Ghatotkacha Caves

The Ghatotkacha Caves are a small group of three Buddhist rock-cut caves in the hills of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, not far from Ajanta, dating from about the 6th century. Each has a spacious prayer hall, and the walls and ceilings carry carved decoration. Inscriptions in Sanskrit and Prakrit have been found at the site. The caves take their name from Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima in the Mahabharata.

Reaching them means going down steep flights of steps over rough ground, and a waterfall close to the caves is a favourite place to cool off afterwards. The hillside setting gives wide views, and visitors often combine the walk with a picnic or photography. A local legend holds that Bhima and Ghatotkacha sheltered here during the Pandavas' exile and that the brothers hollowed out the rock with their arrows, swords and chisels, using the caves for meditation and rituals.