Nagarjuni caves
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Nagarjuni caves are three small rock-cut caves in the Nagarjuni hills of Bihar, very close to the Barabar hills. They were cut in the late 3rd century BCE. Dasharatha, the grandson of Asoka, gave them to the Ajivikas, a sect of renouncers (people who gave up home life). They are among the earliest artificial caves in India. Their polished inner walls show Mauryan skill in working stone.
Example
The Gopika cave is the largest of the three. An inscription carved in it records that King Dasharatha gave the cave to the Ajivikas soon after he became king, in the late 3rd century BCE.
Don't confuse with
- Barabar caves are nearby, but they were cut on Asoka's own orders, also for the Ajivikas. The Nagarjuni caves were given by his grandson Dasharatha.
- Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh is a much later Buddhist site with stupas and monasteries. It is not a cave group.
Related concepts
- Rock-cut architecture
- Barabar caves
- Lomas Rishi cave
- Rock-cut monasteries
- Chaitya and vihara
- Bhaja caves
- Karla caves
- Kanheri caves
- Nasik caves
- Guntupalli caves