The Caves of Mandapeshwar - History beckons!

Situated in Poinsur Hill, and carved out of it, the Mandapeshwar caves date back to around 550 AD. Bombay (now called Mumbai) has a number of caves, mainly carved out of the rocks by Buddhist monks. (Poinsur Hill, or Mount Poinsur is supposed to a be a derivation of Mandapeshwar, "Mount Poinsur" = "Mandap Eshwar" phonetically so similar!)

Situated at the banks of the Dahisar river, Mandapeshwar Caves were connected to Kanheri Caves by the riverway. (The river has since changed tracks and instead of the navigable waterway it has become a nullah).

On entering the complex, from afar you are greeted by the frontal pillars of the Mandap. These pillars are worn off, but still somehow gives the feeling of supporting the rocks above.

The main cave or the Mandap

Though the Mandap is the largest complex, there is a smaller complex to the left of it. This smaller complex is roughly hewn into the rock and bereft of any carvings. On all probabilities it was used as residential quarters by the Buddhist monks.

Worn out columns of the residential cave

Bare walls of the residential cave

Entrance to the residential cave

When you climb the stairs for the mandap, you see two carved feet with claws from what was probably lion statues at the gate. All that remains now is an indistinct body and claw carving.

Destroyed body and claws of the lions at the entrance

The Mandap complex has 5 cells. The left and the right cells look towards each other. The central cell is the sanctum sanctorum. It houses 2 Shiva lings now (which are of a much later origin). The central cell has an ornately framed door and the right door jamb has some writings in Devanagari script.

Stone door frame to the garbha griha with carvings

Inscriptions in the door jamb in Devanagari script 

Just outside the sanctum and behind a newer figure of Nandi there is a destroyed old Nandi. Only half of the body remains and one wonders on the full Nandi would have looked like!

Nandi the bull, whose front half has been destroyed

The extreme left cell is what leaves the viewer speechless. There is a full wall frame of Shiva (probably in the Natraj pose going by the shape of the body and the position of his feet). Though most of has born the brunt of wilfull defacement by the Portuguese (who defaced and then covered up the whole carving with plaster to make the wall plain and had converted the whole cave structure into a shrine for Mary called the Nossa Sra De Piedade (roughly translating to Our Lady of Pity).

The Natraj Panel

Shiva 

Feet of Shiva

Shiva details

Brahma

A dancer 

Ganesh

A person with a strange headgear (This one is intriguing)

This complex was then expanded by the Portuguese and a Church and a Monastery erected on top of the caves. It is thought that this was done to educate the newly converted Indian Christians. The ruins of the Monastery and the Church still exist on the top Mandepshwar. Though all the 7 islets of Bombay was ceded to Britain as part of the dowry of Catherine Braganza to Charles II of England, Salsette remained in Portuguese hands.

So after around 180 years of being a Christian Shrine (one of the walls columns have a rough cross carved out of a statue), it was reverted to being a Shiva Temple when Maratha prime minister Bajirao Peshwa 1 defeated the Portuguese in 1737 in the battle of Bassein (Vasai).

One of the idols converted into a cross

This status did not last for long, since Sashti (Salsette) Island where this is located was acceded by the British in 1774 and Mandapeshwar became a church again. However the Portuguese Church and Monastry did not survive and now is in a ruined condition.

Ruined Church

Gallery of the ruined monastery

Records say that these caves were a place of worship for Christians till 1920's and then abandoned. Around 1960 the ASI declared Mandapeshwar as a protected monument.

Some more photographs from the caves:

Beautiful decoration in an arch in the Mandap

An ornate column

Another column with lovely sculptures

Shiva and Parvati

And to bring in the human factor:

-This gentleman was following me up the hill to the destroyed monastery. I really was at my wits end, and decided to engage him. Signed at him whether I can take his photo and he nodded "yes". So I took some photos, showed them to him, and he sauntered of.

-These were super duper excited kids in the temple. Their excitement increased manifold when I offered to take their photo. Great ending to a great day.

Details:

Place: Mandapeshwar Caves

Location: Borivali, Mumbai

Me: theworldofshan@gmail.com

Thanks for your patience reading this.