Buddhist Caves at Bedsa

Part of the Entrance to the Chaitya-Griha in the Buddhist Caves at Bedsa

Pune District, Maharashtra

Cave temples appeared around the 2nd century B.C. in India. Many caves were carved out. One of the early cave temples was Bedsa Caves (2nd B.C. to 1st century B.C.) The cave temple consist of chaitya-griha that is prayer hall and vihara that is living place for monks. There is a stupa inside chaitya-griha and the stupa was worshipped there. It seems that the chaitya-griha where there is a stupa were carved out in consideration of sunlight. In Bedsa Caves, there is a small unfinished stupa and from that, we can know how the stupa was carved out from the rock. The cave temples were evolved or added in different period.