Bhaja
Bhaja is a fomous
Buddhist rock cut shrine of 2nd century situated 6 kms away from a hilly place
called Lonawala in Maharastra.You are to climb almost half a km to reach this beautiful
scenic spot where Viharas (hostel) and a huge Chaitya hall (worship place)was
chiselled for Buddhist monks and devotees in pre Chistian era.There is also a villge of
same name Bhaja located at the foothills of the same mountain.
|
Though the facade of a grand structure has almost collpsed now still the Chaitya is the most remarkable structure over here. Like most of the early Buddhist roch cut shrines this strucure also shows an attempt to copy wooden building construction practices prevalant at that time chiselled on the rock face.
Another attetion drawing structure is Vihara no 12. In the entrance room, right side sculptures of Surya and Indra with a Yaksha below Surya can be seen.Pillars here have centaurs.A scene below on the left side - narrating Buddhist story immediately draws ones attention. At the entrance door from this room to another two Dwarpalas on the either side one with bow can be seen.
|
Down below this mountain there is a pre historic Mother Goddess site Mukkai. The villagers give sacrifice at this spot once a year even now which shows importance of this place as a cultic spot from time immemorial. Further down below in the villge on the plains there is a shrine to the Goddess in the green fields and another ancient temple with Goddess half km away near a lake