PANDU LENA, Nasik
19.933300,73.750000
Description
A group of »17 old Buddhist caves« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 18: 411), »21 Hinayana Buddhist caves« (note 1), »24 Hinayana Buddhist caves« (note 2), »24 Early Buddhist caves« (note 3) or simply »24 Buddhist caves« (note 4), which »are of three kinds: chaitya or chapel caves, layanas or dwelling caves, and sattras or dining caves« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 18: 411), contain not only »some vivid ancient carvings« but also inscriptions dated (note 5) to around the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD (LONELY PLANET, India 1990: 650; 1997: 856; 2005: 725) but also to the 3rd or 6th century AD (GLASENAPP 1928: 60). ETYMOLOGY: Named after the Pandava brothers, I saw the name of this "lena" (note 1) called, transcribed, translated, edited of printed as Caves AMERICAN MILITARY SERVICE (1962 sheet NE43-02 Ahmednagar, U502 series) Nashik Caves TARN (1938 edited 1951 revised 1984, 1997: 254-258, 371-372, 416-418)Nasick caves DELAMAINE (1830) Pandav Caves DUTT, Manvesh (s.a. circa 2005: 9) Pandav Leni »pronounced Pandu Lena« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 725; 2009: 816) Pandu Lena GLASENAPP, H (1928: 60); IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 18: 411-412); LONELY PLANET, India (1990: 650; 1993: 792; 1997: 856; 2001: 767; 2003: 785; 2005: 725; 2009: 816); LONELY PLANET, South India (2001: 220) Pandulalenas LAW, B C (1937 ed. 1976). SITUATION 1909: »… in one of three isolated hills, close to the Bombay road, which are called in the inscriptions Trirashmi« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 18: 411-412). SITUATION 1962: »Caves« is indicated near N19°55': E073°45' on AMS sheet NE43-02 Ahmednagar (U502 series, 1962 edition) at a travelling distance of about 5 miles (8 km) along the road south-west from »Nasik« (Nashik) towards Bombay (re-named Mumbai) and on the south-east side of the road. SITUATION 1990, 1993: About 8 km »south-west of Nasik, close to the Bombay road« (LONELY PLANET, India 1990: 650; 1993: 792). SITUATION 1997, 2001, 2003: About 8 km »south of Nasik, close to the Mumbai road« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 856; 1999: 908; 2001: 767; 2003: 785; 2009: 816). SITUATION 2001: About 8 km »south of Nasik near the Mumbai road« (LONELY PLANET, South India 2001: 220). SITUATION 2005, 2009: About 8 km »south of Nasik along the Mumbai road« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 725; 2009: 816). DESCRIPTION: »Providing an excellent view of the countryside and some vivid ancient carvings are the hillside caves of Pandav Leni (pronounced Pandu Lena, phone 0253-2380529, Indian foreigner Rs 5/ US$ 2, opening time 8am-6pm) … A stiff 10-minute hike up a stone stairway brings you to the group of 24 Early Buddhist caves … All are viharas (monasteries) except for cave 18, which is a chaitya (temple)« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 725). CULTURAL HISTORY -- rock (inscriptions): Nabapana, a Shaka Kshatrapa probably appointed by the contemporary Kushana Emperor, was ruling over Konkan, Pune, Nasik and some other districts of Maharashtra as well as some portion of Central India as far north as Ajmer. Several inscriptions of his son-in-law Ushavadata (Sanskrit) or Rishabhadatta (Pali) have been incised in the Pandu Lena caves near Nasik. Ushavadata was the son of Dinika and had married Dakshamitra, the daughter of Nahapana. These records in the Nasik caves describe the charities and conquests of Ushavadata, who was evidently governing Northern Maharashtra and Konkan on behalf of his father-in-law. We learn from them that Ushavadata gave away three hundred thousand cows, construded ghats at the river