BHIM's BAZAR, Dhamnar

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A man-made Buddhist 'cave temple' (rock-cut chamber used for religious purposes) excavated in a low hill (Deogarh Hill) of coarse laterite of a very friable description (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 11: 283) or cellular iron clay (TOD, J 1829-1832, 2: 577-581) at –>Dhamnar. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1829: … the most extensive excavation at Dhoomnar, locally designated as Bheem's Bazaar. The extreme length of this excavation is about a hundred feet, and the breadth eighty. Although the name of this leader of the Pandus [Pandava brothers] designates every subdivision of this cave, yet everything is Budhist [Buddhist] (TOD, J 1829-1832 / 1914, 1997, 2: 580). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1908: Bhim's Bazar, the largest cave in the series [of excavations at –>Dhamnar], measuring 115 feet by 80 [35.05 by 24.4 m] is curious as being a combined vihara and chaitya hall. The roof has fallen in, but that of the chamber in which the stupa is situated was ribbed in imitation of wooden rafters (IMPERIAL GAZETTER 1907-1909, 11: 283).