Lonad was on my mind for a very long time because I heard that near Janwal village there is located a group of several rock-cut Buddhist temples, made circa 5th century AD - Lonad Caves, So, sagar & me decided plan for the weekend to go Lonad Caves & Pise DamIt was Sunday early morning (for me) and I somehow managed to wake myself up @ 7:30 as we had planned for a 8:30 departure from Thane, but due to a last minute delay, (no water for bath in sagar’s house), we somehow got late by one hour, started @9.30 AM Thane Mahagiri Koliwad, Thane. Via Saket Tower we took NH3 Express way toward Nasik
Lonad is one of the Village in Bhiwandi Taluk in Thane District in Maharashtra State .
We took the right turn at Pise Fata on NH3, Tea Time for us but all snaks are not fresh so we buy some cookies and proceed. We passed by Bhavale village (Hariyali (NGO) has undertaken the project at to convert the mountain region to a beautiful forest. The land is given by Maharashtra government for forest project. Hariyali is taking help of local village and colleges/ companies/ institute to help plant the saplings to convert it to the forest, if anyone would like to come on eco tour pls contact Hariyali Thane.)
In another 2 min we reach Janval village, We enquire one villager about caves and temple, he eagerly told us info than temple ins in village and caves are in hill opposite side of road.
We parked our bike near the temple, Temple consists of double verandah, hall and unfinished shrine. Outer verandah is partly ruined due to landslides. Entrance is adorned by a row of three square pillars and two pilasters
We spent around an hour here, One of old villager who is living opposite side of the temple, told us that temple is very ancient but unfortunately anybody don’t know that much of info. There is one lake behind temple. buffaloes taking bath in the lake. We took small round in village and come back to road.
700 meters from road, upward to hill Lonad caves are located Caves also called as Kalyan Caves, Shiv Kandeshvari. In the architrave of cave there is a narrative scene of the Vessantara Jataka (story about one of the past lives of Buddha) together with panels of Hariti (family goddess) and Panchika (god of affluence). Large panel on the right side of the cave, outside the verandah, appears to be a magnification of the scene on the architrave, where Vessantara's father is depicted seated on a high seat amidst courtiers and attendants - he is taking the fateful decision to banish the princess Vessantara.
We spent around an hour here, One of old villager who is living opposite side of the temple, told us that temple is very ancient but unfortunately anybody don’t know that much of info. There is one lake behind temple. buffaloes taking bath in the lake. We took small round in village and come back to road.
700 meters from road, upward to hill Lonad caves are located Caves also called as Kalyan Caves, Shiv Kandeshvari. In the architrave of cave there is a narrative scene of the Vessantara Jataka (story about one of the past lives of Buddha) together with panels of Hariti (family goddess) and Panchika (god of affluence). Large panel on the right side of the cave, outside the verandah, appears to be a magnification of the scene on the architrave, where Vessantara's father is depicted seated on a high seat amidst courtiers and attendants - he is taking the fateful decision to banish the princess Vessantara.
There is one water tank in cave (Panyache Take ), crystal clear water.Lately the ancient Buddhist shrine of Lonad has been turned into Hindu shrine. It contains later images of Khandeshvari and Mahishasura Mardini.
One of the interesting features of this cave is one of the carvings on the wall has the same figure that is carved in Ajanta caves, this points to the facts that either the same sculpture has carvel these figures or the sculpture has copied from it from Ajanta Caves.
We make neembu pani here with jaljira and eat some cookies & relax around 1 hour here for photography.
On our way back we had a halt at the Pise dam 3 km from Savad Naka. The ambitious proposal of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to modernise its existing water supply. From dam where we could have a great view of river.
On our way back we had a halt at the Pise dam 3 km from Savad Naka. The ambitious proposal of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to modernise its existing water supply. From dam where we could have a great view of river.
There were couple of villagers are fishing in the riverside with their tube boats. We click some snaps, hatch some fishes one small khekda, good chat with fisher man, around 1 kg of fishes are catch bye fisherman every day and sold it in local market around 50-70 ruppes earning in one day.
The lush green surroundings added to the satisfaction of being away from the hustle of the cemented hell named Mumbai.
It can be an excellent tourist spot near Kalyan if developed. Unfortunately the beautiful artwork is disfigured by graffiti.
We was back home by 3:30 … hopefully in time to go in evening with my dombivli friend Nilesh Dumbre to Agri Mohotsav at Dombivli – just as I had been promising him yesterday…
A trip that was planned only for to search virgin places around Mumbai Thane and that’s what it was … amazing all over .. so soothing to the eyes.
Route Map
View of Lonad Caves (A) from Google Earth- Map
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