Inside Pandavleni Caves in Nashik

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Gautami Putra Vihara, Pandavleni Caves, Nasik 


If you ever go to Nasik, don't miss the Pandavleni Caves. It is a beautiful complex of about 24 caves carved into the Trirashmi hills. There is a lovely view of Nashik town from the top and since we had visited in the monsoons, a pleasant drizzle made the panorama a visual treat.

These rock cut caves used to serve as monasteries for Buddhist monks. The sketch I have made is of a relief sculpture found in Cave no.3  (Gautamiputra Vihara)  It was pitch dark in there and  our old friends the bats made their presence felt. When I turned on my torch to have a better look, I was astounded by the scale of the sculptures. This one in particular, seemed to loom from above, and I was really spellbound by the planning of the architects of those times. Speaking of which, you must visit Ajanta and Ellora caves at least once in your lifetime! Visiting these places makes me feel really humbled by what they were able to achieve painstakingly and with acumen built over time to create monuments that I would never have believed possible by puny human beings.   
Location: Nashik, Maharashtra, India

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