Sana Caves of Prabhas Patan are located about 7 km south-east of Vearval and 2km north-east of Somnath Mahadev mandir.

The rock cut carving includes 62 caves spread over the hill consisting stupas, chaityas, pillows and benches.

Most of the caves were carved at different heights and levels in the spur and could be approached by simple stairs cut into the rock.

The presence of multiple tanks in this group of caves bears evidence to the importance given to water harvesting.

With rock cut walls present on three sides and an oblong mouth on the other, these tanks were perfect for retaining water during the bleaker seasons.

These caves are oft visited by tourists looking for deeper insights into the art forms and architectural designs of the Buddhist period.

A walk through Sana Caves takes you to exciting viharas, which refers to pillared verandahs containing one or two cells.

These cells have rock cut benches inside them that were probably used for resting, sitting or taking shelter during the rains.

This was the period when Ashoka the Great ruled Saurashtra and was striving to spread the teachings and philosophy of Gautam Buddha across his empire.

The ideology of Buddhism started gaining roots in various places in Gujarat, including Junagadh, Somnath, Velavar and the mouth of the River Indus—along with a host of other far flung areas in the state.

The accounts written by Chinese scholars and travelers of the likes of Hiuen Tsiang and I-Tsing bear testimony to the spread of Buddhism in these parts of the world.

Various archaeological remains and historical facts point to the development of embellishments and shelters in and around the areas of Somnath and Vadnagar.