View source for Bava Pyara Caves

{{Short description|Caves in Gujarat, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox cave
| name                      = Bava Pyara caves
| photo                     = Baba Pyra caves.jpg
| photo_caption             = Bava Pyara caves
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| map                       = India#India Gujarat
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| label                     = Sana Caves
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| coords                    = {{coord|21.519878|70.470133|display=inline, title|region:IN_type:landmark}}
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[[File:Plan of Bava Pyara Caves, Junagadh, Gujarat, India.png|thumb|Plan of Bava Pyara caves]]
{{BuddhasHolySites}}
'''Bava Pyara caves''' (also known as '''Baba Pyara caves''') are an example of ancient man-made [[caverns]]. The caves are a part of the [[Junagadh Buddhist Cave Groups]] situated in the eastern part of [[Junagadh]] of the [[India]]n state of [[Gujarat]]. Bava Pyara caves contains artworks of both [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]].

== Caves ==
These caves are arranged in three lines; the first line on the north-facing southwards, the second line on the south from the east end of the first line, and the third line runs back of the second line in west-north-west. The second line has a primitive flat-roofed ''chaitya'' cave having simple cells on either side of it with extra cells on the north and east of it.<ref name="Sankalia1941" />

The Bava Pyara caves were visited by [[James Burgess (archaeologist)|James Burgess]], an English archaeologist and founder of [[The Indian Antiquary]]. He concluded that they have affiliated with both [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]]. According to Burgess these caves were initially built for Buddhists [[bhikkhus]] and were in a later period occupied by Jain ascetics. He was not certain about the exact age of the ancient caves. One fragmentary inscription was found in the Bava Pyara cave that affirms its affiliation to Jainism because one term in that inscription is exclusively used by Jains. The inscription was read as "केवलज्ञान संप्राप्तानां जीतजरामरणानां ".<ref name="Sankalia1941" /><ref>Aspects of Jaina art and architecture, Umakant Premanand Shah, Madhusudan A. Dhaky Gujarat State Committee for the Celebration of 2500th Anniversary of Bhagavān Mahāvīra Nirvāna: distributors, L.D. Institute of Indology, 1975, page no. 75</ref><ref>''Journal of the Oriental Institute'', Volume 49, page no. 83</ref>

The term ''kevalgyan'' was used exclusively by Jains. Scholar H. D. Sankalia attributes these caves to Jainism because of some auspicious symbols typical of Jainism that is depicted above the door's frame. Sankalia recorded about eleven auspicious symbols, "Nandhyavarta", "[[Swastika]]", "Darpan", "Bhadrasana", "Meen Yugal"  and "Purna Ghata". Such symbols were also found on Ayagpattas from Kankali Teela [[Mathura]]. About five such symbols are found in another cave of Bava pyara Caves. These symbols are in a bad state and not recorded, although they were identified as Darpan, Meen Yugal, Purna Ghat, Meen Yugal, Darpan. On a small entrance of one of the caves in the second row at the south end are two symbols depicting [[Yali (mythology)|Vyala]] figures. Burgess and Sanklia failed to notice them. According to [[Madhusudan Dhaky]], based on the Vyala figure, the Bava pyara cave is from the 2nd or 3rd century AD.<ref>Aspects of Jaina art and architecture, Umakant Premanand Shah, Madhusudan A. Dhaky Gujarat State Committee for the Celebration of 2500th Anniversary of Bhagavān Mahāvīra Nirvāna: distributors, L.D. Institute of Indology, 1975, page no. 77–78</ref> Sankalia claimed that the Chaityagruh containing cave should be at least from the 2nd century BC, and caves with symbols carving should be hailed from 2nd or 3rd century AD.<ref name="Sankalia1941">{{cite book |author=Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia |title=The Archaeology of Gujarat: Including Kathiawar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fvAdAAAAMAA |year=1941 |publisher=Natwarlal & Company |pages=47–49 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} [http://www.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/51876 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803130738/http://www.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/51876 |date=3 August 2017 }}</ref>

== Image gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
Bava Pyara caves 001.jpg|Bava Pyara caves
Bava Pyara caves 002.jpg|Bava Pyara caves
Bava Pyara caves 004.jpg|Bava Pyara caves
Bava Pyara caves 005.jpg|Bava Pyara caves
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|India}}
{{Commons category|Bava Pyara Caves}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160804110641/http://www.discoveredindia.com/gujarat/attractions/caves/baba-pyara-junagadh.htm Baba Pyara Junagadh]}}
* [http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/details/6/247 Buddhist caves] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827000647/http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/details/6/247 |date=27 August 2016 }}
* [http://www.jainglory.com/research/baba-pyara History of Baba Pyara cave] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224249/http://www.jainglory.com/research/baba-pyara |date=3 March 2016 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222121/http://www.asivadodaracircle.in/sites/baba-pyare-khapra-kodia-caves/about Baba Pyare, Khapra Kodia Caves]

{{Indian Buddhist Caves}}
{{Jain Caves in India}}
[[Category:History of Jainism]]
[[Category:Jain rock-cut architecture]]
[[Category:Buddhist caves in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Caves of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Rock-cut architecture of India]]
[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Architecture in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Junagadh district]]
[[Category:Caves containing pictograms in India]]
[[Category:2nd-century Jain temples]]