They may seem simple rooms made of rocks, with rock pillars and rock benches. The three huge rooms are tucked in the valley, surrounded by hills and forests. But what makes this bare place special is the fact that it is one of the oldest Buddhist caves in the Indian subcontinent.
The oldest, the Khapara Kodia caves, on the basis of scribbles and short cursive letters on the wall, are dated to 3rd-4th century BC. These caves are also known as Khangar Mahal. They were carved into living rock during the reign of Emperor Ashoka.
An interesting feature of these caves are the water tanks against each room in a grid pattern. It speaks of the height of architectural prowess in ancient India. The caves rooms are also made complete with baths, resting places and nooks for meditation.
Image Credit: gujarattourism
Another marvel in the vicinity is the Uperkot caves. These caves have influence of Satavahana architecture with combination of Graeco- Scythian style. The room are stacked in three tiers. While the lower two storeys have roofs, the third one is covered by a structure like an open terrace. This structure is unique in India, and rarely seen in any other historical monument. The lower floor has exquisitely carved pillars whose base, shaft and capital carry unique decorative design, which may have had the Satavahana art inspiration.
The caves are built in such a way that even the lowest floor get equal ventilation. The structures are also significant for showcasing the scientific accuracy of the earliest methods of water harvesting.
Image Credit: jdmagicbox
In the vicinity of the caves are other architectural wonders like the step-wells. Adi-Chadi Vav looks like a canyon and is carved out of solid rock. 162 stone steps lead to the well shaft. Navghan Kuvo is deeper and has more intricately carved walls, with ancient pigeon holes.
Image Credit: wikimedia
These Buddhist caves are accessible to travellers though out the year. You can reach Uperkot from Porbandar which is 113 km away. State transport buses ply to Uperkot regularly from other major cities in Gujarat.
So, plan your trip to these caves, where Buddhist monks once lived, and now you can visit to get a glimpse of their lives.
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