Karād monastery, (near) Karad, Maharashtra, IN

Raw data

This group of 66 caves includes an assembly hall and is located southwest of the town of Karad (Maharashtra), near the Koyan River. They date from the first century BCE, occupied prehaps through the first century CE and were not occupied in the later Mahayana revival. The caves are small soth at the number of monks was probably not more than 50.

See D.C. Ahir, Buddhist Sites and Shrines in India: History, Art and Architecture (Delhi: Inian Books Centre, 2003) p.197. Ahir (2003:197)
Src: IN
Input by: SG Apr 1, 2009

Agashiva Buddha Caves
World / India / Maharashtra / Karad
Coordinates: 17°14'15"N   74°9'7"E (= Lat 17.2375 Long 74.151944 - tmciolek)
http://wikimapia.org/562311/????@-Agashiva-Buddha-Caves

"agashiv buddha caves chachegaon site
India / Maharashtra /
Coordinates:   17°15'13"N   74°9'25"E (= Lat 17.2536 Long 74.1569 - tmciolek)
Close cities: Palus, Kolhapur, Ichalkaranji"
http://wikimapia.org/21815556/agashiv-buddha-caves-chachegaon-site

"Exploration at Karad - By Sanjay Godbole
‘[…] Karad has been assuming importance centuries after centuries on account of several unique features and specialties. […] In the inscription surfacing at the stupa at Bharuth [ 2n Century B.C.] a mention has been made, of the donations given by the ‘ Bhikku sangham’ [Confederation of Bhikkhus] of Karad. This mention refers to “karad’ as ‘Karahakat’. There are rock cut caves at “kuda’ near “Alibaug’. At’ Kuda’ Karad has since been referred to as ‘Karhakad’. The oldest available remains in the precincts of Karad are the Buddhist rock cut caves at “Agashiva’. These rock cut caves belong to Hinayana sect. There is an inscription in these rock cut caves stating that these caves were donated to the Bhikkhu Sangham by ‘sanghamitra’. Some archaeological experts are of the opinion that looking to the style of the rock cut cave and the Sculpture and the monasaries in them this rock cut cave belonging to Hinayana Sect must belong to the second century."
http://panunkashmir.org/blog/pilgrimage/exploration-at-karad/

Input by: tmciolek Sep 27, 2012

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 15 Apr 2015

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Karad monastery, IN.

General location of the Karad monastery, IN.
Lat 17.2552 Long 74.1646
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2009.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=17.2552+74.1646+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Karad%20monastery,%20IN)&ll=17.2552,74.1646&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Karād monastery

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • India:State of Maharashtra

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names


4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 17.2552 Long 74.1646 - based on visual identification of the area that contains the Karad caves in satellite imagery and Panoramio maps, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 27 Sep 2012.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries


6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition


10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • MBM chrono-tag <=0200 - tmciolek 07 Jun 2013
  • <=0200 dated-ex

12. Date-intermediate

  • [missing data]

13. Date-late

  • MBM chrono-tag <=0200 - tmciolek 07 Jun 2013

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • archaeological

16. Additional notes

  • 66 small caves, suggestive a population of no more than 50 monks - Ahir (2003:197)

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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