The Pitalkhora Caves, in the Satmala range of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India, are an ancient Buddhist site consisting of 14 rock-cut cave monuments which date back to the third century BCE, making them one of the earliest examples of rock-cut architecture in India. Located about 40 kilometers from Ellora, the site is reached by a steep climb down a flight of concrete stairs, past a waterfall next to the caves.[1]
The caves are cut in a variety of basalt rock, but some of the caves have crumbled and are damaged. Out of the 14, four are chaityas (one housing votive stupas, one apsidal and single-cell) and the rest are viharas. All the caves belong to the Early Buddhist schools period, but the reasonably well preserved paintings are of the Mahayana period. The caves are in two groups, one of 10 caves and the second of four. It is believed that Pitalkhora can be identified with Ptolemy’s "Petrigala" as well as the "Pitangalya" of Mahamayuri, a Buddhist chronicle. The inscriptions date from c. 250 BCE to the 3rd and 4th centuries CE.[1]
The site shows statues of elephants, two soldiers of which one is intact, a damaged Gaja Lakshmi icon, and an ancient rainwater harvesting system.[1] These caves have been significant in helping establish the chronology of cave building in the Ajanta-Ellora region.[2]
The Chaitya hall, Cave 3 of Pitalkhora, represents an important marker in the chronology of the Chaitya hall design in western India. It is thought that the chronology of these early Chaitya Caves is as follows: first, in the 1st century BCE, Cave 9 at Kondivite Caves and then Cave 12 at the Bhaja Caves, which both predate Cave 10 of Ajanta.[3] Then, after Cave 10 of Ajanta, in chronological order: Cave 3 at Pitalkhora, Cave 1 at Kondana Caves, Cave 9 at Ajanta, which, with its more ornate designs, may have been built about a century later, Cave 18 at Nasik Caves, and Cave 7 at Bedse Caves, to finally culminate with the "final perfection" of the Great Chaitya at Karla Caves.[3]
^ abcPitalkhora Caves 23 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine at Archaeological Survey of India.
^James Burgess (1880). The Cave Temples of India. W.H. Allen & Company. pp. 516–519.
^ abLe, Huu Phuoc (2010). Buddhist Architecture. Grafikol. p. 108. ISBN9780984404308.
Further readingedit
Brancaccio, Pia (2014). "Cave Architecture of India, in Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures": 1–9. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-3934-5_9848-1. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pitalkhora Caves.
Pitalkhora, archeological site, Encyclopædia Britannica
at Archaeological Survey of India
Pitalkhora Yaksha: Sankarin?, M. S. Mate (1966)
Les temples rupestres de Pitalkhora en Inde, S Ueda (1978)
December 18, 2023
pitalkhora, caves, satmala, range, western, ghats, maharashtra, india, ancient, buddhist, site, consisting, rock, cave, monuments, which, date, back, third, century, making, them, earliest, examples, rock, architecture, india, located, about, kilometers, from,. The Pitalkhora Caves in the Satmala range of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra India are an ancient Buddhist site consisting of 14 rock cut cave monuments which date back to the third century BCE making them one of the earliest examples of rock cut architecture in India Located about 40 kilometers from Ellora the site is reached by a steep climb down a flight of concrete stairs past a waterfall next to the caves 1 Pitalkhora CavesOverview of Pitalkhora caves Coordinates20 18 49 N 74 59 39 E 20 313473 N 74 994228 E 20 313473 74 994228GeologyBasalt Contents 1 Description 2 Chronology of the Chaitya hall Cave 3 3 Notes 4 Further reading 5 External linksDescription editThe caves are cut in a variety of basalt rock but some of the caves have crumbled and are damaged Out of the 14 four are chaityas one housing votive stupas one apsidal and single cell and the rest are viharas All the caves belong to the Early Buddhist schools period but the reasonably well preserved paintings are of the Mahayana period The caves are in two groups one of 10 caves and the second of four It is believed that Pitalkhora can be identified with Ptolemy s Petrigala as well as the Pitangalya of Mahamayuri a Buddhist chronicle The inscriptions date from c 250 BCE to the 3rd and 4th centuries CE 1 The site shows statues of elephants two soldiers of which one is intact a damaged Gaja Lakshmi icon and an ancient rainwater harvesting system 1 These caves have been significant in helping establish the chronology of cave building in the Ajanta Ellora region 2 nbsp Some of the caves nbsp Reconstructed vihara cells nbsp Dvarapala statue guarding a cave nbsp Row of broken sculptures of elephants Chronology of the Chaitya hall Cave 3 editThe Chaitya hall Cave 3 of Pitalkhora represents an important marker in the chronology of the Chaitya hall design in western India It is thought that the chronology of these early Chaitya Caves is as follows first in the 1st century BCE Cave 9 at Kondivite Caves and then Cave 12 at the Bhaja Caves which both predate Cave 10 of Ajanta 3 Then after Cave 10 of Ajanta in chronological order Cave 3 at Pitalkhora Cave 1 at Kondana Caves Cave 9 at Ajanta which with its more ornate designs may have been built about a century later Cave 18 at Nasik Caves and Cave 7 at Bedse Caves to finally culminate with the final perfection of the Great Chaitya at Karla Caves 3 nbsp Side view of the Chaitya hall nbsp Cave 3 a Chaitya hall front view nbsp Rows of painted pillars nbsp Ancient paintings Mahayana period Notes edit a b c Pitalkhora Caves Archived 23 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine at Archaeological Survey of India James Burgess 1880 The Cave Temples of India W H Allen amp Company pp 516 519 a b Le Huu Phuoc 2010 Buddhist Architecture Grafikol p 108 ISBN 9780984404308 Further reading editBrancaccio Pia 2014 Cave Architecture of India in Encyclopaedia of the History of Science Technology and Medicine in Non Western Cultures 1 9 doi 10 1007 978 94 007 3934 5 9848 1 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pitalkhora Caves Pitalkhora archeological site Encyclopaedia Britannica Pitalkhora Caves at Archaeological Survey of India Pitalkhora Yaksha Sankarin M S Mate 1966 Les temples rupestres de Pitalkhora en Inde S Ueda 1978 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pitalkhora amp oldid 1186375049, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
