Temples Inside Caves Are What Remains of an Ancient Buddhist Society

ATLAS OBSCURA
By Jack Goodman

The entrance to the Bhaja caves in Maharashtra state, India. (All Photos Courtesy of David Efurd)

INDIA---In the ancient world, architectural thinkers exploited the permanence of rock. Monks have lived in caves since the origins of Buddhism in northeastern India, around the 6th to 4th century B.C. According to early texts, rudimentary caves used as dwellings were transformed over time into spaces with clear elements of architectural design. These inspired the caves found in Maharashtra, which more clearly resemble the interiors of domestic and religious structures from, at the earliest, the 2nd century B.C. [link]