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71-399: The Kondhana Caves are located in the small village of Kondhana, 33 km (21 mi) north of Lonavala and 16 km (9.9 mi) northwest of Karla Caves . This cave group has 16 Buddhist caves . The caves were excavated in first century B.C. The construction on wooden pattern is notable. One can reach the cave by descending from Rajmachi village. The cave only one inscription on

142-562: A Jain or Buddhist temple or "dwelling, waiting place" in many medieval era inscriptions and texts, from vi-har which means "to construct". It contrasts with Sanskrit : araṇya or Pali : arañña , which means "forest". In medieval era, the term meant any monastery, particularly for Buddhist monks. Matha is another term for monastery in the Buddhist tradition, today normally used for Hindu establishments. The eastern Indian state of Bihar derives its name from vihāra due to

213-608: A vihara-pala , the one who managed the vihara, settled disputes, determined sangha's consent and rules, and forced those hold-outs to this consensus. Three early influential monastic fraternities are traceable in Buddhist history. The Mahavihara established by Mahinda was the oldest. Later, in 1st century BCE, King Vattagamani donated the Abhayagiri vihara to his favored monk, which led the Mahavihara fraternity to expel that monk. In 3rd century CE, this repeated when King Mahasena donated

284-469: A Chaitya arch is a small dagoba in half relief, apparently the only object of worship when these caves were excavated. Inside, the hall is 23 feet wide by 29 deep, and 8 feet 3 inches high, with 15 pillars arranged about 3 feet apart and from the side and back walls, but none across the front. The upper portions of these pillars are square, but about 1.5 feet from the top they are octagonal: the bases of all are gone, but they also were probably square. The roof

355-498: A centre of Buddhist learning. Reference to five kinds of dwellings (Pancha Lenani) namely, Vihara, Addayoga, Pasada, Hammiya and Guha is found in the Buddhist canonical texts as fit for monks. Of these only the Vihara (monastery) and Guha (Cave) have survived. At some stage of Buddhism, like other Indian religious traditions, the wandering monks of the Sangha dedicated to asceticism and

426-521: A corporation, serving as centers of learning. Other notable monasteries of the Pala Empire were Traikuta, Devikota (identified with ancient Kotivarsa, 'modern Bangarh'), and Pandit Vihara . Excavations jointly conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India and University of Burdwan in 1971–1972 to 1974–1975 yielded a Buddhist monastic complex at Monorampur, near Bharatpur via Panagarh Bazar in

497-647: A distance of 2 km from the Lonavla railway station. The temple has idols of Durga Mata, Salasar Balaji (Hanuman) and Ganapati housed in a marble structure. This lake and Dam comes to life during the Monsoon season, where some people climb the mountain top to the Dam. This dam was built during the British era and features a serene surrounding of trees and hillocks. Another viewpoint in the town of Khandala (Bazaar peth), provides views of

568-651: A few viharas have been unearthed here and the most elaborate is the Shalban Vihara . The complex consists of a fairly large vihara of the usual plan of four ranges of monastic cells round a central court, with a temple in cruciform plan situated in the centre. According to a legend on a seal (discovered at the site) the founder of the monastery was Bhavadeva , a ruler of the Deva dynasty. As Buddhism spread in Southeast Asia, monasteries were built by local kings. The term vihara

639-590: A group of monks. It particularly referred to a hall that was used as a temple or where monks met and some walked about. In the context of the performative arts, the term means the theatre, playhouse, convent or temple compound to meet, perform or relax in. Later it referred to a form of temple or monastery construction in Buddhism and Jainism, wherein the design has a central hall and attached separated shrines for residence either for monks or for dieties and sacred figure such as Tirthankaras , Gautama Buddha . The word means

710-412: A lattice pattern and five with human figures, one male in the first, a male and female in each of the third and fifth, and a male with a bow and two females in the seventh. Over these is a band with the representations of the ends of tie-beams or bars projecting through it, and then four fillets, each projecting over the one below, and the upper half of the last serrated. The corresponding belt of carving on

