Nashik Caves

Why in news?

• Almost two centuries after a British military officer documented the Pandavleni Buddhist caves in a hill in Nashik, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found three more caves in the same area.

About the caves:

• The Nasik Caves, also known as Trirashmi caves, are a group of 23 caves carved between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, though additional sculptures were added up to about the 6th century, reflecting changes in Buddhist devotional practices mainly.
• The location of the caves is about 8 km south of the centre of Nashik in Maharashtra.
• Most of the caves are viharas except for Cave 18 which is a chaitya of the 1st century BCE.
• The caves were inhabited by the Mahayana as well as the Hinayana sects of Buddhism.
• The caves have images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, and sculptures with designs of Indo-Greek architecture.
• The various inscriptions confirm that Nashik in that period was ruled by 3 dynasties – the Western Kshatrapas, the Satavahanas and the Abhiras.
• Apart from these dynasties, local merchants, landlords too supported and donated huge sums for the development of these caves.
• Among the inscriptions, one by Queen Gotami Balasri, mother of deceased Satavahana king Gautamiputra Satakarni, is one of the earlies instances of an inscription made by women in India.
• The "Pandavleni" name sometimes given to the Nasik Caves has nothing to do with the characters Pandavas, characters in the Mahabharata epic.

Prelims question

Consider the following statements regarding Nashik Caves:
1.They belong to both Mahayana and Hinayana phase of Buddhism.
2.Satavahana kings constructed some of the caves in this group.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2 
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question