MANAMODI, Junnar (Caves of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 18/04/2016

Man-made 'cave temples' (rock-cut chambers used for religious purposes) situated on Manamodi (Manmodi) hill near –>Junnar described HICKMAN (1876: "Bauddha excavations at Nanoli") and BURGESS (1881 or 1883 edited 1994: 26-36: "Manmodi Caves"). KOSAMBI (1960b: 236) reports: »… in one of the caves on Manamodi hill we find the unique and primitive goddess Manamodi being worshipped (under the alternative name Ambika) and we do know that the name is at least as old as the caves. One of the inscriptiones mentions the Order resident at Manamakuda, which is Manamodi … The goddess … is not found elsewhere, in any context; and the three worn Mahayana period relief images that now represent her were not female.«