781-455: A number of small cells. Rock-cut cells are often fitted with rock-cut platforms for beds and pillows. The front wall had one or more entrances, and often a verandah . Later the back wall facing the entrance had a fairly small shrine-room, often reached through an ante-chamber. Initially these held stupas , but later a large sculpted Buddha image , sometimes with reliefs on the walls. The verandah might also have sculpture, and in some cases

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852-545: A stream with a fair amount of force to go all the way down to the base of the Tiger's Leap. Adventurers can trek down the stream whilst intermittently stepping back on land where the water current is too strong and the fall is steep. Karla Caves , located near Lonavala, is a complex of cave shrines built by Buddhist monks around 3rd to 2nd century B.C. A temple of Goddess Ekvira Devi is also present here. A robust climb of about 11.2 km from Malavali railway station takes you to

923-468: A tiger once, the Maratha Empire king Shivaji jumped into a ditch on the hill and the tiger leaped off it into the valley giving it the name of tiger's leap. Just around the tiger's leap, there is a small waterfall active only during the monsoon. It serves the purpose of relaxing in the water better than Bushi Dam, as the force of the fall is higher. Also, after the brief steep descent, the fall becomes

994-436: Is also the whole of the lower part of the dagoba. The bases with the lower parts of all the thirty columns that surrounded the nave, as well as that of one of the two irregular columns that once ornamented the front, have also decayed, and positions only of most of them can now be ascertained. Between these two latter pillars a wooden screen or front originally filled the opening to a height of about 10 or 12 feet, in which were

1065-502: Is an example of a structural monastery with 115 cells, where the lower parts of the brick-built structure have been excavated. Somapura Mahavihara , also in Bangladesh, was a larger vihara, mostly 8th-century, with 177 cells around a huge central temple. Usually the standard form as described above is followed, but there are some variants. Two vihara halls, Cave 5 at Ellora and Cave 11 at Kanheri , have very low platforms running most of

1136-461: Is an inscription in one line in Brahmi characters which reads: Kanvasa antevasina Balakena katam ("Made by Balakena, the pupil of Kanha (Krishna)"). Over this head, at the level of the spring of the great arch in the facade, is a broad projecting belt of sculpture: the lower portion of it is carved with the rail pattern; the central portion is divided into seven compartments, filled alternately, three with

1207-585: Is cognate with the Modern Korean Chǒl from Middle Korean Tiel , the Jurchen Taira and the reconstructed Old Chinese dɘiaʁ , all meaning "Buddhist Monastery". These words are apparently derived from the Aramaic word for " monastery " dērā/ dairā/ dēr (from the root dwr "to live together"), rather than from the unrelated Indian word for monastery vihara , and may have been transmitted to China by

1278-691: Is credited to Emperor Ashoka, and it is a donation to the Ajivikas. According to Johannes Bronkhorst, this created competitive financial pressures on all traditions, including the Hindu Brahmins. This may have led to the development of viharas as shelters for monks, and evolution in the Ashrama concept to agraharas or Hindu monasteries. These shelters were normally accompanied by donation of revenue from villages nearby, who would work and support these cave residences with food and services. The Karle inscription dated to

1349-638: Is distinguished by elaborate gavaksha and railing relief carving around the cell-doors, but especially by having a rounded roof and apsidal far end, like a chaitya hall. The earliest Buddhist rock-cut cave abodes and sacred places are found in the western Deccan dating back to the 3rd century BCE. These earliest rock-cut caves include the Bhaja Caves , the Karla Caves , and some of the Ajanta Caves . Vihara with central shrine containing devotional images of

1420-485: Is increasingly questioned by the discovery of pre-Kushana era Buddha images outside the northwestern territories. Further, states Huntington, "archaeological, literary, and inscriptional evidence" such as those in Madhya Pradesh cast further doubts. Devotional worship of Buddha is traceable, for example, to Bharhut Buddhist monuments dated between 2nd and 1st century BCE. The Krishna or Kanha Cave (Cave 19) at Nasik has

