Situated
42 kms north of Mumbai, near Borivili, the Kanheri Caves were once
protected by a dense jungle. The Caves are set in the heart of the
Borivili
National Park.
There are 109 Caves dating from 1st
Century BC to 9th Century AD, each connected with a flight of steps. The
most important one is the Cave No. 3 of the 6th Century which has
the last of the excavated Chaitya Hall of the Hinayana Order. It has 34
pillars and is like colonnaded hall 28 mtrs x 13 mtrs. In dimension. These
encircle a 5 mtrs.
High Dagoba or Stupa and have
carvings depicting elephants kneeling and worshipping the Stupa. The other
important caves are, Caves 11 the Durbar Hall, or the Assemble
hall with atatue of the Buddha occupying the central place as in the case
of idols in Hindu temples and also a number of cells for Buddhist monks.
Cave 34 is a dark cell and has paintings of the Buddha on the
ceiling. Cave 41 has, besides other sculptures, a figure o f the eleven
headed
Avalokiteshvara. Cave 67 is a big cell,
with the figure of Avalokiteswara as saviour flanked by two female figures
in the verandah. There are also images of the Buddha depicting the miracle
of Sravasti
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