Uparkot caves, also Uperkot caves, are ancient man-made

caverns A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

. The caves are a part of the

Junagadh Buddhist Cave Groups Junagadh Buddhist Cave Groups are located in Junagadh district of the Indian state of Gujarat. These caves group includes Uparkot Caves, Khapra Kodiya Caves and Baba Pyare Caves. The so-called "Buddhist Caves" are not actually caves, but three ...

situated in the eastern part of

Junagadh Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. Literally ...

of the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n state of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

Caves

These caves located at Uperkot beyond the 300 ft deep moat, close to

Adi Kadi Vav Adi Kadi Vav or Adi Chadi Vav is a stepwell in Uparkot Fort, Junagadh, Gujarat, India. The date of its construction is uncertain. History According to Junagadh district administration website, the stepwell was constructed in 15th century. Other ...

, were carved in 2nd–3rd century A.D. These caves have influence of

Satavahana The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the la ...

architecture with combination of '' Graeco-Scythian'' style. According to ASI "The cave group is in three tiers, with all members of each galleries shown in semi-relief, but only two storeys having regular floors. The caves at Uparkot are cut into two floors. On the first floor, there is a '' Kunda'', a deep tank about 11 feet square, with a covered verandah round three sides of it. There is a big chamber with six pillars supporting the roof adjoining it. Under the corridor, in the rest of the area, in the walls on the north-east and west sides are stone bench-recesses, divided into long compartments with a base moulded in architectural courses below, and a frieze above, ornamented with horseshoe shaped ''chaitya'' windows and checker carvings. On the lower floor, there are similar rooms, having a corridor, pillars supporting the floor above, stone bench-recesses and above them, the ''

chaitya A chaitya, chaitya hall, chaitya-griha, (Sanskrit:''Caitya''; Pāli: ''Cetiya'') refers to a shrine, sanctuary, temple or prayer hall in Indian religions. The term is most common in Buddhism, where it refers to a space with a stupa and a rounded ...

''-window ornament. The lower floor has exquisitely carved pillars whose base, shaft and capital carry unique decorative design. These caves are gilded with beautiful pillars and entrances, water cisterns, horseshoe shaped

windows, an assembly hall and cell for meditation. File:Plan of Uparkot Caves, Junagadh, India.png, Plan of Uparkot caves; lower floor (left) and upper floor (right) Uparkot Caves-Junagadh 004.jpg, View from the top. KITLV 88066 - Unknown - Hall at Fort Uparkot at Junagadh in British India - 1897.tif, Internal room. File:Cave Buddhist Junagadh Fort India Gujarat 500BC Ancient History.jpg, Uperkot caves ornate pillars 1st century AD File:Uparkot Caves-Junagadh 003.jpg, Pillar capitals. File:Buddhist caves, Uperkot 10.jpg, Pillar base. Buddhist caves, Uperkot 11.jpg, Vihara cells. Buddhist caves, Uperkot 03.jpg, Deep tank.

References

{{Indian Buddhist Caves Jain rock-cut architecture Buddhist caves in India Caves of Gujarat Indian rock-cut architecture Former populated places in India Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India Buddhist monasteries in India Buddhist temples in India Tourist attractions in Junagadh district Monuments of National Importance in Gujarat