Trirshmi caves Buddhist caves information in English

 Trirshmi caves, Buddhist caves Nashik information in English 

• Location: 

This cave group is located on a hill near Nashik city in Nashik district of Maharashtra state. 

• How to get there: 

• These caves are just 8 kilometers away from Nashik city. 

• These caves are 219 kilometers away from Pune city. 

• These caves are 159 kilometers away from Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra. 

• Mumbai and Pune are international airports. And nearby Nashik is connected to other places in India by road, rail and air. 

• Places to visit in the Trirashmi Cave area: 

• You can reach these Trirashmi Caves in half an hour from Nashik city by private vehicle or public vehicle. 

• Magnificent Buddha Stupa: 

On the way to the Trirashmi Caves, you will come across a magnificent stupa. Which was recently built for the new Buddhists. Outside which there is a beautiful garden. Inside there is a spacious courtyard. In the middle is the image of Tathagata Gautam Buddha and seeing his calm posture relieves the stress on the mind. 

• Footpath: 

After seeing the magnificent stupa, we move forward and find the path leading to the Trirashmi Caves. Through this path, we reach the vehicle base. From there, we can reach these caves by footpath. After taking the inspection ticket, we reach the area of the caves.

Cave number 1 and 2: 

These caves are of the early period and their construction is incomplete. There is a water tank on the outside. There is a square pillar on the outside of the second cave. Inside it is a courtyard and on its inside is a wide hall and on its inside are carved devas for meditation and sleeping. This is a Buddhist monastery. 

• Cave number 3: Mahadevi Cave 

This cave was excavated by the Satavahana queen Gautami Balashri. On the outside of this cave, there is a sculpture of six men. This cave is made in the form of a palanquin and these men are its attendants. They are in three forms on both sides of the entrance. A katta is carved on it and there is a kumbha on it. There are circular pillars on it. There is a horizontal strip on the top. The pillars are carved with the designs of animals like Chakra, Lion, Elephant, Taurus. A osari can be seen carved on its inside. In front of the osari, we can see the outer wall of the caves. On it, the entrance gatekeepers are carved on two sides. The sculpture on the outer gate gives information about the bravery of the then Satavahana king. An incident from the life of Shivaswati Satakarni and his wife Rajalakshmi is engraved. Rajalakshmi was kidnapped by Nahapana Raja. He defeated her and brought Rajalakshmi back. This entire story and the life of Pulakeshi, the son of Vasishti, can be seen engraved. The Hindu swastika and chakra symbols are also seen. Inside this cave, there is a hall 45 feet long, 41 feet wide and 10.5 feet high. Inside this hall, there are meditation and sleeping rooms for young Buddhist monks. 

There is an inscription in the cave. It is in Brahmi language. From this, it is understood that Gautami putra Satakarni donated a field of two hundred Nivartanas in the village of Ajkal Pakdi in this area to the Buddhist monks in this cave to dig this cave. This is a monastery where Buddhist monks used to practice knowledge and asceticism. Another inscription can be seen here. 

There is a small room next to this Mahadevi cave. Where cooking work must have been done.

• Cave No. 5,6,7: 

These caves are incomplete. Due to difficulties in construction due to brittle stones, they are incomplete. 

• Cave No. 8: 

Cave No. 8 is located near a water tank and there are inscriptions in this place. There is a record of donating land for the cave. There is a mention of the donation made for the construction of the cave and the water tank. 

• Cave No. 9: 

We can enter this cave through the steps next to the water tank. There is a small porch and three chambers inside. Here, lions, elephants, and bulls are carved on the pillars. 

• Cave No. 10, 11, 12, 13: 

These caves have caves with a wide chamber on the outside and a meditation chamber inside. Some are incomplete. 

• Cave No. 14: 

There is a small water tank outside this cave. There is a female face sculpture on the tank. This is Sitla Mata. She is worshipped to prevent chickenpox. It is believed that its location is near water. Since the area in front of this tank was unsuitable for cave construction, they left it and started digging the fifteenth cave a short distance ahead.

• Cave No. 15: 

The fifteenth cave has no wall on the outside. A Buddha statue is carved in this. The Dharma Chakra is drawn at the feet of the Buddha. A serpent deity is also carved and we can see him sitting bowing down. A calm expression is visible on the face of the Buddha. On the left side, a Buddha statue sitting in a lotus flower is carved. Here too, a serpent deity is carved. 

The caves in this cave group are built during the Hinayana and Mahayana periods. The idol caves with Buddha statues were dug during the Mahayana period. From here, the city of Nashik can be seen. 

• Cave No. 16: 

The sixteenth cave has a statue of Gautam Buddha. In this, Buddha is giving the message of enlightenment. And on the side, servants are serving with fours. A peaceful expression is visible on the face of the Buddha statue.

