Kondana Caves

[1] About 14 km (8.7 mi) from the Karjat station, on Central Railway, and at the base of the old hill fort of Rajmachi, is the Kondane group of caves, first brought to notice in the 19th century by Vishnu Sastri, and soon after visited by Mr. Law, then collector of Thana.

Water trickles down over the face of the rock above them during a considerable part even of the dry season, and has greatly injured them.

The Vihara at Kondane certainly looks more modern, while the Chaitya, which is very similar in plan and dimensions to that at Bhaja, is so much ruined that it is impossible now to decide which may have been first completed.

Between these two latter pillars a wooden screen or front originally filled the opening to a height of about 10 or 12 feet, in which were the doorways leading to the interior and it was fixed to them, as seems to have been the case with all the earlier caves.

The caves at Bedsa and Karla are apparently among the earliest, where these screens were carved in the rock instead of being erected in the more perishable material.

On the left side is a fragment of sculpture in high-relief part of the head of a single figure about twice life-size.

In the end of this veranda is a raised recess, and under a Chaitya arch is a small dagoba in half relief, apparently the only object of worship when these caves were excavated.

Beyond them is a tank, now filled with mud, then two cells under a deep ledge of over-hanging rock, and, lastly, a small cistern.

Chaitya dagoba .
Chaitya façade detail.
The Chaitya.
Remain of the sculpture of a head, with inscription.
Interior of a vihara .
Veranda of the vihara .
Kondhane Caves Steps
Kondhane Caves Steps