The Buddhist Caves at Khambhalida are the only specimen of decorated “chaitya” in Gujarat. These cave structures, carved in circa 200B.C. to 4th to 5th Century A.D., consist of at least five groups of Buddhist caves. Most caves are rectangular consisting of columns, plain and ornamented niches.
Group No. 2 Caves: a set of three caves
The main group among these Buddhist caves, known as group No. 2, in archaeological references, consists of three caves. Cave No. 2 in this group is a “chaitya” with a worn-out “dagoba” (stupa) in the far end. The entrance to the “chaitya” is flanked by two large sculptures of Bodhisattvas-Padmapani and Vajrapani surrounded by a panel of devotees under the shelter of trees carved in relief.
Caves 1,2 and 3 from the forecourt
At the back of the caves some portions had collapsed leaving them with a hole in the ceiling, exposed to sky. Thus the caves were facing a severe threat of erosion due to percolation of water from the ground above it when we did this report . However, this problem has been addressed to an extent by repair works done by the ASI post our report. There are also gaps in the layers of rock between the walls separating the caves.
The ceiling also has withered with layers of rock having separated and collapsed. The columns too, have been eroded and reduced in size. However, much of the withering seems due to the age of the structure, its present condition can be maintained quite well with regular checks regarding proper drainage of water and buttressing eroded portions with repairs.
In the years following our visit, a new flooring, masonry columns to hold portions of the roof, and even a frame structure to protect this group from rain has been constructed. The gaps have been closed with new masonry work. Visitor access to these Buddhist caves seems to have been made by the use of steps near the site connected to the flooring. These interventions seem to have saved the site from weather to an extent, but has lost some its earlier “raw” charm.
Apart from the main caves there are smaller and much ruined Buddhist caves nearby to explore. They give a glimpse into the serene environment in which the Buddhist monks must have meditated.
