The park, previously known Borivili National Park (as it should still be rightly called) is not the best park around. It has way too much encroachment, garbage and you only need to look up at the gray skies to remember that you are still on Salsette, that is, Bombay Island. Having said that, I must admit that it is quite amazing that such a large expanse of wilderness has been sustained in the very heart of Bombay(as it should still be rightly called). To the south and west, spreads suburban Bombay and to the north and east, the satellite cities of Thane District as well as New Bombay. It is equally amazing that a large number of animals still call it home including quite a lot leopards who seem to take evening walks in many of the plush housing estates and slums that have encroached onto the park. To read more about the park, you can go to their website, or read the other review. I am going to write about the collection of Buddhist caves right in the heart of the park.
Kanheri caves is a collection of over a hundred monastic cells carved out a rocky hillside along with several prayer halls or chaityas. They are nearly 2000 years old. The sculptures in the main chaitya are extraordinarily beautiful. As you enter this cave, going past two large columns, there is a small gallery almost like a verandah. To your left and right are carvings of the Buddha, and in front of you on two panels, are carvings of merchants and their consorts who contributed to the building of the complex. The contrast between the simplicity of the Buddha sculptures and the sensuous extravagance of the couples is compelling. Some of the other caves also contain sculptures of the Buddha and other Bodhisattvas. The silence and darkness inside the main chaitya almost leads one to imagine saffron clad monks tip toeing around pillars, meditating in corners and chanting in unison.
There’s something about these Buddhist caves that I find so intriguing, I don’t know if its the piety of these monks or the dedication of those who cut these caves into the living rock or the talent of those who sculpted those panels. I have made up my mind to visit every single Buddhist cave, at least in my state of Maharashtra. There are two other collections of Buddhist caves in Bombay, one in Jogeshwari and the other at Mahakali in Andheri. There is also the remote and isolated Kondanna caves which is a 2 hour trek from Karjat. I have already visited Karla and Badja caves outside Lonavla and I will be writing about those soon as well.
To get to Kanheri via public transportation, take any bus that plies S.V. Road towards Borivili, it will stop in front of the park entrance or alternatively take a local train to Borivili and then an auto rickshaw from there to the park entrance. Entry into the park costs Rs.5. There’s a eco friendly auto rickshaw that runs on electricity called Bijlee. It runs between the park entrance and the caves. Its timings are a bit dodgy since it runs depending on demand. It cost Rs.50 per person. There’s also an entrance ticket at the caves itself, Rs.5 for Indians and a ridiculous Rs.100 for foreigners. You could walk the distance, I suppose it would take between an hour or two hours depending on how fast you walk. But, make sure you make it back to the entrance by sunset unless you have a deep desire to become a tasty dinner for a hungry feline. If you have your own transport, well, you’ll have no trouble then...One last thing, make sure you get there before noon, then you will be able to avoid the noisy package tourists.