1491-571: Is located about 6.5 km from Lonavala. This point commands a view of Shivaji Maharaj's fort, Rajmachi (Royal terrakouioce), and the surrounding valley. Regular State Transport buses ply between Rajmachi Point and Lonavala from the State Transport Bus Stand. The Vaghjai Dari is also located here. Rajmachi Fort is a historic fort close to Lonavala and attracts a lot of trekkers during the monsoon season. The fort also comprises two other forts - Shrivardhan Fort and Manaranjan Fort. Besides,

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1562-577: Is of a later date. According to Behrendt, these "must have been the architectural prototype for the later northern and western Buddhist shrines in the Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad , Ellora , Nalanda , Ratnagiri and other sites". Behrendt's proposal follows the model that states the northwestern influences and Kushana era during the 1st and 2nd century CE triggered the development of Buddhist art and monastery designs. In contrast, Susan Huntington states that this late nineteenth and early twentieth century model

1633-429: Is panelled in imitation of a structural hall with beams 19 inches deep by 8 thick, 3.5 feet apart, running across through the heads of the pillars, and the spaces between divided by smaller false rafters, 5 inches broad by 2 deep. There are three wide doors into the hall, though most of the front wall is broken away, and on each side six cells in all, each with the monk's bed in it, and the first on each side with two. Over

1704-493: Is preferred. Monks wandering from place to place preaching and seeking alms often stayed together in the sangha . In the Punjabi language , an open space inside a home is called a vehra . In Korea , Japan , Vietnam and China , the word for a Buddhist temple or monastery seems to have a different origin. The Japanese word for a Buddhist temple is Tera ( 寺 ) , it was anciently also written phonetically 天良 tera , and it

1775-453: Is still sometimes used to refer to the monasteries/temples, also known as wat , but in Thailand it also took on a narrower meaning referring to certain buildings in the temple complex. The wihan is a building, apart from the main ubosot (ordination hall) in which a Buddha image is enshrined. In many temples, the wihan serves as a sermon hall or an assembly hall where ceremonies, such as

1846-432: Is surrounded by natural scenery, about 1.6  km from the town. The lake dries up during the winter and summer months offering an expanse of green grass that is used by walkers and joggers. This place attracts tourists for its street food, including convenience food items like smoked corn on the cob, shaved ice (gola), vada pav, chaat, and hot ginger tea. Duke's Nose stands 12 km from Lonavla, clearly visible from

1917-666: Is the Tungi fort, one of the forts captured by Malik Ahmad near the village of Karjat and was known for its natural strength. The Andharban trek begins from village Pimpri, passes through dense forests, valleys and waterfalls and ends in Bhira . Lonavala is on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and is well-connected to several towns of Khopoli , Karjat , Talegaon Dabhade , etc. Lonavala is well-connected by train. Local trains run from Pune at 2-hour intervals. Those originating from Mumbai along

1988-595: Is the presence of circular corner cells. It is believed that the general layout of the monastic complex at Jagjivanpur is by and large similar to that of Nalanda. Beside these, scattered references to some monasteries are found in epigraphic and other sources. Among them Pullahari (in western Magadha), Halud Vihara (45 km south of Paharpur), Parikramana vihara and Yashovarmapura vihara (in Bihar) deserve mention. Other important structural complexes have been discovered at Mainamati (Comilla district, Bangladesh). Remains of quite

2059-649: Is unclear. Monasteries in the form of caves are dated to centuries before the start of the common era, for Ajivikas , Buddhists and Jainas . The rock-cut architecture found in cave viharas from the 2nd-century BCE have roots in the Maurya Empire period. In and around the Bihar state of India are a group of residential cave monuments all dated to be from pre-common era, reflecting the Maurya architecture. Some of these have Brahmi script inscription which confirms their antiquity, but

2130-465: The sangha . The rules are preceded by stories telling how the Buddha came to lay them down, and followed by explanations and analysis. According to the stories, the rules were devised on an ad hoc basis as the Buddha encountered various behavioral problems or disputes among his followers. Each major early Buddhist tradition had its own variant text of code of discipline for vihara life. Major vihara appointed

