Junnar Caves

Information about Junar Caves

Location:  Junnar caves (Junnar Near Pune)

State: Maharashtra

Capital: Mumbai

Language: Marathi, Hindi, English

Temperature: Max 42˚C, Min 27˚C (summer), Max 26˚C, Min 14˚C (winter)

Best Season: September to March

How to Reach:

By Air
Pune city has its own airport.The airport is well connected with the major cities of India, like Delhi and Mumbai, by direct as well as regular flights.

By Rail Pune also has a railways station of its own, which is well linked with Mumbai and other major cities in and around Maharashtra.

By Road
Pune has good road links with most of the cities in and around the state. Private as well as State Transport buses ply from the city.Taxis are also easily available.

These caves are the excellent example of Buddhist sculpture of Satvaahana Period in Western India. Junnar sculpture is the example of rock-cut circular shrines same as Guntupalli in A. P. and Kondivate near Mumbai. ‘Junnar’ word has originated from another Sanskrit word ‘Jirna Nagar’ or ‘A Ruined City’. So, this has been one of the oldest cities of the ancient India. It was the capital city of Satvaahanas who ruled this region during that period. During this glorious era of art & culture, more than 100 caves were carved out in the mountains around the city. These caves have been carved out here between 2nd century BC. to 3rd century AD.

Junnar is a town in Pune district of Maharastra. This is 117 km away from Mumbai on Mumbai-Aurangabad route.

The caves are divided in three major groups. Tulija Lena Group, on the western side, has a circular dome ceiling in the Chaitya Hall (Cave No. 3). Ganesha Lena Group, on the other side of the river, up the mountainside, has large number of small cells and Vigrahas in the group, the principal being the Chaitya Cave No. 6 and the Vihara is now known as the Ganesha Lena. Since this group belongs to the later days, the capitals of the pillars here have the decorations resembling the Nasik style. Buta Lena Group is on the eastern side. This third group of caves, located 1.5 kms south of the town, has a well preserved facade. The Chaitya Cave is cave no.6 and cave no.7 is the biggest Vihara Cave.

This trend of carving out the cave temples by piercing the mountains actually originated in India and spread with Buddhism via central Asia to other Asian countries. If the travelling monks had a Buddhist vision at any particular place or was mesmerised by its spiritual or scenic impact on them, they used to start carving these masterpieces. These were used as a place of worship or meditation not only by the monks but the pilgrims and traders also. These caves also were used for secular motifs. Often located on the trade routes, these were also used as banks and ware houses! A strict set of rules was followed to make the Buddhist images in them. The images and walls were also beautifully painted. Many inscriptions mention the donations to Buddhist Chaityas in western India from merchants and then monks and nuns themselves.

Junnar is also near to 300-meter high Shivneri Fort, the birth place of the Maratha king Chatrapati Shivaji.One of the eight temples of Lord Ganesha, Lenyadri, is also located on a mountain at Junnar. This has also been carved out of mountain rocks. Shri Vighneshwar temple at Ozar is also a tourist spot, 10 kms from Junnar. The idol of Lord Ganesha in it is believed to be ‘found’, not ‘sculpted’ by human hands.Junnar is famous for the Ganesha decorations during the Ganesha Festival.

It has the largest density of leopard population within a 500 sq km area. It also holds the record for the largest number of leopards trapped within that range ever. This is surrounded by the greenery and dams named Vadaj and Manikdoh, popular picnic spots among locals. Some famous ancient Naneghat caves are also near to it.