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Ancient Vijasan Caves: Vidarbha’s Largest Forgotten Buddhist Site in Chandrapur

Ancient Vijasan Caves: Vidarbha’s Largest Forgotten Buddhist Site in Chandrapur
Ancient Vijasan Caves: Vidarbha’s Largest Forgotten Buddhist Site in Chandrapur

The Vijasan Caves in Chandrapur district of Vidarbha carry a two-thousand-year-old story etched in stone. Tucked away near the town of Bhadrawati, these rock-cut chambers were carved during the Satavahana period and form the largest known Buddhist cave complex in the Vidarbha region.


Built into Vijasan Tekdi (Vijasan Hill), the caves are hollowed-out passageways leading to a central shrine with a carved statue of the Buddha. For centuries, they lay largely forgotten, even used as animal shelters by local villagers, until regional historians began to draw attention to their historic value.


Today, the site is protected as an Archaeological Survey of India monument and stands as a rare surviving relic of early Buddhist monastic life in this part of central India.


Ancient Origins


The Vijasan complex dates back to the early centuries of the Common Era, when the Satavahanas ruled this part of the Deccan. Local records note that King Yajna Sri Satakarni (reigned c. 150–170 AD) sponsored the excavations.


Under his reign, these caves were hewn from the rock to serve as a monastery. Historical evidence suggests the site was part of the old city of Bhandak (now Bhadrawati), which legend and archaeology link with numerous dynasties including the Satavahanas, later Vakatakas, and regional Panduvamshis.

A scholarly study of regional coin finds identifies Bhadrawati as an important site and specifically notes its fame for the “Vijasan Buddhist cave complex.”


This era was a time of flourishing trade and cultural exchange in Vidarbha, and Buddhism was one of the prominent faiths. The very name “Vijasan” appears in colonial sources (British surveys and gazetteers) noting rock-cut Buddhist monuments in Chandrapur.


According to local guides, a Chinese pilgrim like Hiuen Tsang may have passed through this region in the 7th century AD, though no firm record of a visit to Vijasan survives. What remains clear is that for generations after its carving, the cave monastery was active: inscriptions on the cave portals record visitors by names like Rudra-sacha (possibly a Gupta-period devotee).


A six-letter engraving on the main chamber’s doorway can be read as “Sri Rudrasachi,” a rare Gupta-era graffiti left by a pilgrim, hinting that the site was visited long after the Satavahanas.


These archaeological hints show Vijasan’s place in an ancient network of Buddhist sites across central India.


The archaeologists see them as evidence of an early Buddhist monastery that likely included both worship halls (chaityagrihas) and monk cells (viharas) carved out of rock. Carved reliefs of stupas and figures of Buddha mark the site’s religious purpose, and the whole structure reflects a transitional phase of architecture, a move from temporary wooden sanctuaries to permanent stone halls.


Rock-Cut Architecture and Art

Rock-Cut Architecture and Art of the Vijasan Caves
Rock-Cut Architecture and Art

The Vijasan complex consists of a system of interconnected chambers and corridors chiselled into a single rocky hill.


At the entrance stands a broad portico cut into the face of Vijasan Tekdi. From this porch, a long main hall stretches about 63 to 71 feet into the rock, ending in a sanctum with a seated Buddha statue carved in bas-relief.

The official website of Bhadrawati Municipal Council notes that “the main cave extends about 71 feet into the rock, culminating in a chamber housing a carved Buddha statue.” This main cave is cruciform in shape: it has a wide front portico with left and right branches forming galleries and side shrines. Side chambers, probably monk cells, open off the main hall.


Inside, the walls are bare rock with modest relief work. All four parts of the cave are chiselled into a cross layout: a lower horizontal corridor (63 feet long) and an upper gallery (about 74 feet long), with branch galleries of 35 and 47 feet on either side. In the rear sanctum, a statue of the Buddha sits on a throne, carved directly into the wall. Beneath his pedestal and in the adjoining cells, benches are cut out of the rock for monks to sit.


On the cave façade and walls, one finds carved Buddhist symbols rather than elaborate narrative scenes. Most striking are three low-relief stupa emblems sculpted on the porch and inner walls.


Each stupa engraving shows all its parts, the base (medhi), the dome (anda), the square platform (harmika), and the chattravali (umbrella) above. This is a distinctive feature of Vijasan. Such stupa carvings are uncommon in smaller cave shrines. Archaeologists note these designs may imitate actual reliquary stupas that once stood at the site.


Inside the main chamber and side caves, traces of plaster and paint hint that murals might once have covered the rock. Faded pigment on the walls was still visible during 19th-century surveys, suggesting the caves may once have been brightly decorated.


