Trirashmi Buddhist Caves

Trirashmi Buddhist caves are a group of 24 caves carved between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, though additional sculptures were added up to about the 6th century, reflecting changes in Buddhist devotional practices mainly. Nashik city, Maharashtra state of India.

I got to know many things there..Just one should have the senses to figure it out.

A journey from Buddha Caves to Pandava Caves. . The oldest structures in India (with one exception) are the "Buddha Caves" carved in stone. This is a historical and archeological fact. Emperor Ashoka first donated by carving caves in the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills (now in Jehanabad district of Bihar state). After that this very innovative art started spreading in other regions. In Maharashtra, the huge mountain range of rocks became the mainstay of the art and the highest number of caves in India can be seen on the shoulders of many mountains. According to Vinaya, after begging, Buddhist monks want to spend all their time in solitude for meditation and study. These monks used to live in these caves in the mountains. The locals may not know that they are called "Bhikkhus". So if someone asks who lives in these caves in the mountains, the locals will say - "Pandu Vastradhari" are living and come to the village once a day to beg. Bhikkhus wear "chivar" which is yellow or yellowish in color. Therefore, the locals must have called the bhikkhus "Pandu Vastradhari". In Pali, the word pandu means yellow or pale yellow. White is also called Pandu or Pandru in Pali. Many words from Pali language have come in Marathi language. E.g. Vitiligo is a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood which makes the body look yellow. Pali hi bh. It has been an official language in India since the time of Buddha and later in the time of Emperor Ashoka. Therefore, unknowingly, Pali language also has more influence on Marathi language. Later, these caves were called "Pandu Caves" instead of "People living in Pandu robes". The Archaeological Survey of India also officially names these caves as Pandu Caves. This later became "Pandu Caves". Some time later, around the 16th century, these caves came to be called "Pandava caves". And then many savory stories were created about how the Pandavas carved these caves. And literally then these caves began to be encroached upon. The decline of the Buddhist Dhamma began after the 11th to 12th centuries, and Buddhist monks disappeared from these caves. At that time many other sects started circulating in these caves. This was followed by encroachment on the caves, replicas of various deities were installed or the stupas in the caves were demolished. Generally, all the Buddhist caves that have been encroached are from the 17th to the 18th century. The Bhikkhu Sangh for which these caves were donated turned to these caves and then the "renaming" of these caves began. This is the next step of encroachment. The journey is from Buddha Caves to Pandu Caves to Pandu Caves to Pandava Caves. What is special is that the word "Lion" in Marathi means "Natalele" or "Lavanya" means "Beauty". In order to keep these Buddha Caves, the oldest heritage of India, "alive", we should all go to these "Buddha Caves". That is our duty. - Atul Bhosekar, Nashik (Author - Senior Buddhist Cave Researcher and Scholar)