2201-466: The Bardhaman district of West Bengal. The date of the monastery may be ascribed to the early medieval period. Recent excavations at Jagjivanpur (Malda district, West Bengal) revealed another Buddhist monastery ( Nandadirghika-Udranga Mahavihara ) of the ninth century. Nothing of the superstructure has survived. A number of monastic cells facing a rectangular courtyard have been found. A notable feature

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2272-512: The Deccan in particular, but this is an accident of survival. Originally structural viharas of stone or brick would probably have been at least as common everywhere, and the norm in the south. By the second century BCE a standard plan for a vihara was established; these form the majority of Buddhist rock-cut "caves". It consisted of a roughly square rectangular hall, in rock-cut cases, or probably an open court in structural examples, off which there were

2343-512: The central line have Khopoli as their last station. Buses are available at regular intervals to complete the remaining 15 km of the journey to Lonavla from Khopoli bus station. It takes 2.5 hours by train from Mumbai and 1 to 1.5 hour from Pune. All trains, travelling between Mumbai and Pune, halt at Lonavala. Before the push-pull technology, trains from Mumbai used to halt at Karjat in Raigad District to attach banker locomotives before

2414-559: The 'Iron Fort', once a formidable battle-station of Shivaji . The fort commands a view of the surrounding hills and hamlets. Adjacent to the Lohagad fort lies the visapur fort which is part of the Lohagad-Visapur fortification. Visapur Fort is larger and at a higher elevation than its twin- Lohagad. It was built during 1713-1720 CE by Balaji Vishwanath. A waterfall near the dam is located between Lonavala and I.N.S. Shivaji. Buses running on

2485-441: The 1st century CE donates a cave and nearby village, states Bronkhorst, "for the support of the ascetics living in the caves at Valuraka [Karle] without any distinction of sect or origin". Buddhist texts from Bengal, dated to centuries later, use the term asrama-vihara or agrahara-vihara for their monasteries. Buddhist viharas or monasteries may be described as a residence for monks, a centre for religious work and meditation and

2556-512: The Ajanta Caves. Some of these viharas and temples though evidenced in texts and inscriptions are no longer physically found, likely destroyed in later centuries by natural causes or due to war. As more people joined Buddhist monastic sangha , the senior monks adopted a code of discipline which came to be known in the Pali Canon as the Vinaya texts. These texts are mostly concerned with the rules of

2627-502: The Buddha, dated to about the 2nd century CE are found in the northwestern area of Gandhara , in sites such as Jaulian , Kalawan (in the Taxila area) or Dharmarajika , which states Behrendt, possibly were the prototypes for the 4th century monasteries such as those at Devnimori in Gujarat . This is supported by the discovery of clay and bronze Buddha statues, but it is unclear if the statue

2698-456: The Chaitya, which is very similar in plan and dimensions to that at Bhaja, is so much ruined that it is impossible now to decide which may have been first completed. They face north-west, and the first to the south-west is a Chaitya-cave of very considerable dimensions, being 66.5 feet from the line of the front pillars to the extremity of the apse, 26 feet 8 inches wide, and 28 feet 5 inches high to

2769-612: The Establishment was commissioned as HMIS Shivaji and since then, the premier Technical Training Establishment of the Indian Navy trains officers. Present day Lonavala was a part of the Seuna (Yadava) dynasty . Later, the Mughals realised the strategic importance of the region and kept the region for an extended time. The forts in the region and the " Mavala " warriors played an important role in

2840-517: The I.N.S. Shivaji Road stop here. This is a viewpoint midway between Bhushi Dam and Aamby Valley which overlooks a deep valley and mountains known for its roasted corn and onion fritters. This point does not have any lions but is named so because it is associated with the Lions Club of Lonavala. Narayani Dham is a temple constructed in 2002 in honor of the Hindu Goddess Narayani . It is at

