Pandav Leni Caves

The Trirashmi Caves, or Nashik Caves or Pandavleni is a holy Buddhist and Jain site located about 8 km south of the centre of Nashik,…

The Trirashmi Caves, or Nashik Caves or Pandavleni is a holy Buddhist and Jain site located about 8 km south of the centre of Nashik, Maharashtra, India. Most of the caves are viharas except for Cave 18 which is a chaitya of the 1st century BCE. The style of some of the elaborate pillars or columns, for example in caves 3 and 10, is an important example of the development of the form. Cave 11 is a Jain cave dedicated to Lord Vrishabhanath (Rishabhanatha), the first Tirthankara of Jainism. Some scholars suggest that the name Pandavleni is derived from the Pandavas, characters in the Mahabharata epic, as some caves contain inscriptions related to early Brahmin or Hindu beliefs. Other caves in this Maharashtra area include the Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves, Patan Caves and Bedse Caves.