Bedsa An important Buddhist site
10 miles south of Karle closed to the Kamshet Railway
Station there is an interior village called Bedsa. New Pune Bombay Express highway is
being constructed near this village. Bedsa cave is located on a stiff hill. This shrine is
smaller in size but is very attractive and the scenery from this spot is simply breath
taking and you are compel to appreciate the choice of spot by Buddhist monks. Bedsa
contains a huge chaitya and rather one big vihara. Apart from this, numerous small resting
chambers or cells for monks were also chiseled out here. Outside chaitya (prayer) hall 4
pillars stand. Their capitals are like Persepolitian ones, surmounted by horses and
elephants bearing men and women in bold and free execution.
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The ornamentation on the façade is made up of miniature rails and repetition of window fronts or facades.
In the front of the chaitya are many water cisterns. Here one inscription is of Mandavi princess Samadinaka who got this facility made for monks and Buddhist devotees. The Vihara has 9 cells and couple of side cells. In one of the larger cells is a non-Buddhist deity Yamai which is worshipped by Kolis.
Below in the village under a tree is the Tandula stone of Bedsai. A plaki (palanquin) from this village every year goes up to Yamai's shrine and then to Vaghoba (deity of the pass) up the hill.