2911-531: The Jetavana vihara to an individual monk, which led to his expulsion. The Mahinda Mahavihara led to the orthodox Theravada tradition. The Abhayagiri vihara monks, rejected and criticized by the orthodox Buddhist monks, were more receptive to heterodox ideas and they nurtured the Mahayana tradition. The Jetavana vihara monks vacillated between the two traditions, blending their ideas. A range of monasteries grew up during

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2982-563: The Khopoli power station at the foothills of the Sahyadris for generating electricity. The Kundali River feeds into the dam's reservoir. Della Adventure Park is India's largest adventure park situated in Lonavala hill station. The park is spread over an area of 36 acres. It is located at about 3,000 feet height above MSL . Della Adventure Park offers close to 52 adventure activities. Lonavala Lake

3053-534: The Pāla period in ancient Magadha (modern Bihar) and Bengal. According to Tibetan sources, five great mahaviharas stood out: Vikramashila , the premier university of the era; Nalanda , past its prime but still illustrious, Somapura , Odantapurā , and Jagaddala . According to Sukumar Dutt, the five monasteries formed a network, were supported and supervised by the Pala state. Each of the five had their own seal and operated like

3124-620: The Rajmachi Fort and the valley. Also the home for the St. Mary's villa. Kataldhar is a waterfall neer Rajmachi Fort off the Rajmachi Trekking route. Some major educational institutes in Lonavala are: Vihara Vihara or vihara hall has a more specific meaning in the architecture of India , especially ancient Indian rock-cut architecture . Here it means a central hall, with small cells connected to it, sometimes with beds carved from

3195-555: The abundance of Buddhist monasteries in that area. The word has also been borrowed in Malay as biara , denoting a monastery or other non-Muslim place of worship. It is called a wihan ( วิหาร ) in Thai , and vĭhéar ( វិហារ [ʋihiə] ) in Khmer . In Burmese , wihara ( ဝိဟာရ [wḭhəɹa̰] ), means "monastery", but the native Burmese word kyaung ( ကျောင်း [tɕáʊɰ̃] )

3266-401: The central hall with connected cells, and it is generally dated to about the 1st century BCE. The early stone viharas mimicked the timber construction that likely preceded them. Inscriptional evidence on stone and copper plates indicate that Buddhist viharas were often co-built with Hindu and Jain temples. The Gupta Empire era witnessed the building of numerous viharas, including those at

3337-417: The crown of the arch. The nave in front of the dagoba is 49 feet in length by 14 feet 8 inches, and the dagoba 9.5 feet in diameter, with a capital of more than usual height, the neck representing the relic casket being, as at Bhaja, of double the ordinary height, and representing two coffers, one above the other, carved on the sides with the Buddhist rail pattern. The fillets that covered this are decayed, as

3408-594: The doors of 14 of these cells are carved Chaitya or horse-shoe arches, connected by a string course projecting 6 or 7 inches and carved with the rail pattern. Dfuhdfufjvvjhcduhd.fcghgvb In the Mumbai area: In the Junnar area: Lonavala Lonavala-Khandala is a hill station and a Municipal Council in the Pune district , Maharashtra , India. It is about 64 km (40 miles) west of Pune and 96 km (60 miles) to

3479-430: The doorways leading to the interior and it was fixed to them, as seems to have been the case with all the earlier caves. The Chaitya Cave at Bhaja and that at Kondane had similar fronts constructed in wood. The caves at Bedsa and Karla are apparently among the earliest, where these screens were carved in the rock instead of being erected in the more perishable material. There are still, however, remains of seven pillars on

3550-634: The dry months (mid October to may) while it's extremely wet from June to September. July and August rainfall values are higher than most well known cities annual rainfall. Lonavala and the adjacent Khandala are twin hill stations 622 metres (2,041 ft) above sea level, in the Sahyadri ranges that demarcate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan coast. The hill stations sprawl over an approximate area of 38 square kilometres (15 sq mi). Tourism peaks during

3621-626: The east of Mumbai . It is known for its production of the hard candy chikki and is also a major stop on the railway line connecting Mumbai and Pune. From the Pune suburbs, local trains are available from Pune Junction . The Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway both pass through Lonavala. Lonavala is also home to INS Shivaji (formerly HMIS Shivaji ), the Indian Navy 's premier technical training institute. On 16 February 1945,

