https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ghorawadi_CavesGhorawadi Caves - Revision history2026-07-31T20:24:20ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Ghorawadi_Caves&diff=465494&oldid=prevSergzrr at 05:04, 5 January 20252025-01-05T05:04:44Z<p></p>
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{{Infobox Cave<br />
| name = Ghorawadi Caves<br>Ghoradeshwar caves<br>Shelarwadi caves<br />
| photo =Ghoradeshwar (Shelarwadi) Leni.jpg<br />
| photo_caption =The caves<br />
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| map = India#India Maharashtra<br />
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| label = Sana Caves<br />
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| coords = {{coord|18.692251|73.704056|display=inline, title}}<br />
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The '''Ghorawadi caves''', also known as '''Ghoradeshwar caves''' or '''Shelarwadi caves''', are around {{convert|25|km|0|abbr=on}} northwest of [[Pune]], India, were originally Buddhist caves, and now contain carvings and statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities.<br />
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They are close to the NH4 highway connecting Pune and [[Mumbai]]. The caves were carved out of a single rock formation around the 3rd and 4th century CE.<br />
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There are nine rooms for [[meditation]] adjoining the [[chaityagriha]]. An inscription in [[Brāhmī script]] on one of the walls says that the [[Chaityagriha]] is dedicated with affection to the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] and the [[Samgha]] by the daughters of "Dhapar", who was a disciple of "Bhadantsingh". The chaityagriha is now known as [[Shri Ghorwadeshwar Temple]].<br />
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The caves are situated at the top of a hill. Several caves contain representations of deities including [[Vitthal]], [[Rakhumai]] and [[Tukaram|Saint Tukaram]]. It is said that [[Saint Tukaram]] used to [[meditate]] at Ghorawadi caves and also at places like [[Durga Tekdi]] near [[Nigdi]], [[Bhandara (city)|Bhandara]] and [[Bhamchandra]] near [[Dehu]].<br />
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A large cave contains a representation of [[Shiva|Shivlinga]] that is visited during [[Mahashivratri]] by people seeking the blessings of [[Shiva]].<br />
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==Buddhist Legend==<br />
The caves were earlier known as Chaityagriha or Chaittagriha (in [[Pali]]) caves which carried various inscriptions on it by Buddhist scholars stating these caves were built as a sign of affection to [[Buddha]] and the [[Sangha]] of Buddhist scholar Dhapar.It still contains various ancient Buddhist relics. Some evidences prove the existence of Buddhist Vihara here.<br />
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==Hindu legend==<br />
The Cave structure and the Shiva Linga are of the same stone, thus proving that the temple is as old as the cave. Later, Buddhism dominated the Deccan Plateau region during medieval age, after which Hinduism dominated again. As per Hindu legends, due to unavoidable situations and disasters including famines, the natural beauty in this region started dying. Rivers died, forests started to burn due to heat and as its effect, the biodiversity here stated to vanish. Unique birds like the Great Indian Bustard of this region started to vanish. In order to prevent this, the people of the villages started to worship Shiva by establishing a shivalinga inside these caves. Even though after severe efforts, there was no relief from famines. After all this, in order to protect its clan, a bustard bird started worshipping the Shivalinga. By seeing devotion of an innocent bird to relieve from the disastrous nature, Shiva appeared before the bird and granted him the boon. Today, the Lord here is worshipped as Ghoradeshwar, which is made of two words, Ghorad and Ishwar. The word Ghorad stands for The Indian Busters in Marathi and Ishwar stands for Lord. The word Ghoradeshwar means Lord of the Bustard.<br />
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<gallery><br />
009 Unoccupied Vihara and Cistern (33565064691).jpg|Unoccupied Vihara and cistern.<br />
017 Vihara now Occupied (33565047641).jpg|Vihara, now occupied.<br />
File:012 Shrine in Vihara (33653544526).jpg|[[Vihara]] in Ghoravadi, converted into a Hindu temple.<br />
File:015 Shaivite Shrine (33538101702).jpg|Shaivite Shrine<br />
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</gallery><br />
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==External links==<br />
{{Commons category|Ghoravadi Caves}}<br />
{{Portal|India}}<br />
*[http://wikimapia.org/519107/ Ghorawdeshwar Temple]<br />
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{{Neighbourhoods of Pune}}<br />
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{{Indian Buddhist Caves}}<br />
{{BuddhasHolySites}}<br />
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[[Category:Buddhist caves in Maharashtra]]<br />
[[Category:Caves of Maharashtra]]<br />
[[Category:Rock-cut architecture of India]]<br />
[[Category:Former populated places in India]]<br />
[[Category:Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]]<br />
[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in India]]<br />
[[Category:Caves containing pictograms in India]]<br />
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Maharashtra]]<br />
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