MAHAKALI CAVES
- December 13, 2020
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Subject: Arts & Culture
Concept:
- The Mahakali Caves, are a group of 19 rock-cut monuments built between 1st century BCE and 6th century CE.
- This Buddhist monastery is located in the eastern suburb of Andheri in the city of Mumbai (Bombay) in western India. Monument consists of two groups of rock-cut caves – 4 caves more to the north-west and 15 caves more to the south-east.
- Most caves are viharas and cells for monks, but Cave 9 of south-eastern group is chaitya.
- Caves in north-west have been created mainly in 4th – 5th century, while south-eastern group is older. Monument contains also rock-cut cisterns and remnants of other structures.
- Caves are carved out of a solid black basalt rock,(volcanic trap breccias, prone to weathering).
- The largest cave at Kondivite (Cave 9) has seven depictions of the Buddha and figures from Buddhist mythology but all are mutilated.