History of Karla Caves
Karla Caves are a set of rock cut Buddhist Caves located around 55 Kms from Pune city on Pune Lonawala route. The caves contain both Chaityas and Viharas and are said to have been built around 2nd century BC to 5th century CE.
Path To Karla Caves
The path to the caves is little mountanious and one need to do a hiking of around 20 minutes from the base station to reach at the top. The caves are still in well preserved condition and it is a fascinating experience to visit and see them.
Cave No 8(Grand Chaitya)
Particularly famous is Cave No 8 also called as ‘Grand Chaitya’ which is the largest Chaitya in India. The thing that particularly struck me during my visit was the fine detailing at the walls of the Chaityas. The detailing and the quality of carving shows the level of fineness achieved by the Indian craftsmen at that time.
Karla Caves are a must visit place for those who want to go back into the history of India and revisit its cultural heritage. For me it was a rejuvenating experience to visit these caves and see to the Indian cultural heritage through my own eyes.
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