Nadsur Caves

Thanale Caves or Nadsur Caves is a group of 23 Buddhist caves located 72 km (45 mi) to the southeast of Mumbai, in western Maharashtra, India, at Thanale Village, Taluka Sudhagad in Raigad, 18 km from Pali. These caves belong to first century B.C. It has two chaityas, two stupas and the rest are viharas. These caves are some of the most ancient rock-cut caves not only in Maharashtra but in all India and were located at a complex site of the ancient trade route of Chaul. The earliest caves were probably excavated between 70 and 50 BC, according to paleographic evidence. In 1891 Henry Cousens wrote, "From Nadsur it is a stiff climb and long walk to the caves, which are excavated in the side of a spur of the Ghats two miles to the east of the village... The caves are cut in a long line of trap cliff which faces nearly west, and are eighteen in number, the more important among them being the third, seventh, eighth, and fifteenth from the south end...The interior of many of the caves have been greatly damaged...the facade of almost every cave has disappeared." Cave No 7 is the largest among all caves in the group. The whole of the wall of Cave No 7 is decorated with Buddhist Rail, Arch, and other mouldings with figures of men, women and animals. About it, Cousens wrote: "No. 7 is the most important cave in the whole group, and it also the largest...Around the three sides of this cav

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