Kanheri Caves

The Kanheri caves are located 10 km away from Borivali, and in the midst of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Maharashtra.

Kanheri caves, perhaps, are the most easily reachable among all caves, and also the lonely one in the midst of a national park in India. The 109 caves are reachable through the Sanjay Gandhi national park, a good way to reach a religious destination. The place is splendid, considering the integration of lush greens and rare artistic examples, but is surprising to learn that once it was a thriving trade route, and home to a Buddhist university, well known to the world.

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The Buddhist pilgrim's progress ends not far from the Borivali railway station, but more interestingly, for most, it is just a beginning of another journey, spiritual and deeply religious.

Attractions
The caves are always beautiful, but the most exquisite piece of artistic example lies at the top, where fantastic sculptures of goddess Tara and Goddess Bhrukti with the central structure of Avalokiteswara, with five symbols each in the right and the left is housed.

The caves are considered to be in use during the period of 1st century BC to 9th century AD, primarily Buddhist monks, and some of the traders who travelled from the nearby places for religious favors. However, the most appealing is the Chaitya cave, built sometime during the 4th to 5th Century AD, with signs of decorative woodwork on the roof still present, is definitely a big draw for the tourists.

There are many sculptured statues of Buddha, on the outer sides of the wall, mainly in the Avalokiteswara incarnation. There are, nevertheless, difference in the artistic representation, when contrasted with one another, may be due to the difference of time when they were built.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park, with vivid treasury of wildlife, beautifully green landscape, well laid zigzag roads and kind-hearted monkey band is another plus point for making the place such a hotspot for the tourist folk. The caves represent a golden beginning and the end of Buddhism in Northern India.
Most interestingly, with the rock cut sculptures, the individual travellers carved some useless graffiti out, and one will be amazed to know from these graffiti that these caves have been in the tourist map from the 16th century.