Similarly, worn figures of the Buddha remain carved above the cell benches. One can still make out the figure of a seated Buddha on the throne in the rear cave. On the hilltop above the caves, devotees have erected modern statues, including a large standing Bodhisattva at the summit – in homage to the site’s Buddhist heritage.


This layout and decor place Vijasan within the broad tradition of early Buddhist cave sanctuaries in the Deccan.


Architecturally, it falls between the largely wooden chaitya halls of the Maurya-Shunga era and the later fully stone complexes like Ajanta.

It's simple plan and minimal sculpture fit the age when modest monastic colonies were linked by trade routes. The location, too, is typical. The caves are carved high on a rocky hill, overlooking the landscape, a pattern seen at other Sangam-era sites. Yet Vijasan stands out for its size. It is said to be the largest Buddhist cave group in Vidarbha. Compared to much better-known cave temples along the Western Ghats, Vijasan is small, but within Vidarbha, it is the most ambitious early example.


Rediscovery and Conservation

Rediscovery and Conservation of Vijasan Caves in Chandrapur
Rediscovery and Conservation

After its ancient heyday, the Vijasan complex fell into obscurity. By the 19th century, a British surveyor had noted the ruins, and archaeologists like Alexander Cunningham mentioned the hilltop caves in their reports on Central India.


Yet for generations thereafter, villagers treated them as a curious backdrop or even used them as shelter for livestock.


A modern survey identified the largest cave hall as “Monument N-MH-42” under ASI protection, but little active conservation took place. It was only when local historians and heritage groups grew interested that Vijasan began to draw attention.

In recent decades, the site has seen renewed interest from citizens and officials alike. The Archaeological Survey of India officially listed the main cave as a Monument of National Importance, giving it a protected status.


However, official maintenance has been spotty. Recognising this, community activists stepped in. One notable figure is Ashok Singh Thakur of Chandrapur, a local history enthusiast. Thakur actively researches and raises awareness of Chandrapur’s neglected sites.


He recounts that many villagers originally thought the caves had only mundane value: “These caves were used as a shelter for cattle by the villagers,” he said. Once people were told of their age and significance, attitudes changed. “We found out the historic value of this place and requested them to take care of it,” Thakur explained. He argues that preservation cannot rely on government alone: “If we have a historic monument around our residence, why can’t we take responsibility for keeping it clean and preserving it?”


Since then, Thakur has helped organise heritage walks to Vijasan for schoolchildren and tourists. He reports that younger people have responded with pride. “If you tell them that these monuments were made by their ancestors and now they are the owners, they feel a sense of pride about them and take responsibility to preserve their heritage,” he said. This grassroots interest has led to modest improvements. Villagers no longer graze cattle inside the caves, and some efforts have been made to clear debris. Small signboards and handrails have been put up on the hill path. Local guides now lead visitors up the steep steps to the cave entrance, explaining the carvings and layout.

Today Vijasan remains relatively quiet, visited only by a trickle of pilgrims and history buffs. The setting is still secluded: a clearing in the forested Vijasan Hill opens onto the cave mouths, giving a clear view of the portals and the polished statue within. Although restoration has been minimal, the rock structure itself is generally sound.


Archaeologists note that the ancient builders chose stable sandstone bedrock, and even centuries of monsoon have not caused major collapse.

Ongoing challenges include managing vegetation and preventing vandalism. But with ASI oversight and rising local interest, the site’s condition is better than in the past. Official records now cite Vijasan as an important link to the region’s early history, to be highlighted alongside more famous sites like Ajanta and Ellora.


As a living site, Vijasan continues to connect modern Vidarbha with its Buddhist past. Pilgrims still light oil lamps in the cave niches and touch the Buddha statue’s feet for blessings. It is said that villages nearby once held festivals at these caves, indicating they were part of local worship traditions even after Buddhism waned.


Local Jains and Hindus may include the caves in spiritual tours of Bhadrawati. New visitors often bring coins or flowers to the Buddha relief. While no daily prayer service exists, the caves’ spiritual aura has survived, kept alive by the faith of the few who know its story.


Vijasan Caves thus stand as a reminder of Chandrapur’s ancient heritage.

Their carved halls and statues are tangible links to a time when Buddhism flourished in Vidarbha’s forests and towns. The stone Buddha at the back of the cave still watches over the countryside, centuries after it was made.


Today, scholars and locals alike are piecing together its story from inscriptions and legends. For travellers, climbing the rocky path to Vijasan is like stepping into a hidden chapter of history. Here, sandstone walls echo with the chants of Buddhist monks long gone, and for once-silent hill, the past seems almost alive.


References


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