Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Caves

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Caves, historically known as the Aurangabad Caves, are a group of twelve rock-cut Buddhist monuments located on a hill approximately two kilometers north of Bibi Ka Maqbara in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. Dating from the 6th to 7th centuries CE, these caves exhibit transitional architectural styles between earlier Hinayana and later Mahayana-Vajrayana traditions. They feature intricate carvings, chaitya halls, and viharas, representing an important phase in Deccan Buddhist art and monastic development.

Visitors can explore twelve rock-cut Buddhist caves situated on a hilltop with panoramic views of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city. The site includes chaitya halls with stupa shrines and vihara monasteries featuring sculpted panels depicting Bodhisattvas, Tara, and other Mahayana-Vajrayana iconography. The caves display varying states of preservation, with some containing detailed relief carvings while others remain unfinished. Access involves climbing stone steps leading to different cave levels across the hillside.