Barnasa, gifted sixteen villages to gods and Brahmanas, fed a hundred thousand Brahmans every year, got eight Brahmans of Prabhasa, or Somanath Patan married at his expense, constructed rest-houses, made gardens and tanks at Bharukaccha (Broach), Dashapura (Mandasor in Malwa), Govardhana (near Nasik) and Shorparaga (Sopara in the Thana District), provided ferry-boats at the rivers Iba, Paraba, Damana, Tapi, Karabena and Dahanuka and founded some benefactions in the village Nanangola for Brahmanas residing in Pinditakavada, Govardhana, Shorparaga and Ramatirtha. The same inscription further tells us that he marched to the north at the command of Nahapana and rescued the Uttamabhadras, who had been attacked by the Malayas (Malwas) and then proceeded to the holy tirtha Pushkara near Ajmer and there bathed and gave three thousand cows and a village in charity. He got a cave excavated in the Trirashmi hill near Nasik and assigned it to the Buddhist monks. He invested large sums of Karshapanas with the trade-guilds at Govardhana and assigned the yearly interest on them for the maintenance and well-being of the monks living in the caves excavated by him (Epigraphia Indica VIII: 82). CULTURAL HISTORY -- entertainment (Journalese goss), literally quoted. Secure fragile items, avoid awkward reading positions and learn how »in the West-South direction near by the Anjangiri vallies on Agra - Bombay Road are situated three conch Shaped narrow vallies. This vallies are called the 'Pandav Caves'. These are also called Trirashmi (the three rays of sun). These are so called because on looking from over the mountain these three vallies look like the tongue of fire. The Pandav Caves are situated 6 K.M. away fromthe Southern Agra-Bombay Road from the central bus stand. There are 194 stone stairs to get down to the caves. One can get the caves by climbing these stairs. As room as one climbs he can see the cave number 10 in which there are total 24 caves. This is very unique model of sculpture and craft. In terms of Vastness Cave Nos. 3, 10, 14. 18 and 20 are very important« (DUTT, Manvesh s.a. circa 2005: 9).
NOTE 1: »21 Hinayana Buddhist caves« (LONELY PLANET, India 1990: 650; 1993: 792). NOTE 2: »24 Hinayana Buddhist caves« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 856). NOTE 3: »24 Early Buddhist caves« (LONELY PLANET, India 2001: 767; 2003: 785; 2005: 725; 2009: 816). NOTE 4: »24 Buddhist caves« (LONELY PLANET, South India 2001: 220). NOTE 5: GLASENAPP (1928: 60) dates the cave temples to the 3rd or 6th century AD. NOTE 6: The term “lena” (Pali) in its generic sense is a common designation for five kinds of monastic abodes: 1) vihara (monastery), 2) addhayoga / mandapam (pillared assembly hall), 3) pasada (palace), 4) hammiya (mansion, cell, house) and 5) guha (DUTT, Sukumar 1962: 138-161; LAW, Bimala C 1976: 194).
Documents
Bibliography 01/05/2016- Badin, Adolphe 1867, 1870, 1876; Blavatsky, Helene Petrovna [pseudonym Radda Bai 1879-1882, 1883-1886], 1892 edited 1899, 1908, 1918, 1934, 1950, 1975, etc.; Dutt, Manvesh s.a. circa 2005; Glasenapp, Helmuth von 1928; Imperial Gazetteer 1907-1909; Indien Handbuch 1984, 1994, 1998; Law, Bimala Churn 1937 edited 1976; Lonely Planet, India 1981, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1977, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009; Lonely Planet, South India 2001; Watson, J W 1884.16.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.4 | DHERM RAJ LENA | ||
| 8.9 | TABOVAN, Nasik (Caves at) | ||
| 9.6 | SITA GUMPHA, Nasik | ||
| 13.5 | CHAMBAR LENA | ||
| 17.5 | ANJANERI HILL CAVE, 2nd | ||
| 17.5 | ANJANERI HILL CAVE, 3rd | ||
| 20.9 | VRIDDHA GANGA GUMPHA | ||
| 20.9 | GORAKHNATH GUMPHA, Trimbak | ||
| 20.9 | GAHININATH GUMPHA, Trimbak |