page_title: Manmodi Caves
section_title: Bhimasankar group of caves
hierarchical_section_title: Manmodi Caves / Description / Bhimasankar group of caves
caption_attribution_description: English: Bhimashankar Group in the Manmodi caves
context_page_description: The Manmodi Caves are a complex of a rock-cut caves about 3 km to the south of the city of Junnar in India. Other caves surrounding the city of Junnar are: Tulja Caves, Shivneri Caves and Lenyadri caves.
  It is thought that the caves were positioned on natural trade routes, formed by passes leading from the coast to the basaltic plateau of the Western Ghats. One of the caves in Manmodi has an epigraph mentioning the Western Satrap Nahapana bearing the title of Mahakshatrapa.
context_section_description: The third group is round a comer of the hill to the south-east of these last, and at a considerably higher level, some of them almost inaccessible (19.1803°N 73.8870°E). The first reached is a recess over a cell or cistern, with an inscription:
  Sivasamaputasa Simtabhati ? no deyadhama pati.
  
  "For a pious gift of charity, from Simtabhati, son of Sivasarman"
  A little beyond this, on the left side of a recess over the side of a water cistern, is another inscription in three lines, of which, however, the first letters are obliterated; still it is possible make out that it was [constructed by] "Ayama, the minister of Mahakshatrapa Svami Nahapana." This inscription bears a Saka era date of year 46, which is 124 CE.
  The inscription is located in the fourth excavation on the eastern side of Manmodi Hill, in Cave 7. After passing a cistern and two small recesses, there is another recess with a bench round three sides, on the left side wall of which is the next inscription. It is one of the most important of the series as the only one containing a royal name, that of Nahapana, which can also be found at Nasik Caves and at Karla Caves. It is in three lines about 4 feet long. The first few letters in each line are considerably decayed
  and faint. It reads:
  [Raño]jmahākhatapasa sāminahapānasa
  [Ā]mātyasa Vachhasagotasa Ayamasa
  
  [de]yadhama cha [po?] ḍhi maṭapo cha puñathaya vase 46 kato
  
  "The meritorious gift of a mandapa and cistern by Ayama of the Vatsa-gotra,
  
  Prime Minister to the king, the great Satrap, the Lord Nahapana, made for merit, in the year 46."
  — Inscription of Nahapana, Manmodi Caves.
  Scrambling along the face of a precipice to the south, one can reach first a small vihara without cells or carving, then another cave with two octagonal pillars in the front of the verandah, and two engaged ones at the ends rising from a bench. The door is 5 feet 10 inches wide, and reaches to the roof of the hall, which has been frescoed. The back of the seat or low screen in front of the veranda is carved outside with the rail ornament; the columns are of the usual Nasik pattern, but without animal figures above: over them the frieze projects considerably, and is carved in the style of Cave 4 at Nasik, the ends of the rafters projecting on the lower fascia, and the upper being carved with rail pattern. Over this is a recess some 2 or 3 feet deep, with the Chaitya arch over it, but without any carving.
  The hall is 33 feet deep, and about 12 feet wide; but at the back stands a mass of rock over 8 feet wide by 5.5 thick, with a squatting figure roughly sketched out on the front of it. This mass is very rotten behind, and at the left side of it is a well of excellent water.
  The other caves here are small and uninteresting.
caption: The Bhimasankar group of caves.
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