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3692-509: The first Central Asian translators of Buddhist scriptures, such as An Shigao or Lokaksema . During the 3rd-century BCE era of Ashoka , vihara yatras were travel stops aimed at enjoyments, pleasures and hobbies such as hunting. These contrasted with dharma yatras which related to religious pursuits and pilgrimage. After Ashoka converted to Buddhism, states Lahiri, he started dharma yatras around mid 3rd century BCE instead of hedonistic royal vihara yatras . The early history of viharas

3763-413: The fort is known for the fireflies that lit up the surroundings in night This is an extensive garden situated in Lonavla. The garden has a number of tall trees - some of which are very old. There is an old Shiva temple in the park. Valvan Dam is a Britisher-built garden and is more than a century old. This dam has a garden at the foot of its wall and is 2 km from the town. The dam supplies water to

3834-569: The front of the Chaitya , which gives information about donors. About 14 km (8.7 mi) from the Karjat station, on Central Railway, and at the base of the old hill fort of Rajmachi , is the Kondane group of caves, first brought to notice in the 19th century by Vishnu Sastri , and soon after visited by Mr. Law, then collector of Thana . They are in the face of a steep scarp, and quite hidden from view by

3905-597: The highway while driving towards Mumbai. This landmark in Khandala is visited by hikers. Also known locally as Naagphani (Cobra's Hood), the cliff owes its name to the Duke of Wellington, whose ample nose it resembles. Tiger's Leap also known as Tiger's Point is a cliff-top with a sheer drop of over 650 m, giving an extensive view. Buses are available up to INS Shivaji and the remaining distance of about 1.6  km has to be covered on foot. Legend has it that while being chased by

3976-584: The history of the Maratha Empire and that of the Peshwas . In 1871, the Lonavala and Khandala hill stations were established by Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of Bombay Presidency at the time. The President of Lonavala Municipal Council is Smt. Surekha Nandkumar Jadhav and the Vice president is Shri. Sanjay Mohan Ghone. As of 2011 India census , Lonavala had a population of 57,698. Males constituted 53.47% of

4047-562: The inscriptions were likely added to pre-existing caves. The oldest layer of Buddhist and Jain texts mention legends of the Buddha, the Jain Tirthankaras or sramana monks living in caves. If these records derived from an oral tradition accurately reflect the significance of monks and caves in the times of the Buddha and the Mahavira, then cave residence tradition dates back to at least the 5th century BCE. According to Allchin and Erdosy,

4118-453: The left side of the cave, and six on the south, which rake inwards, as do also those at Bhaja and Bedsa, a proof of the early date of the work; those behind the dagoba and six near the front on the right side have disappeared entirely. On the upper portion of one column on the left is a symbol or device somewhat resembling a dagoba, with a rude canopy over it. The arched roof has had wooden rafters as at Karle and elsewhere, but they are gone, and

4189-638: The legend of First Buddhist Council is dated to a period just after the death of the Buddha. It mentions monks gathering at a cave near Rajgiri, and this dates it in pre-Mauryan times. However, the square courtyard with cells architecture of vihara , state Allchin and Erdosy, is dated to the Mauryan period. The earlier monastic residences of Ajivikas, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains were likely outside rock cliffs and made of temporary materials and these have not survived. The earliest known gift of immovable property for monastic purposes ever recorded in an Indian inscription

4260-454: The length of the main hall. These were probably used as some combination of benches or tables for dining, desks for study, and possibly beds. They are often termed "dining-hall" or the " Durbar Hall " at Kanheri, on no good evidence. Cave 11 at the Bedse Caves is a fairly small 1st-century vihara, with nine cells in the interior and originally four around the entrance, and no shrine room. It

4331-428: The monastic life, wandered from place to place. During the rainy season (cf. vassa ) they stayed in temporary shelters. In Buddhist theology relating to rebirth and merit earning, it was considered an act of merit not only to feed a monk but also to shelter him, sumptuous monasteries were created by rich lay devotees. The only substantial remains of very early viharas are in the rock-cut complexes, mostly in north India,

