Project Description
Pohale Pandav Leni Caves is a Buddhist Archaeological Site.These caves carved in laterite rock, which are of Buddhist origin, locally called as ‘Pandavleni’. ‘Leni’ is a Marathi word meaning ‘cave’.
There are two main caves; one of them is supported to have been the school and other the chapel or Chaitya. There are two rock-cut water cisterns and still in use.
These caves are carved in five sections in a half round shape and a well decorated roof (Plate 1). In the middle of two rooms, there is a seat, 12 feet high; Shivalinga and Nandi are placed recently in the innermost room, which is locally known as ‘Aundhaya Nagnath'(Plate 2).
Outside the mediation room, there is veranda (35 x 4 x 9 feet). The central hall is 35 x 32 x 9 feet, having a flat roof, which balanced on 3 lines of pillars. Some small rooms are around this, which have been used for personal meditation (Plate 3). There is one stone pillar found in this hall in recent excavation having moon, sun and horse on it (Plate 4). Many leftover carvings still in primary stages can be seen here.
These caves are best archaeological sites and having a great potential of tourism but still neglected by the tourists and local people also.
