Pitalkhora Caves — Aurangabad Basalt Vihara
Satavahana (200 BCE–300 CE)·Buddhist Hinayana and Mahayana·🇮🇳 Maharashtra, India
About
About Pitalkhora Caves — Aurangabad Basalt Vihara
Pitalkhora Caves — Aurangabad Basalt Vihara in Maharashtra, India is a Satavahana (200 BCE–300 CE) rock_cut attributed to Buddhist Hinayana and Mahayana. 14 Buddhist caves with chaitya hall and apsidal temple, one of earliest Western Ghats. Pitalkhora basalt caves with yaksha sculptures and ivory carving influence, wooden façade.
Why it mattersKey Buddhist Hinayana and Mahayana reference site for the Maharashtra
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Rock-cut chronology
- 02Chalcolithic sequence refinement
Theories
- 01Mahayana mural transmission
- 02Harappan sherd seriation
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 150 BCE
- Period
- Satavahana (200 BCE–300 CE)
- Culture
- Buddhist Hinayana and Mahayana
- Purpose
- 14 Buddhist caves with chaitya hall and apsidal temple, one of earliest Western Ghats
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 150 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1900 CE
Archaeological survey
On the ground
Structures & features
20.3200° N · 75.5000° E · 500 m · 3 mapped features
- Pitalkhora Caves — Aurangabad Basalt Vihara — Chaitya HallchaityaRock-cut chaitya hall with vault and stupa20.3202° N · 75.5001° E
- Pitalkhora Caves — Aurangabad Basalt Vihara — Vihara CellsviharaVihara monk cells with rock-cut beds20.3198° N · 75.5002° E
- Pitalkhora Caves — Aurangabad Basalt Vihara — Façade GavakshafacadeHorseshoe gavaksha window carving20.3204° N · 75.4998° E
Gallery