• Cave No. 17: 

This cave is a monastery. There are four pillars on the outside. On the top of the pillar, an elephant is carved and a female mahout is carved on it. There are holes in the place of the elephant's tusks. It is believed that ivory from real dead elephants was used to be placed in this. 

There is a porch on the back of the pillar and a spacious courtyard inside. There are small monks' quarters next to the cave. It seems that an attempt was made to establish a Shivling here. Sculptures of a bull, a lion and an elephant are carved in this cave. An inscription is seen in this cave. Indradhihuni Datta has donated two rooms, a prayer hall and two water tanks here in memory of his parents for attaining merit. 

Trirshmi caves Buddhist caves information in English 

• Cave No. 18: 

Cave No. 18 is a Chaityagriha. Beautiful carvings are carved on the outside when entering. There is a structure with a peepal leaf pattern on the upper side to be the entrance to the light. There are pillars on both sides of the inner side of the chaitya. There is a circumambulation path behind the pillars. This chaitya is 39 feet long, 21 feet wide and 12 feet high. There is a stupa in the final area of the chaitya. The stupa is complete with a vedika strip and a Harmika Chautharya. An inscription is seen engraved in Brahmi on the fifth and sixth pillars of this chaitya. It is understood from its reading that it was donated by a woman. From this, it is understood that women used to do charity work at that time. This is understood. Prayers were offered at this place. And the stupa parikrama in which the bones of Buddhist monks were kept. From which positive energy used to flow.

• Cave No. 19: 

Very simple and very ancient, i.e. the outer pillars are small. There is a small porch and a cave wall on its inside and a small chamber inside. The lattice windows are carved into the entire rock wall to allow air to pass through. It is understood from the inscription here that this cave was carved in the 2nd century BC. This inscription of the Satavahana king Krishna is accompanied by a record of donation.

Cave number 20: 

The twentieth cave has to be seen by climbing the stairs. This is the largest cave here. It is a monastery. On the outside there are pillars, then a porch, then a wide hall 45 feet long and 41 feet wide. After that, there are many meditation rooms inside, after this hall, there are more pillars, on which beautiful carvings are carved. After this, a sanctum sanctorum is seen dug here again during the Mahayana period. In this sanctum sanctorum, Buddha statues are sculpted in the form of Chakrapani and Padmapani. On the porch here, an inscription of Yajna Shri Satakarni can be seen on the back left side. 

• Cave number 21: 

A water tank is found on the way to this cave. This is a small hall. Or it must be a room for storing materials. 

• Cave number 22: 

There is a small room here. 

• Cave numbers 23 and 24: 

You have to go here through a narrow path. At the beginning of this cave, there is a water tank. Which is very deep. We can see a lattice gate installed on it for security. After this, there is a spacious courtyard.

• Cave No. 23: 

Outside this cave, Buddha sculptures are carved in the form of Chakrapani and Padmapani. Inside, there is also a Buddha statue, and Buddha is seen seated in the Dhammachakra Pravartan state. These statues are slightly broken. However, the beauty of the faces of these statues, the calm expression, and the bright eyes make the eyes water. Many sculptures can be seen here. There is a unique joy when you see flying Yakshas who come to garland flowers, and Nagadevatas who offer obeisance. 

• Cave No. 24: 

Like cave no. 24, there is cave no. 24. Here too, there is a Buddha statue and an owl can be seen near its feet. Here, Buddha is seen giving blessings. Some more such sculptures can be seen here. A large sculpture can be seen here. Five heroes can be seen in it. From this heroic picture, it is said that these are Pandava caves. It is believed that Bhima, who is sitting in the middle, and his four brothers Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva are on the sides. But some believe that these are Buddha caves. In that case, whether it is Buddha or Pandavas, whose perspective is different, but the caves of our ancestors, carved out of such deep mountain rocks, are an Indian heritage. They should be preserved. Finally, we get to see a huge sleeping Buddha.

• Historical information about the Trirashmi Caves: 

• The construction of the Trirashmi Caves began in the second century BC during the reign of the then Satavahana Kshatriyas, when Buddhist Hinayana monks started digging them with the financial support of the Kshatriyas. 

• All the kings of the Satavahana period provided significant financial support for the construction of these caves during their respective reigns. This is evident in the inscriptions here. 

• From the first century to the seventh century AD, the Buddhist Buddha sculptures in these caves were created by the Mahayana Panthians. There is also a mention of donations from the local people for this. 

• In the following period, the influence of Buddhism decreased and the spread of Hinduism increased again, so the excavation of the caves here stopped. 

• Later, it is seen that foreign invaders vandalized the idols here to some extent. 

• During the British period, many expert historians studied the inscriptions here and brought the history of these caves into perspective. 

• Currently, these caves are under the control of the Government of Independent India. And they are being developed and used for tourism. 

• This is the information about 

the Trirashmi Buddha / Pandava Caves.