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4402-445: The monsoon season. The name Lonavala is derived from the words ' leni ' which means caves and ' avali ' which means series. i.e. 'a series of Caves' which is a reference to the many caves like Karla Caves , Bhaja Caves and Bedsa that are close to Lonavala. A trip to Lonavala and Khandala can be combined with sight-seeing visits of Karla, Bhaja and Bedsa caves and also the two fortresses, Lohagad and Visapur . Another place of interest

4473-407: The only remains of the woodwork is a portion of the latticed screen in the front arch. The façade bears a strong family likeness to that at Bhaja. On the left side is a fragment of sculpture in high-relief part of the head of a single figure about twice life-size. The features are destroyed, but the details of the headdress show the most careful attention to finish of detail. Over the left shoulder

4544-403: The population and females 46.53%. The sex ratio in Lonavala is 870, lower than the state average of 929. Lonavala has a literacy rate of 89.33%, which is higher than the state average of 82.34%. The Male literacy rate is 93.4%, and the female literacy rate is 84.57%. 10.37% of the total population in Lonavala is of children under 6 years of age. At the time of the 2011 Census of India , 75.18% of

4615-548: The population of Lonavala followed Hinduism , 10.13% Islam , 8.75% Buddhism , 2.67% Jainism , 2.32% Christianity and the remaining 0.96% of the population followed other religions or stated no religion. Religion in Lonavala (2011) Lonavala has an extreme version of tropical wet and dry climate which barely is borderline with a humid subtropical climate (CWa) due to the January mean temperature being shy of 18.9°C. It has an extreme wet and dry climate because it's quite dry during

4686-405: The right side of the facade is much damaged by the falling away of the rock at the end next the arch. A little to north-east is No. II., a Vihara , of which the front of the veranda is totally destroyed except the left end. This verandah was 5 feet 8 inches wide and 18 feet long, with the unique number of five octagon pillars and two antae . In the end of this veranda is a raised recess, and under

4757-488: The stone. Some have a shrine cell set back at the centre of the back wall, containing a stupa in early examples, or a Buddha statue later. Typical large sites such as the Ajanta Caves , Aurangabad Caves , Karli Caves , and Kanheri Caves contain several viharas. Some included a chaitya or worship hall nearby. The vihara originated as a shelter for monks when it rains. The word means a form of rest house, temple or monastery in ascetic traditions of India, particularly for

4828-487: The thick forest in front of them. Water trickles down over the face of the rock above them during a considerable part even of the dry season, and has greatly injured them. So much so indeed that it is now difficult to determine whether they or the caves at Bhaja Caves are the earliest. They must be nearly, if not quite contemporary, and as they must have taken some time to excavate, their dates may overlap to some extent. The Vihara at Kondane certainly looks more modern, while

4899-439: The train started the journey up the western ghats to reach Lonavala. The city of Aamby Valley, which lies near to Lonavala, has its own private airport. The nearest commercial airports are Pune International Airport at 64 km and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 104 km. A seaplane service is also available between Juhu and Pawana Dam, which is 14 km away from Lonavala. Rajmachi Point

4970-438: The walls of the main hall. Paintings were perhaps more common, but these rarely survive, except in a few cases such as Caves 2, 10, 11 and 17 at the Ajanta Caves . As later rock-cut viharas are often on up to three storeys, this was also probably the case with the structural ones. As the vihara acquired a central image, it came to take over the function of the chaitya worship hall, and eventually these ceased to be built. This

5041-618: Was despite the rock-cut vihara shrine room usually offering no path for circumambulation or pradakshina , an important ritual practice. In early medieval era, Viharas became important institutions and a part of Buddhist Universities with thousands of students, such as Nalanda . Life in "Viharas" was codified early on. It is the object of a part of the Pali canon , the Vinaya Pitaka or "basket of monastic discipline". Shalban Vihara in Bangladesh

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