of Indian rock cut architecture Bagh CavesBagh CavesThe Bagh cavesShown within Madhya PradeshShow map of Madhya PradeshBagh Caves India Show map of IndiaCoordinates22 19 21 63 N 74 48 22 36 E 22 3226750 N 74 8062111 E 22 3226750 74 8062111TypeBuddhist cavesThe Bagh caves like those at Ajanta were excavated by master craftsmen on perpendicular sandstone rock face of a hill on the far bank of a seasonal stream the Baghani Buddhist in inspiration of the nine caves only five have survived All of them are viharas or resting places of monks monasteries having quadrangular plan A small chamber usually at the back forms the chaitya the prayer hall Most significant of these five extant caves is the Cave 4 commonly known as the Rang Mahal Palace of Colors The Bagh Caves were quarried in the 5th 6th century AD in the very late stages of Buddhism in India and long after most of the Indian Buddhist Caves had been built many of them since the 2nd or 1st centuries BCE 2 They are believed to have been built during the 5th 7th century The Archaeological Survey of India has restored the place over 17 years 3 Contents 1 The Paintings 2 Date 3 See also 4 Notes 5 Further readingThe Paintings EditThe paintings on the wall and ceilings of the Viharas of Bagh the fragments of which are still visible in Cave 3 and Cave 4 remnants seen also in Caves 2 5 and 7 were executed in tempera Cave 2 is the best preserved cave also known as Pandava Cave These paintings are materialistic rather than spiritualistic Characteristics of paintings are like those of Ajanta Caves The ground prepared was a reddish brown gritty and thick mud plaster laid out on the walls and ceilings Over the plaster lime priming was done on which these paintings were executed Some of the most beautiful paintings were on the walls of the portico of Cave 4 To prevent further loss of the values of Indian classical art most paintings were carefully removed in 1982 and today can be seen in the Gujari Mahal Archeological Museum in Gwalior 4 nbsp Mural statues nbsp Painting of a Bodhisattva in Bagh Cave 2 nbsp Bagh Cave 4 Details of painting nbsp Bagh Caves Painting of a Bodhisattva Date EditA copperplate inscription of Maharaja Subandhu recording his donation for the repair of the vihara was found at the site of Cave 2 Though the date of the Bagh inscription is missing his Badwani copperplate inscription is dated in the year Gupta era 167 487 So the repair of Cave 2 took place in the late 5th century 5 nbsp Caves overview nbsp Entrance nbsp Pillars nbsp Front of the caves nbsp Monumental statues nbsp ASI notice See also EditCetiya Ajanta Caves Bedse Caves Bhaja Caves Kanheri Caves Karla Caves Nasik Caves Pitalkhora Caves Shivneri Caves Dambulla cave temple Cave paintings in India nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buddhist Caves No 1 to 7 in Bagh nbsp India portalNotes Edit Places to Visit Official Website of District Administration Dhar dhar nic in Archived from the original on 18 December 2010 Dutt Sukumar 1988 Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India Their History and Their Contribution to Indian Culture Motilal Banarsidass p 162 ISBN 9788120804982 Bagh Caves Palace of Colours Bagh Caves rock cut Buddhist temples Retrieved 23 April 2010 Verma Archana 2007 Cultural and Visual Flux at Early Historical Bagh in Central India Oxford Archaeopress ISBN 978 1 4073 0151 8 p 19Further reading EditPande Anuapa 2002 The Buddhist Cave Paintings of Bagh New Delhi Aryan Books International ISBN 81 7305 218 2 sumit vyas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bagh Caves amp oldid 1168528050, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
