Bhaja Caves are a group of 22 rock-cut caves dating back to 200 BC located at Karli, near Lonavala, Maharashtra

Maharashtra

Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...

. The location of Bhaja caves is not far from location of Karla Caves

Karla Caves

The Karla Caves or Karle Caves are a complex of ancient Indian Buddhist rock-cut cave shrines developed over two periods – from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD, and from the 5th century to the 10th century. The oldest of the cave shrines is believed to date back to 160 BC...

 and these are stylistically similar to the Karla Caves. These caves are on a major trade route of the past that ran from the Arabian Sea

Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...

 eastward into the Deccan region, the division between North India

North India

North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...

 and South India

South India

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

..

Architecture

The Bhaja caves share the same set of architectural designs as Karla caves. Visually most impressive monument is large shrine - chaityagriha - with open, horseshoe-arched entrance part. The chaitrya has unique reliefs of Indian mythology. Other caves have a nave and aisle, with an apse containing a solid stupa and the aisle circling round the apse, providing the circumambulation

Circumambulation

Circumambulation is the act of moving around a sacred object.Circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu ritual. It is also practised in Buddhism. In Islam, circumambulation is performed around the Kaaba in Mecca, in a counter-clockwise direction...

 path.

Notable part of monument is a group of 14 stupa

Stupa

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....

s, five inside and nine outside an irregular excavation. One of the caves has some fine sculptures.

Near the last cave is a waterfall which, during the monsoon season, has water that falls into a small pool at the bottom.

See also

• Karla Caves
  Karla Caves
  The Karla Caves or Karle Caves are a complex of ancient Indian Buddhist rock-cut cave shrines developed over two periods – from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD, and from the 5th century to the 10th century. The oldest of the cave shrines is believed to date back to 160 BC...
  
  
• Karli
  Karli
  Karli is a town on the highway between Pune and Mumbai in southern Maharashtra in India. It is on a major trade route that runs from the Arabian Sea eastward, into the Deccan...
  
  
• Indian rock-cut architecture
• List of India cave temples