Dhank Caves

Buddhist and Jain Carvings

Buddha's Holy Sites
Pilgrimage to

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Bodh Gaya Kushinagar Lumbini Sarnath
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Rajgir Sankassa Shravasti Vaishali
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Amaravathi Chandavaram Devadaha Gaya Kapilavastu Kesaria Kosambi Nalanda Pataliputra Pava Varanasi
Later Sites
Ajanta Caves Barabar Caves Bharhut Ellora Caves Lalitgiri Mathura Pandavleni Caves Piprahwa Ratnagiri Sanchi Udayagiri Vikramashila

The Dhank Caves are located near Dhank village near Upleta, Rajkot district, Gujarat, India. They were chiseled out of a calcareous sandstone outcropping during Kshatrapa's regime. The caves are influenced by Buddhist and Jain cultures. The Buddhist cave include figures of Bodhisattva and the Jain cave includes figures of Adinath, Shantinath and Pārśva.^[1]

This caves were carved in the 7th century A.D. and have a plain style of carving.^[2]

This is one of the earliest rock cut cave of Gujarat. This place is also known as Dhankgiri and about 48 km of Junagadh in north west direction. on western side of the hill there are three niches. One niche is facing the door and another two are situated on either side of it. The door facing niche contains some Jain Images in kayotsarga and meditation posture.Most of Savior sculpture do not contain a clear cognizance or lanchana but according to H. D. Sanklia this image represents Rishabhnatha. On either side of Jina two whisk bearers are depicted and Jina is sitting on a lion throne or Simhasan. There are two another mediation posture images of Jina saviors containing two whisk bearers on either side with serenity and tranquility on face.Triple canopies were depicted over the head of Jina. Fortunately, one of these image is depicted with Deer cognizance attributed to 16th Lord Shantinatha.One well preserved image of Lord parshwanatha is depicted in kayotsarga posture with long limbs parallel to body and cobra hood canopied. An image of Jaina yakshi ambika is also carved here who contains an infant in her arm and another with mango bud. from the ongoing discussion it is clearly evident that Dhank caves are attributed to Jainism and dwellers of these caves were Jain. Burgess did not say anything about the date of the Dhank caves but according to scholar H.D. Sanklia these caves could be hailed from 3rd Century AD after examining the Jaina sculpture's Style and Iconography. This cave is attributed to Digamabar Jain. ^[3] Coordinates: 21°50′02″N 70°04′59″E / 21.834°N 70.083°E / 21.834; 70.083

There is second set of caves nearby known as Jhunjhurijhar caves having small rock cut rooms and baked bricks pillars.

References

↑ Archaeological Survey of India, Vadodara Circle. "Dhank Caves". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
↑ Fergusson, James; Burgess, James. The cave temples of India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 186, 200–203. ISBN 1108055524.
↑ {Aspect of Jaina art and architecture by Umakant Premanand Shah, Madhusudan A. Dhaky Gujarat State Committee for the Celebration of 2500th Anniversary of Bhagavān Mahāvīra Nirvāna : distributors, L.D. Institute of Indology, 1975 , page no. 77,78}

Indian Buddhist caves

Andhra Pradesh	Adapur Caves Belum Caves Chandavaram Erravaram Caves Guntupalli Caves Kotturu Dhanadibbalu Pandavula Metta Caves Ramatheertham Caves Sankaram Undavalli caves

Bihar	Barabar Caves Lomas Rishi Cave Saptaparni Cave

Gujarat	Dhank Caves Junagadh Buddhist Cave Groups Bava Pyara caves Uparkot Caves Kadia Dungar caves Khambhalida Caves Sana Caves Siyot caves Talaja Caves

Karnataka	Aihole Badami cave temples Pandava caves Mangalore

Madhya Pradesh	Bagh Caves Dhamnar Caves Dharmrajeshwar Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Maharashtra	Ajanta Caves Bedse Caves Bhaja Caves Dharashiv Caves Elephanta Caves Ellora Caves Gandharpale Caves Ghorawadi Caves Jogeshwari Caves Kanheri Caves Karla Caves Karad Caves Kondana Caves Kuda Caves Lenyadri Mahakali Caves Mandapeshwar Caves Nadsur Caves Nenavali Caves Pandavleni Caves Panhalakaji Caves Pitalkhora Shelarwadi Caves Shirwal Caves Shivneri Caves Thanale Caves Tulja Caves Wai Caves

Odisha	Udayagiri, Odisha

Rajasthan	Binnayaga Buddhist caves Hathiagor Buddhist Caves Kolvi Caves

Tamil Nadu	Cave Temples of Mahabalipuram

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