View source for Dhank Caves

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox Cave
| name = Dhank Caves
| photo =Dhank Caves.jpg
| photo_caption =Jain Carving at Dhank Caves
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| map_caption = Location in Gujarat
| label = Dhank Caves
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{{Jainism}}
The '''Dhank Caves''' are located near Dhank village near [[Upleta]], [[Rajkot district]], [[Gujarat]], India. They were chiseled out of a [[Calcareous|calcareous sandstone]] outcropping during the regime of the [[Western Satraps]]. The caves are influenced by [[Buddhist]] and [[Jain]] cultures. The [[Jain]] cave includes figures of  [[Adinath Shiva|Adinath]], [[Shantinath]] and [[Pārśva]].<ref name=Archaeological>{{cite web|last=Archaeological Survey of India, Vadodara Circle|title=Dhank Caves|url=http://www.asivadodaracircle.in/sites/dhank-caves/about|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|access-date=1 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235156/http://www.asivadodaracircle.in/sites/dhank-caves/about|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> These are considered to be the earliest Jain sculptures in [[Kathiawad]].

==Details of Jain Carvings==
This caves were carved in the seventh century A.D. and have a plain style of carving.<ref name=James>{{cite book|last1=Fergusson|first1=James|last2=Burgess|first2=James|title=The cave temples of India|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=978-1108055529|pages=186, 200–203|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bVXa9JyxOw4C&q=%22dhank%22+caves&pg=PA527|date=2013-05-06}}</ref>

This is one of the earliest rock cut cave of Gujarat. This place is also known as Dhankgiri and about 48&nbsp;km of Junagadh in north west direction. on western side of the hill there are three niches. One niche is facing the door and another two are situated on either side of it.<ref>{{Citation|last=Unexplored Sites of Gujarat, India|title=Khushboo Gujarat Ki! Dhank jain and Buddhist caves (ढांक गाव की तीसरी सदी की प्राचीन जैन गुफा)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVGSxax3vtQ|access-date=2019-02-04}}</ref>

The door facing niche contains some Jain Images in [[kayotsarga]] and meditation posture. Most of Savior sculpture do not contain a clear cognizance or symbol of [[Tirthankara]] but according to H. D. Sanklia this image represents [[Rishabhanatha|Rishabhnatha]].<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 25201741|title = The Earliest Jain Sculptures in Kāthiāwār|journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland|volume = 70|issue = 3|pages = 426–430|last1 = Sankalia|first1 = H. D.|year = 1938|doi = 10.1017/S0035869X00077844| s2cid=162887748 }}</ref> On either side of Jina two whisk bearers are depicted and Jina is sitting on a lion throne or Simhasan. There are two another mediation posture images of [[Tirthankara]] saviors containing two whisk bearers on either side with serenity and tranquility on face. Triple canopies were depicted over the head of Jina. One of these image is depicted with Deer cognizance attributed to 16th Lord [[Shantinatha]].

One well preserved image of 23rd TIrthankara [[Parshvanatha]] is depicted in kayotsarga posture with long limbs parallel to body and cobra hood canopied. An image of Jaina yakshi ambika is also carved here who contains an infant in her arm and another with mango bud. from the ongoing discussion it is clearly evident that Dhank caves are attributed to Jainism and dwellers of these caves were Jain. Burgess did not say anything about the date of the Dhank caves but according to scholar H.D. Sanklia these caves could be hailed from third century AD after examining the Jaina sculpture's Style and Iconography. This cave is attributed to [[Digambar|Digamabar Jain]].<ref name="Dhank">{{cite book|title=Aspect of Jaina art and architecture|authors=Umakant Premanand Shah, Madhusudan A. Dhaky|publisher=Gujarat State Committee for the Celebration of 2500th Anniversary of Bhagavān Mahāvīra Nirvāna : distributors, L.D. Institute of Indology|year=1975|pages=77, 78}}</ref>

There is second set of caves nearby known as Jhunjhurijhar caves having small rock cut rooms and baked bricks pillars.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* 
{{Buddhist sites in Gujarat}}
{{Jain Caves in India}}
{{Jainism Topics}}
{{Indian Buddhist Caves}}


[[Category:Jain rock-cut architecture]]
[[Category:Buddhist caves in India]]
[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in India]]
[[Category:Buddhist sites in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Caves of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Indian rock-cut architecture]]
[[Category:Former populated places in India]]
[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Caves containing pictograms in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Rajkot district]]
[[Category:3rd-century Jain temples]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Jain caves in India]]


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