Mumbai heritage week
Kanheri Caves : A delectable gateway to the past
Kanheri Caves : A delectable gateway to the past
A lush green canopy, and the sounds and sights of birds, insects and wildlife. Add to this centuries-old history, and its a day well spent for city-weary Mumbaikars constantly seeking getaways within easy travelling distance.
The only national park in the country within city limits, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivili is not just home to a variety of flora and fauna, but also houses the Kanheri Caves. Historians and researchers believe that these Buddhist rock-cut caves are the largest on the Konkan coast, and were sculpted out of basaltic rock between the first and ninth centuries AD.
An important Buddhist learning centre and pilgrimage site, the structures within the caves were chiselled by Buddhist monks, and the area also served as an inn for travellers.
There is a main congregation hall with a stupa, and a flight of stairs that takes you up to the entrance. Outside the caves, visitors are often seen lingering on the benches cut into the rock. Above them are the remains of water cisterns, indicating that there was once an ancient water drainage system in place.
To reach the Kanheri Caves, catch a train to Borivili on the Western Railways line. Autorickshaws outside the railway station will take you to the park. Alternately, one can also board BEST or state transport buses that ply regularly on the stretch.