Kuda Caves | |
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Coordinates | 18°17′07″N 73°04′23″E / 18.285214°N 73.073175°E |
Pilgrimage to |
Buddha's Holy Sites |
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Kuda Caves are located in the small village of Kuda, on the eastern side of the north shore of Murud-Janjira in south Konkan, India. These fifteen Buddhist caves are small, simple, and were excavated in first century BCE.[1]
The verandah of Chaitya has several reliefs of the Buddha, carved with symbols of lotus, wheel and Nagas. Later in 5th/6th century CE, the Buddhist branch of the Mahayana took over the caves and added their sculptures.[1] The first cave has ancient writing on its wall. The sixth cave entrance is adorned with elephants.[2]
The thirty inscriptions describe donations by lay Buddhists and Buddhist monks. Other donors include an iron monger, a banker, a gardener, a writer, physician, a flower vendor and a minister.[1]
Media related to Kuda Caves at Wikimedia Commons