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Karla caves

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About Karla caves

Far From City: 8 kms from city center
Cost: About Karla caves Weather: Time Required:More than 3 hours Open Time:9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Cost:Indian, SAARC and BIMSTEC country residents (above 15 years): INR 15 per headForeign visitors (above 15 years): INR 200 per head

History of Karla Caves Constructed over two periods ago, the first phase of Karla Caves lasted from 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD while the second phase lasted from the 5th century AD to the 10th century. The entire cave is believed to have been created with the help of a single design except for three excavations that belong to the Mahayana phase. They were built with the help of generous donations from people belonging to all walks of life, ranging from merchants to monks, nuns and even the prince of a Marathi family. Inscriptions found here have mentions of various individuals from all over the country such as Vejamti, Sopara, Umehanakata and Dhenukakata. There are other inscriptions which hint towards the donation of land to Velluraka Samgha and hence, the ancient name of the caves 'Veluraka' can be traced back to these. Architecture of Karla Caves Karla caves are a magnificent structure bearing one of the grandest and the largest Chaityagrihas of all such monuments in India. The largest of them is 37.87 m deep from door to back, 13.87 m wide and 14.02 high. It is adorned with a number of rock cut columns which are further embellished with intricate carvings and inscriptions. An alley behind the columns gives way to a magnificent semi-circular ceiling which is the main object of worship and issupported by an array of wooden arches. The stupa has a cylindrical drum rising in two stages and it further supports a cubical 'harmika' and a seven step square - base pyramid. The cave comprises of total 16 rocks cut excavations, 8 of them are the Chaityagrihas. One will also find the fine sculptures of males, females, and animals in the hall. A sculpture of preaching Buddha seated on a lion-supported throne exhibits spectacular carvings of three elephants. The pillars resembling the Ashokan pillar are adorned with motifs of elephants are among the key features. The entrance of the cave has a temple dedicated to the Goddess Ekvira as well.

How to Reach Karla caves One can reach the Karla caves through public transportation. The best option is to either hire a taxi if one is traveling from Pune or Mumbai or take a state transport bus that plies regularly from Mumbai and Pune to Lonavala and from Lonavala to Karla. Once you have reached, it takes around 20 minutes of steep climb walking to reach the caves.

Top Tourist Places in Lonavala Lionês Point Ekvira Devi Temple Kune Waterfalls Wet N Joy Water Park Reverse Waterfall Shri Durga Parameshwari Temple All Tourist Places in Lonavala

Where to Stay Since the caves are such a popular attraction, a number of accommodation options are available nearby. These include Gulab Paradise, Valvan Village Resort, Highland Resort, Heritage Villa and Neel Resort among others. Best Restaurants Nearby In addition to street food options here, you can also have a meal at Maval Darbar, The Kinara Village Dhaba, Sunny Da Dhaba, Sidhu Punjabi Dhaba and Rohit Family Restaurant.  Tips 1. Don't forget to carry water bottles, sunscreen and sunglasses for protection against the sun  2. Do not litter the premises3. Vandalism of the site is strictly prohibited

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