Thanale Caves

The Thanale Caves, also called the Nadsur Caves, are a group of 23 Buddhist caves near Thanale village in Sudhagad taluka of Raigad district, 18 km from Pali. Dating from the 1st century BC, with the earliest perhaps cut between 70 and 50 BC, they are among the oldest rock-cut caves in India and lay on an ancient trade route linked to Chaul. There are two chaityas and two stupas, and the rest are viharas. Two inscriptions name donors, and the caves are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

They run along a west-facing cliff of trap rock on a spur of the Ghats. Most façades have fallen, but Cave 7, the largest, keeps cells with benches and small lattice windows, and its walls are carved with Buddhist railing, chaitya arches and figures of men, women and animals. The usual path climbs from Thanale through dense forest past waterfalls, with arrows painted by a Pune trekking group; the caves can also be reached from Nadsur.