Rock-cut monasteries
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 7 "India's Cultural Roots"; Class 7, Ch 5 "The Rise of Empires"
Meaning
Rock-cut monasteries are living quarters for monks carved into hillsides. Each usually has a central hall with small cells around it. In Buddhist usage such a monastery is called a vihara. They were made for Buddhist, Jain and Ajivika renouncers, who needed quiet shelter, especially during the rainy season. Many have stone beds and inscriptions that name the donors or the monks. They show how kings, merchants and lay people supported religious communities.
Example
At Udayagiri-Khandagiri, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha, chambers were cut for Jain monks under the Chedi king Kharavela (c. 1st century BCE). One of the caves has his Hathigumpha inscription.
Don't confuse with
- Chaitya hall means a rock-cut prayer hall with a stupa at the far end, as at Karla. A vihara is where monks lived.
- Barabar caves were cut for Ajivikas, not for Buddhist or Jain monks.
Related concepts
- Rock-cut architecture
- Barabar caves
- Lomas Rishi cave
- Nagarjuni caves
- Chaitya and vihara
- Bhaja caves
- Karla caves
- Kanheri caves
- Nasik caves
- Guntupalli caves